Derrick “Duckie” Simpson, known as the “Gong Gong Gullie,” is the founder and enduring leader of reggae legends Black Uhuru. Despite numerous lineup changes over the decades, Black Uhuru has remained one of the most recognized and influential reggae bands in the world for over 50 years. The roots of Black Uhuru trace back to the Waterhouse district of Kingston, Jamaica—often referred to as “Firehouse”—in the early 1960s. Though considered one of Jamaica’s toughest neighborhoods, Waterhouse produced some of reggae’s greatest talents. It was here that Duckie Simpson grew up alongside boyhood friends Winston “Pipe” Matthews and Lloyd “Bread” McDonald of the Wailing Souls, as well as Bob Marley. Simpson first recorded with the Wailing Souls before forming his own group.