Legendary pioneer of the dancehall, U Roy is dead.

The veteran toaster reportedly died in his native Jamaica on Wednesday night after ailing for some time. He was 78.

Tributes flowed freely on social media Wednesday night as musicians expressed sorrow at the death of a pioneering godfather of Jamaican music.

Dancehall superstar Shaggy posted: “Today we lost one of our heros !! A true legend in this game of dance hall/ Reggae if your (sic) a fan of sound system, then your a fan of Stur Gav sound.”

“With such greats as Colonel Josey Whales (sic) and Charlie Chaplin, pioneers in this game…with a catalogue of amazing recordings U Roy was a master at his craft. Rest Well daddy Roy!! R.I.P. walk good.”

David Rodigan posted on Twitter: “RIP Daddy U Roy the iconic toaster who changed the paradigm of Jamaican music when he voiced the ‘Version Galore’ album …I was always in awe of him; the tone of voice, the cadence, the lyrical shimmering and riddim riding made him ‘the soul adventurer’.”