King Tubby (born Osbourne Ruddock, 1941-89) was a Jamaican audio engineer. He got his start by running a sound system that blasted out the latest rock steady hits at rough-and-tumble street dances in late 60s Kingston. 

After he took on a second job as disc cutter at Treasure Isle studio, he spent his spare time there experimenting with remixes or “dubs” (from “double”) of hit songs. He liked the new sounds that he got and decided to press them on acetate plates to play at a dance.