Producer, mixer and Grammy-winning dub reggae artist Lee “Scratch” Perry has been overturning tradition and confounding conventional wisdom for more than five decades. In the process, the widely acknowledged father of dub reggae became arguably the first creatively driven, "artist-producer" in modern recorded music. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked Perry on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Born in Jamaica in 1936, Perry began in the music business in the 1950s and by the 1960s became known for his innovative production techniques as well as his eccentric character. His first single "People Funny Boy" in 1968 was notable for its innovative use of sampling as well as a fast, chugging beat that would soon become identifiable as "reggae." Concurrent with his own releases with the Upsetters, Perry produced numerous reggae artists at his Black Ark studio, including Bob Marley and the Wailers, The Heptones and Max Romeo.
A nearly 6,000-square-foot Monte Vista mansion that blends historic details with modern elegance underwent a steep, $200,000 price cut late last month.…