Junior Reid found himself in a difficult spot when he joined Black Uhuru in 1986. He replaced Michael Rose, who had become quite popular as a longtime Uhuru contributor. Though essentially a good vocalist, Reid's style was so close to Rose's that he didn't establish his own identity. The group also suffered compositional difficulties and personal crisis during Reid's tenure. Puma Jones left and was replaced by Olafunke. They also didn't always get quality material or support from Sly and Robbie during this period. Reid departed in 1990 and began struggling as a solo artist to fulfill his considerable potential, with releases like 1991's Long Road, 1993's Big Timer, and 1996's Listen to the Voices.