Last year's One Life Riddim, featuring a refix of Roots Manuva's Witness by JStar gets a vinyl release an' to top it off Sly & Robbie's Unmetered Taxi riddim gets reworked with Jeru's vocals as a B side. JStar, yuh mashups a toppa tops, keep up di vinyl drops- boom!
Bootcamp Records inna combination with Paul Henton AKA Computer Paul drop this scorchin version of Coxsone Dodd's You Should Have Known riddim, inna fresh 2011 stylee. Teflon an Stevie Face team up for a BIG anthem, Warrior King sounds bettah den eva, Toronto's Exco Levy shows great promise an other versions might just be on di way - as this is a part one release. Check CiviliNation's riddim mix below, let di good vibes dem flow!
Wicked revamp of the riddim used by Sancho for Chase Vampire. Cisko relicks dis oneya for Belleville International outta France, pairing his fresh take with top vocalists, the likes of Lone Ranger, Chronicle, Joseph Cotton, Jigsy King an' fellow Frenchmen Guive and Azrock. Check di megamix video courtesy of Patate Records, dem a handle di record sales too - 7" a sell off fi true!
Nuff great info inna diss hearticle from Cecelia Campbell-Livingston writing for the Jamaica Observer-
Junie Ranks who reigned in the 80s with songs such as Cry Fi Mi Boops is today singing a different tune. Known for risqué songs, the female deejay who is now based in the United States is all about bringing back the love in dancehall.
Released on her own J-Ranks label, Bring Back De Love is said to be receiving a lot of buzz on the international scene.Junie came up with the hook for the song about three years ago but just could not seem to come up with the right lyrics for the song. That is, until she heard a song by fellow artiste Ed Robinson entitled Heroes - a song about icons in the business.
"As I heard his song, the words just hit me. I took up my pen and book and said what's on my mind. I did not call anyone's name but if the cap fit just wear it -- mi throw mi corn mi never call no foul," Junie said about her latest single.
"It hurts my heart to see how the sweet reggae music has turned into violence music, so Bring Back De Love is about calling back the foundation artiste to build peace and love inna the dancehall," she continued.
Junie says she has a lot of respect for young artistes, but is saddened by the fact that they seems to have no real love for each other. "They are too thin-skinned. Music is love not war," she pointed out.
On the subject of clashing, Junie Ranks was swift in her reply. "I would not clash with Lisa Hyper or Spice, or any other female artiste that's under my age group. They could be my daughters. You have to give respect to get respect. What happened to lyrical war? Not bad word cussing on stage, but a friendly clash like Four the Hard Way -- back then with me, Lady G, Sister Charmaine and Lady Junie. Look at Ninja Man and Shabba Ranks -- Ninja Man and Shabba used lyrics against each other but I never see one raise a hand at the other, and when the clash was over we all are friends again," she mused suggesting the direction clashes need to go again.
If this New York-based artiste has her way then it will be all about love in the dancehall again and not war.
Looking ahead Junie is hoping to hit the local stage one day soon as she needs to "put my name back out there".
"Although I am no stranger to dancehall, I am a stranger to the younger generation. A lot of them never heard about me. They might have heard my songs but don't know who sing them, so I have to let my voice be heard again," she told Splash.
June Evans aka Junie Ranks was born in Kingston, but grew up in Old Harbour, St Catherine. At a young age she fell in love with deejaying listening to artistes such as Lady Ann, Sister Nancy, Sista Verna and Mama Liza among others.
Junie Ranks soon started to make a name for herself deejaying on the local sounds ET Sound System and on Technique Disco where she initially got her first big break.
Junie Ranks got the break she was seeking when she was introduced to producer Winston Riley, who was so impressed with her talent when she auditioned for him that he took her to the studio the same evening.
Over the years Junie Ranks has recorded singles such as Big and Ready, Dibby Dibby Man, Naw Stop Ge Bun, Sweetest Girl a combination with Wayne Wonder, Lick Out 'Gainst De Man Dem and Sea of Love featuring John Mouse which went to number one in Canada in 1990, and gave her the Female DJ of the Year title in that country.
Currently affiliated with DASK Entertainment, Junie is busy working on some new material for her upcoming album scheduled to be released sometime this year.
The video for Bring Back De Love was released at the B-Hive Lounge in Brooklyn and has appearances from a lot of foundation artistes such as Wayne Smith, Tony Tuff, Michael Palmer, Sammy Dread, Lady Ann, Ed Robinson, Al Campbell, Courtney Melody, Ansel Meditation, Johnny Osbourne, Mikey Jarrett and more.
Third release from Japanese record label El Ricallan, continuin' in their digikal 80s style & pattern, revisiting di Boops / 54-46 Riddim. UK's Saxon International veteran vocalists Tippa Irie an' Daddy Colonel are back again, gwaan tell yuh friend!
UK DJ / producer Wrongtom collabs with Brainer Magazine for this well fresh 90s dancehall mix - Brainer Mix Vol.2 Nineties Trample fee true an a free download too!
Outta Edinburgh, Scotland a slew of sick 80s digikal inspired productions have been dispensed by Riddim Tuffa Sound. Now on to their 9th ifficial release on their Tuffa Dubs record label, they seem to be gathering steam working with the likes of Robert Lee, Little Kirk, Lt. Stitchie, El Fata, Blackout JA, an' others still. Singin Gold & Symbiz's Marchin On gets reworked in fine digi-fashion, wicked production - well worth di mention... Riddim Tuffa kno how fi ride computah!
Whaa?! A serious dubbin' dis... Don Corleon presents Dub In HD, a full length compilation revisiting many of his biggest riddims: Major, Drop Leaf, Seasons, as well as versionin' some recent singles such as Protoje's Dread an featured below is a top ranking version of Pressure's Ghetto Life with Tenor Saw? vocals prominent inna di mix- BIG!!
Mr. Patze a bring back di Question Riddim AKA Answer Riddim by Upliftment Int'l & Dreadsquad. Wicked version, nuff time mi a play dissya oneya- Gwaan Mr. Patze!
Self produced banger on Lady Ann's Informer, Mr. Vegas is back with an ol' time soundin' ting, livicated to di one Buju Banton (currently serving a 10 year jail sentence).
Mr. Vegas' own Clifford-Ray Music brings back di Bam Bam riddim, made popular by the likes of Chaka Demus & Pliers' Murder She Wrote an' Bam Bam, on Sly & Robbie's Taxi label back in 1992. Well dis time around ya get Mr. Vegas, Mr. Lexx an' Gyptian all giving great performances - wicked vibes dem a spread. Clifford-Ray a produce dancehall di right way - from foundation ya nah stray!
Froggy, Maddsquad an' Taranchyla AKA Madd Spider Productions unleash di Island Breeze Riddim, wid a slew of top notch vocalists pon di riddim. Wicked dancehall jam, wid new vocalists an' veteran - Madd Spider yuh sound a champion!
TJ Records AKA Linton "TJ" White a hit hard wid dis freshie from Yard. Big artist a gather pon di Star A Star Riddim an give their best inna well charged dancehall production. TJ yuh Star A Star a di sickest riddim run, igniting di dancehalls - dem a go bun!
Duhty beat an' dark lyrics pon dis oneya. Kingston JA's Kalico Productions drop Twice As Much, featuring Scott Robotham AKA Genesis. Kalico Prod. a up an' comin sound, aimin to bring new artists to da front- like to hear more a dem pon dis riddim... Genesis a twice as much, wicked vocal and sweet production touch. Tun up di bass, it a mash up di place!
Nice likkle white label release from Konshens offa di Addiction Records label. Di riddim has a latin bubble that suits the topic proppa, but Konshens playful lyrics a di true toppa...
Nice simple riddim dis, a likkle Cosa Nostraish comin outta Missassauga, Canada... Newbalanz leads di charge, 'longsige Pearla & Snoops, fresh sound dem got gwaanin', Goodlife Music keep dem comin!
The acclaimed BBC4 Britannia series moves into the world of British reggae. Showing how it came from Jamaica in the 1960s to influence, over the next 20 years, both British music and society. The programme includes major artists and performances from that era, including Big Youth, Max Romeo, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Jerry Dammers and the Specials, the Police, UB40, Dennis Bovell, lovers rock performers Carroll Thompson and Janet Kay, bands like Aswad and Steel Pulse and reggae admirers such as Boy George and Paul Weller. Reggae Britannia celebrates the impact of reggae, the changes it brought about and its lasting musical legacy inna di UK and beyond. Click di BBC link for extra interviews an' live performances from big artists at di Barbican inna London - Boom!
Hot on the heels of Ice Cold's 2010 Year In Review comes anotha slew of vocalists pon this hot-a-hot DJ Karim produced riddim. Parade is a nice simple riddim boastin' fresh tones and deep base. Be sure to crank this one iyah- it a pure fyah!
