Jamaican Slang EditorialTHE Blog for Jamaican Slang, Patois, Reggae, Rastafari, Real T’ing dem and Jamaica

With so many riddims coming out every week, it can get hard to put things in perspective. Anyways, we thought we would look at the top 5 most successful riddims to come out. Now, these are not the best riddims or our favorites, but these are the riddims that you can hear at almost any party. The list is not in any special order and let us know if you disagree or have a different top 5:

1- Playground (Beenie Man is definitely the one who made this riddim “sell off” with Who Am I.)

2- Diwali (This might be the most successful riddim outside of Jamaica and it is rddim where Sean Paul really blew up abroad. This riddim showed the world the fun dances coming out of Jamaica. Stand out artists are T.O.K., Sean Paul, Wayne Wonder, Elephant Man…and should I add Lumidee? Uh No!)

3- Bookshelf (Every single song on this riddim is pretty much classic, but the people that stand out are Sean Paul, Beenie Manand T.O.K. This is also the riddim where Sean Paul dropped Dutty Yo on Deport Dem.)

4- Buy Out ( Sean Paul and Elephant Man did their thing on this riddim. This was a fun riddim and people were signalin’ di plane all the time.)

5- Showtime (This might be the best riddim of all time because nuff artist use parts of this riddim or the riddim to launch their career. Beenie and Bounty Killer definitely murdered this riddim.)

Even before finishing this post, I have people on my case that these riddims could be replaced by others. Leave some feedback of what you think should be on this list.

This is one of my favorite dancehall songs to come out in a while. It’s a little old now, but it is 100% relevant and the lyrics are funny and filed with Jamaican Slang. Busy Signal is one of the hottest dancehall artists out right now and he is a member of Bounty Killer’s Alliance. Too bad there isn’t a real produced video attached to the song, but with the massive growth of the Alliance, hopefully it is just a matter of time.

Mavado is a big deal right now in the whole dancehall reggae scene. Not only is he holding down the fort for Gullyside aka Cassava Piece (a Kingston, Jamaica neighborhood/community) in the music battle against Gaza’s Vybz Kartel, he is truly experiencing mainstream crossover appeal. He has songs with Jay-Z, 50 Cent and has been remixed by many including Mad Decent’s, Diplo. Mavado is THE HOTTEST Jamaican artist out there right now, but one has to ask what makes Mavado so hot and special.

Earlier this year, Mavado released his sophmore album Mr.Brooks…a Better Tomorrow and from the beginning people were torn whether the album was an instant classic or a flop. The truth is that many of the songs on the album were out in Jamaica months ago with some dating back over a year, so if you heard all the songs before, then you already know what I am going to say. This album is AMAZING and an INSTANT CLASSIC! But before I review the album, I need to talk about my history with Mavado.

When Mavado first came out, everybody was on him like a human shish kabob. It took me a long time to really get into Mavado, there was something different about this guy. When I bought Mavado’s first album “Gangsta For Life - The Symphony of David Brooks”, I listened to it once and told my friends that it was garbage. They thought I was crazy and now, I think I was crazy at the time. But what changed? The Gang War Riddim! Although, I had heard his song “Me and My Dogs” on his album, it became part of a jumbled up sound, but when I heard the Gang War Medley that included Mavado, Sizzla, Elephant Man, Damian Marley, Bounty Killer and more…I became hooked to Mavado. And it is on Mr.Brooks…A Better Tomorrow where we see an even more refined and better Mavado.

On Mr.Brooks…A Better Tomorrow, Mavado continues his portrayal of the ghetto violence and ambitions in Jamaica. He doesn’t deviate from the “badman talk” and he is still a “Gangsta for life”, so do not expect to hear about peace, love and happiness. What makes this album and Mavado so special is his voice. Mavado’s voice is infectious and it is truly unique. No one can ever say that he copied somebody else’s style because they would be dead wrong. Mavado is really a dancehall singer and this album clearly shows that he holds the thrown in that area.

The album starts out with a slower pace with “Every Situation”, a tribute to Jah that Mavado kills. Next up is the radio hit, “On The Rock” which is almost like a prayer in the form of a song. The song’s hook was heard by Jay Z and the remix became an instant hit. Mavado picks up the pace of the album on “So Blessed” another song that could be a prayer or more of a confession. It almost seems like Mavado stuggles with being a “badman” and he wants to thank Jah (God) for keeping him protected. Mavado stays on the “So” themed songs with the next hit “So Special”. This is also a faster paced song and it is truly a song you are going to hear in a party, but Mavado also starts to move away from being thankful and increases the “badman talk.” The next track, “Life of a G” is pretty much a track dedicated to more “badman talk”, but it definitely wins the award for the best song to learn Jamaican Patois. After “Life of a G” there is a brief interlude discussing Armegedeon and then Mavado hits us with another dancehall classic, “Gangster Don’t Play.” This song is “fyah” despite the song not deviating in subject matter. The riddim and the vocals on this song are just sick. The song that stands out from the rest of the songs is “Money Changer”, a declaration of Mavado’s succcess and the fact that he is not going to change regardless of money, success or women. “In Di Car Back” is a faster paced song, almost a pop reggae song. It is certainly a deviation from the Mavado standard, but he still kills it with his special voice.

All in all, this album is a classic and should be part of your collection. Mavado’s voice is his biggest asset and it is a MASSIVE asset. There really cannot be any imitators similar to Akon and R.Kelly. Many will try to repeat the success of the Gully God (another Mavado nickname), but few will succeed. If you want to hear peace and love music, Mavado is not the sound you are looking for, but if you are learning to speak Jamaican Patois or want to pick up a few Jamaican Slang words, this album is definitely worth it. It is also a great album to listen to in the car or to dance to. Just buy the album, you will not be sorry. Mavado’s voice is infectious and never disappoints and neither will Mr. Brooks…A Better Tomorrow. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Mavado - So Special

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http://www.vimeo.com/3979390

Reggae, especially dancehall reggae, is highly competitive and territorial. Similar to hip-hop and sports, there are rivalries. Most of the rivalries develop out of something small and then blow up, but there are definitely some people like Bounty Killer and Vybz Kartel that attract drama all of the time. With the Vybz Kartel and Mavado beef continuing to escalate like Ja Rule and 50 Cent or Nas and Jay-Z, I thought it was time to shed some light on some classic dancehall beefs. Here is Jamaican Slang’s interpretation of Complex Magazine’s list of the Ten Biggest Reggae Beefs. We have reduced it to the five best, zeen!?:

#1 - Beenie Man vs. Bounty Killer :

This one is the grandfather, king, and still champion of feuds inna di dance. They’re both legends, and they’ve found more things to squabble about over the past 15 years than a long-married couple. Whether it’s Beenie kissing RuPaul on an American talk show, Bounty appearing in a No Doubt video with a naked man, or most recently Beenie marrying Bounty’s longtime girlfriend D’Angel, they’re the Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant of reggae (except they’re both alive and neither of them has a she-male for a daughter). Their dysfunctional relationship is the defining thread of modern dancehall, even going so far as to entangle their younger protégés (the beef between Bounty’s protege Mavado and Vybz Kartel intensified when Kartel attended Beenie’s wedding).

#2 - Vybz Kartel vs. Mavado :

This feud started back in 2006 when Vybz left The Alliance, an unofficial group of artists (with Mavado, Busy Signal, Wayne Marshall, and a few dozen other DJs) started by Bounty Killer. At the time of his departure, Vybz Kartel was a member of the Alliance along with Mavado. Once separated from The Alliance, in typical Vybz Kartel style, Vybz started to diss members of The Alliance and it was the rising star Mavado that responded. There are dozens of diss tracks recorded by both artists and although, the beef take a breather in 2007, the heat was on again in 2008 with Sting 2008 as the battle of all battles to decide who would win. Four months later and people are still debating who won on stage at Sting 2008. This beef is pretty personal because both know each other well.

#3 - Beenie Man vs. Capelton:

This feud made it to the top because it’s like the Crusades. You have the Bobo Ashanti Fire Starter vs. The King of the Dancehall. Two ideologies against each other. Truthfully, this stems from Beenie calling out Capelton’s Bobo Ashanti rhetoric on the song “Hypocrites”. Capleton fires back with a CLASSIC track called “Who Dem.”

#4 - Vybz Kartel vs. Assassin & Spragga Benz:

Kartel and Assassin clashed first as a friendly rivalry, but then things got heated. Eventually, Assassin’s big homie Spragga Benz (pon di ends) had to get involved for the feud’s climax over the “Stepz” riddim. This one turned out like 50 vs Game: both landed stinging shots, but both also lived to fight another day. It just seems like Kartel is looking for fights!

#5 - Mavado vs. Beenie Man:

Mavado’s line in the song “How High” mentions “Baby Brian” (“give him some fat teflon fi try on/mek him madda cry ‘cause him die by my han’”)—and even though the song was released before Beenie’s half-brother Brian was murdered in 2006, Beenie understandably caught feelings. Based on the timing, it might be Mavado making a 50 Cent move going after the King of the Dancehall. For those that do not know, 50 Cent dissed Jay-Z well before Get Rich or Die Trying. Later on 50 admitted that by dissing Jay-Z he figured Jay would come back, which he did, thus helping 50 get on the map. The Alternative view is that Bounty Killer sent his new top soldier to go after the reigning (self-proclaimed) King of the Dancehall.

Here are some other honorable mention beefs in dancehall:

Ninja Man vs. Mad Cobra

Vybz Kartel vs. Bounty Killer

Ninja Man vs. Pretty Much Everyone to Step on Stage

Super Cat vs. Bounty Killer

Super Cat vs. Nitty Gritty

Deva Bratt vs. Munga

Merciless vs. Bounty Killer vs. Ninja Man vs. Beenie Man

To hear more of the songs associated with these beefs to learn more about them, visit the Complex Magazine Feature. Complex probably needed to link up with www.jamaican-slang.com to get better with the Jamaican Patois, zeen?!

Last week, we wrote about Buju Banton, who in the eyes of many has been commercially successful in Jamaica and Abroad. Traditionally, that is not the case for most reggae artists.  There is really a reggae elite and it is fair to say that Bounty Killer definitely falls into that category. When I was first introduced to Bounty Killer, I admit, I wasn’t really a big fan. I don’t know what it was, but there was something. That was the case until I really started to listen to what the Warlord (one of Bounty’s many nicknames). The song that changed everything was “Look”. Bounty really blew me away on this track with some of the realest lyrics I’ve heard to this day. Now, Bounty and The Alliance (his crew) are basically running things in dancehall. Bounty has influenced so many of today’s hottest artists like Mavado and Busy Signal. Here is a brief write up on Bounty’s life and career.

Bounty Killer (born Rodney Basil Price June 12, 1972 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. He is the founder of a dancehall collective, known as The Alliance.

Early start

The last son in a family of nine, he grew up in a rough part of Jamaica in the neighborhood of Seaview Gardens. His mother stayed at home while his father went out to earn a living. While walking through a rough neighborhoods of Kingston, he was caught in a crossfire and hit by a bullet. He spent several days in the hospital, and it was during this time that he decided to change his name to Bounty Killa.^{[citation needed]}

1990s

During the early 1990s, Bounty Killer was encouraged by his friend and deejay Boom Dandymite to hang around the studio of producer King Jammy in Kingston. This lead to Bounty Killer getting the chance to record for King Jammy. One of Bounty Killer’s first tunes was the “Coppershot.” Coppershot was heard by New York-based Johnny Wonder, a pivotal figure in North American Dancehall Reggae, who went crazy when he heard it, instantly recognising the potential of its hardcore appeal to the urban markets Stateside. Ironically Coppershot became an underground hit in New York before taking off in Jamaica.

Beginning in 1993, Bounty Killer became a household name in Jamaica due to his well received performance at the annual hardcore festival, Sting, held in the days after Christmas.^{[citation needed]}. Bounty Killer has tried to protect his individuality and this has caused many problems both on and off stage with various singers. Bounty Killer and Merciless got into a fist fight on stage during the Sting festival in 1997, and has made headlines throughout Jamaica for the rivalry with Beenie Man as both claim that the other has stolen each others act.

In 1998, contributed the song “Deadly Zone” to the album “Blade: Music from and Inspired by the Motion Picture”. Although on the soundtrack album, the song did not feature in the film “Blade”.^{[citation needed]}

Bounty Killer, while updating the sound of the reggae riddim, for example, using electric guitars and no piano riff, he has expressed disdain for popular rap, which he called “embarrassing to reggae,” even while collaborating with Wu Tang Clan, Mobb Deep and others he considers hardcore.

During the 1990s, Bounty Killer has voiced for producers and labels in Jamaica releasing songs such as “Defend the Poor”, “Mama”, “Book, Book, Book”, “Babylon System” and “Down in the Ghetto”. The 1990s was also the decade in which Bounty Killer became known in USA and in Europe and ended up with several combinations with big artists like Busta Rhymes, Masta Killa, The Fugees, Wyclef Jean, Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga, No Doubt, Swizz Beatz and AZ. The decade of many albums released, the new millennium seems to be the decade of many singles released. While working with producers in Jamaica and abroad, Bounty Killer insists on releasing singles almost on a daily basis.

2000s

In 2006, Bounty Killer signed with VP Records and the compilation album Nah No Mercy - The Warlord Scrolls was released on November 7, 2006. He has been credited with having inspired many young artists such as Mavado, Vybz Kartel (formerly of the Alliance) and several other members of The Alliance.

[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bounty_Killer]

If you haven’t heard Bounty Killer before, now is a perfect chance! Oh, and by the way…pretty much anything Bounty does is great for learning Jamaican Slang! Respect to the Warlord. Here is easily my favorite Bounty Killer song.

Bounty Killer - Look

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Its being described as the The Settlement of All Arguments and its going to be a real sound clash between two of the hottest DeeJays in the history of Dancehall music. The main event is STING 2008 - the 25th Anniversary!!! This will be the stage where Vybz Kartel and Mavado go toe to toe to settle a long running beef. To bring everyone up to speed, the beef/feud began in 2006 when Vybz left The Alliance, a federation of sorts of dancehall artists which includes legends like Bounty Killer and of course, Mavado. Although they had worked together in the past, diss tracks started coming out on various riddims. Violence followed, but nobody was hurt. The feud died down in 2007 after a press conference, but then it came back to life in August of this year (2008). The diss tracks started again and now we will have the priviledge of seeing these two stars go at it through music at Sting 2008.

I had a chance to check out some of the interviews with Vybz and Mavado and the level of Jamaican Slang is everything you dreamed of. The patois flows so naturally as both artists are at ease trying to make a case as to why they are going to win. It might be bold to say this is like Mike Tyson vs. Lennox Lewis in the boxing world, but it is certainly up there with one of the hottest beefs in dancehall. I think these video clips are gems for anyone looking to learn Jamaican Patois/ Jamaican Slang. Check them out…and to learn more Jamaican Slang…check out SpeakJamaican.com

STING 2008 - MAVADO

STING 2008 - VYBZ KARTEL