Vintage. Something felt REALLY good and REALLY familiar about this one. Twenty years or so ago, I would have never thought that, in 2025, Reggae/Dancehall music would look and sound like it does today. I would have been downright shocked if I could have had a glimpse of what was to come and that is in no way a critique (my personal opinions being what they are, I still spend a great amount of time enjoying good, NEW music) but I would have been shocked. One aspect, in particular, that has seemed to have declined to some degree -- and maybe not in terms of practice, overall, but definitely as far as how respected it has become on the highest scale -- is that truly BIG riddim. Music will never stop producing stars and generating popularity in that way and it will (HOPEFULLY) never stop producing hit songs but something that Reggae had going for itself, and itself alone basically, was the times when that big and all-conquering riddim would drop and go on to support multiple hits and big songs from a variety of different artists. It may even serve as an introduction to new names who will stick with fans for years to come or maybe just come across with a single hit from an unexpected light but... damn, was it fun! Furthermore (and why we're here today), some of those riddims (not all of them) would go on to work very well in an album form, particularly on the Roots side (I've never been the biggest fan of mixes but if you get the right Dancehall track and just put neverending tune after tune on it, it is spectacular) (biggup Spectacular). Surely, you'll recall a few years when the reigning biggest album-releasing labels of Reggae & Dancehall music both maintained 'dueling' (not really) riddim album series, VP Records & Greensleeves. Of course, you remember Riddim Driven. I bring them up not just for the obvious but when I saw and initially got a listen to the project we're taking a look at today, it brought my mind back to something very brief and even more specific (...and random as hell). In the midst (or maybe slightly after, I don't feel like looking it up) of Greensleeves' Rhythm Album Series, the label would break form and, very surprisingly, release an album for the Triumphant Riddim. It was no shock that they (or VP, or anyone from the time) would have been interested in the track as it was not only beautiful but the Flava McGregor produced piece carried a pair of solid hits in Gyptian's 'Mama' and 'Trodding' by Natty King, as well as efforts from the likes of Luciano, Chezidek, Ras Shiloh, Lutan Fyah, Anthony B, Norris Man & Natural Black (on the same song), Turbulence, Fantan Mojah, Perfect Giddimani.... I mean.... it was absolutely LOADED!
When I saw & heard the Pon Di Island Riddim and saw that it had been headed to album form, I got all nostalgic! I was thinking that if, by some chance, Riddim Driven was still active and VP didn't pick it up (and they would have), Greensleeves would have likely turned it into one of those COOL projects like they did with Triumphant Riddim. On the surface, it was loaded with big/good names (although not to the degree as the Triumphant), it was excellent, had some IMMEDIATELY interesting firepower (more on that in a second) and it just has that same vibe surrounding it like some of the big projects that I remember from years ago and it feels good! The Pon Di Island Riddim also comes to fruition via some very nice (and marketable set of circumstances) which would have, again, gone on to make it of presumptive potential interest of big labels, back in da' day.
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| 2021 |
In 2023 a bit of common sense made it into play as "The Kalling" would take Reggae Grammy honours. It's rare that a set lauded by so many fans of the genre actually does such a thing as the award is, typically, seen as a popularity contest/Marley Invitational. The moment would take the album's BRILLIANT star, Kabaka Pyramid, to new heights and help to bring his considerable lyrical talents to the forefronts; beyond the attentions of Reggae faithfuls. "The Kalling" was masterminded by the equally sagacious Damian Marley for his family's Ghetto Youths International imprint, alongside the Pyramid's own Bebble Rock Music. Previously, BRM had worked on several projects, including Kabaka Pyramid's debut album, 2018's "Kontraband" and the EP which preceded it, "Lead The Way" (incidentally, there was also a deluxe version of "Lead The Way", which contained thirteen tracks making it, TECHNICALLY, his debut album, in my opinion). Arguably even more interesting for us today is 2021's release of The Victory Rock Riddim. Just like what I'm about to tell you about, the Victory Rock was GOLDEN and was placed into the more than capable hands of vocalists such as Christopher Martin, Gentleman, Bugle, Romain Virgo, an all-conquering Alaine with the riddim's title effort and others. Given its history, no one should be surprised that Kabaka Pyramid and co. at Bebble Rock Music are back with one of the best produced and situated riddims and subsequent riddim albums of the first half of 2025. If you are familiar with the Victory Rock Riddim, the fact that I hesitate in saying which of the two is the strongest should tell you all you need to know in regard to its quality. The Pon Di Island is chilled to a near perfection with a subtle guitar (I think that's a guitar) and GORGEOUS piano being amongst the standout detailed sounds and a more prevalent horn dominating. While it doesn't change for individual artists (Lenky used to do that, it was special and led to some of his pieces being some of the greatest Dancehall riddim compilations ever in my opinion), all of those different colours and textures, given to different vocalists, make for an incredibly varied experience and, by its end, the Pon Di Island proved to be every bit of the class presentation that I felt it would be, going in. Let's talk about it!
Although it definitely does have a solid number of the bigger names, as I mentioned, the Pon Di Riddim isn't quite as loaded as you might expect. However, what it does lack in supremely massive names on paper is that it sets and maintains a very high level initially from which it rarely ever (if ever at all) dips. Also, specifically concerning the artists here, I found the MIXTURE of talents to be damn interesting. Yes. I am a nerd about such things, but it's damn hard for me to imagine anyone with any type of interest in what's going on here coming away disappointed to any degree. Getting the Pon Di Island Riddim from Bebble Rock Music started is Yaksta who supplies the riddim with its title track. 'Pon Di Island' shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone as far as its direction but what is a very nice eye-opener (ear-opener??) is the vibe of this one. It comes off as a very laidback type of theme but there is a certain STERNNESS behind it, making for an experience much more than just... laying around, enjoying the sun but that element does exist and is celebrated. I don't know if I've ever actually written about Yaksta's work, but he is a well talented individual and someone to keep an eye on, providing a definite highlight on the Pon Di Island Riddim. Next up, lives are endangered and stuff is broken and blown as, RIDICULOUSLY, legendary fireman, Capleton is paired with Cruzan blowtorch, Pressure Busspipe on 'Gunman Town', the single strongest tune here, to the surprise of absolutely no one.
"Gunman town inna gunman town
Gunman town inna gunman town
Inna graveyard every gunman found
This is the problem wi face as minorities
Ghetto youth nuh have no food and don't get no surety
Nuff seh dem are your friend but dem no know what is loyalty
Bwoy seh dem a gangsta and dem don't got no lawyer fee
WAIT!
Don't be a fool to what di system create
Give up your life so easy and go take di bait
He who fights and run away, lives to fight another day
LOOK IN AND LOOK OUT!
Be careful when they step and put a foot out
Gun clown, gun rookie - dem dun rook out
LIKE DEM FORGET SEH THAT THE GRAVEYARD BOOK OUT
CAAN BELIEVE DEM OWNA FRIEND - DEM DID TOOK OUT
Seh dat him have something weh tall weh chop di bush out
Inna gunman town, nuff a dem get push out
Dem seh dem cold and start di vibes and now di whole a dem goose get cook out!"
BOOM! The tune is a HEAVY anti-violence set that gets brilliantly specific, grinding the subject down to a powdery-like substance. Capleton's older now. He's nearing sixty years old. You cannot tell me, lyrically, that man has lost a step - one of the sharpest minds in the history of Reggae and he and Pressure sets this riddim on fire with one of the strongest selections of the year. Unlike on the Victory Rock, if I recall correctly, Kabaka Pyramid does take on his own creation, with the typically genius 'Jamaica'. This one is all about having pride in being where you are from and, in the case of the Pyramid, he just happens to be from the sweetest place on the planet.
"Mi fly around
Go whole heap a town
Collect nuff euro & pound
But dem no nice like Jamaica
Nowhere no home like Jamaica
Been all round di world
Seen whole heap a girl
Ah wear nuff diamond & pearl
But dem no nice like Jamaica
Nowhere no sweet like Jamaica
A what a likkle Island nice!
From di beaches, to di rivers, to di island spice
From wi likkle but wi tallawah
Leader, wi no follower
And every Yard woman no fi whine pon time
Just a dat pon di map still, regardless
Weh you know bout Nanny and di one Marcus Garvey?
World class coffee and cocoa dem call chocolate
AND FRESH JELLY WATA FI WASH OFF MI HEART WITH
Jah know mi love buy mi Clarks dung a Brixton
And mi will travel, go a Brooklyn inna instant
Mi juss shell a one show ova Lisbon
But nuttin no nice like a dance inna Kingston
Uptown man deh so Weddy Weddy now
Boom Sundays ah gwan, so wi heading out
Every night bout three dance ah keep
AND DI DANCEFLOOR MI SPOT ALL MATTRESS AND SHEET
The birthplace of Rastafari
Ah wi seh 'look to the east'
Wi gi yuh Bob Marley, Usain Bolt, Shelly-Ann and all now nobody can compete
Mi have whole heap a mango tree so mi no buy a supermarket
Trailerload a ackee so just forward wid yuh basket
Real Jamaican, yuh know wi caan stop
From wi have pure breadfruit and plantain, lawd!"
YES! I felt compelled to write all the lyrics down from the tune (because why not!). Kabaka Pyramid, in my opinion, is one of the very few people who has a case for being THE single greatest lyricist in Reggae today and he consistently proves it to devastating effect. 'Jamaica', easily, goes down as one of his finest builds in recent years. And if you love great writers, immediately following him (and Capleton & Pressure) is longtime favourite of ours, Lutan Fyah (probably going to write out a chunk of this one as well, then I'll give it a rest) (not saying there won't be anymore in this review --THERE MOST CERTAINLY WILL BE-- just not for a minute), also takes on the Pon Di Island Riddim on a vibe we know absolutely nothing about 'round these parts, 'Common Sense'.
"Mi no graduate from Yale
A common sense
Mi no believe inna no fairy tale
A common sense
Mi never come first in class
Mi took di test and pass
Mi no run dead last
None a dem coulda neva si mi fail
A common sense, just common sense
Mi no deaf, mi no dumb
Mi know mi language and mi psalms
I'm not a calculator, so dem caan shut mi dung
Alla now mi wise and mi did smart from mi young
They looking down at us, now si what wi become
I took a shot from the free-throw line
Things are stepping up, I'm certain, one day I must rise
WEH MI DO BEHIND CURTAIN MI LIVE IT OUTRIGHT
MY KNOWLEDGE COMES FROM THE MOST HIGH"
There is more than one way to come across knowledge is the sentiment behind this one and Lutan Fyah, I would guess, is someone who, though he may or may not have the scholastic accolades to show for it, has spent a considerable amount of time studying both the book and that type of knowledge that only comes with living and learning from life experiences. 'Common Sense' is MAMMOTH and it speaks to the quality of this entire project that it only barely manages to crack its top five efforts.
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