The ages. The older I get, the more appreciative and respecting I become of the adage 'you don't know what you've got until it's gone'. Things change so often and so unendingly that it seems so many times that, once you've gotten used to something and maybe have started to enjoy it, that thing is gone, outdated and we've moved on to the next. Theoretically (and actually too since we can't do anything to stop it), this is just fine. Things should evolve and progress (or regress, depending on your point of view) in order to not stay stagnant and this couldn't be more apparent than when you apply it to music. Different generations of people produce different sounds. If you say it like that, it makes perfect sense and it kind of hobbles (even more) the old man on his soapbox talking about, 'well back in my day...', telling the youth how shit their vibe is. They should be different. They behave differently. They speak differently. They dress differently and they should enjoy and make a different type of sound. That being said, however, when you are on the end of things where you are supportive of the outgoing trend... well, it's kind of fucked up and I find myself there these days when it comes to Dancehall. I try only to lift up what it is that I miss instead of stepping on what I hear these days (out of fear of being that old man that I just talked about) (no one wants to be him) but damn do I miss 90's and 2000's Dancehall. There was a clear and obvious sound there which differentiated it from any other in the entire world, to the point where you could play a riddim behind an artist from another, from anywhere in the world and what they would come up with would be described as 'Dancehall infused' or 'Caribbean infused', something like that. You'll STILL hear that description, in fact, if it happens with an older riddim but, outside of that, you're normally only going to get that if you literally have a guesting artist from Reggae. In the current sense. It's gone... but, like I said, I'm not going to step on anyone in this review. The riddim 'culture', in general, is largely a thing of the past and I've heard several individuals lamenting the change over the years (biggup Red Rat). As far as the sound, what we have these days is far more akin to what you'd hear in Hip Hop circles (don't love Hip Hop, never will love it) and that infectious, hypnotic, thudding bounce that once characterized the entire sub-genre has become so frustratingly rare and difficult to find.
Once upon a time it was inescapable. Perhaps, a very easy way to quantify just how prevalent riddims were would be to look at one of the genre's most popular compilations ever, the once mighty Riddim Driven from VP Records. Way back in 2000, the series began with its very first edition, The Chiney Gal & Blazing, and would spend the next decade or so bringing together some of the Dancehall's and Reggae's biggest riddims before concluding in 2010 with The Classic. Coincidentally, at literally the exact same time, VP's biggest competitor at the time, Greensleeves Records, was busy with a series of their own, the Greensleeves Rhythm Album Series (original, I know). The difference between VP and Greensleeves, at least for me, was that Greensleeves would deal with a bit more in the way of... GRIMEY kind of Dancehall music and, right up until the near end of the series (which actually went Reggae), I found myself rarely surprised by which riddims would end up on the GRS and it definitely had something to do with how the pace was initially set and by whom... with what.
Ward 21 & Greensleeves
The very first installment of the Greensleeves Rhythm Album series would also arrive in 2000 and it would go on to do some serious damage of its own and also showcase the prodigious behind-the-scenes talents of its creator. I don't even know what's the very first thing that comes to the minds of most fans when they hear the name Ward 21 these days but I'll tell you what I'm thinking about when they come up: DANCEHALL. Even all of these years later, the Ward's Andre 'Suku' Gray remains one of the very few maestros on whom you could fully depend on to deliver genuine Dancehall music, via his Misik Muzik label. Way back in da day, the Ward was working on making their name and building their reputation in doing a lot of work for the immortal King Jammy and, of that early union, was born a legend (probably more than one if you really think about it, but one in particular), the indomitable Bellyas Riddim. Within the conversation of the single greatest riddim of all time, in my opinion, the Bellyas has a seat at the table. It's in there somewhere and with good reason. The Bellyas is dark. It's heavy. It's THICK. It's a lot to deal with and it especially promotes SKILL. It isn't the easiest riddim to dig into and deal with, which is always a great quality because you can literally hear certain artists struggling to find a melody in their delivery against others who do so effortlessly. It also helps when you manage to pull in what is undeniably one of the GREATEST DANCEHALL SONGS OF ALL TIME from one of its most gifted of champions on your riddim as well. Looking back, though the Bellyas has gone into a catalogue full of damaging creations from the Ward (alongside others from the time such as the Bada Bada, the Volume, the Da Joint ["It no matter if you have yuh friend dem fi defend you. From you dis The King, dat mean a hell man ahgo send you"] (biggup Determine), the ALL CONQUERING Trilogy and a few others), it probably stands out as THE best track they've done to date still (though the Trilogy does run it very close). Ward 21's catalogue represents a bit of a golden era for Dancehall music for me. Their work, at their most active and best, was downright thrilling, looking back and I MISS IT! At the time, of course, you think it's going to go on forever but now you realize how venomously BRIEF it really was. Most fortunately, there's nothing at all that says we can't go back and relive just how DAMN NICE it was. Let's talk about it.
There was a time when I can recall being downright frustrated at just how often or in-often Greensleeves would actually release albums by artists. In comparison to feeding their riddim series, for several years in there, it was a rare occurrence at times. Ward 21 was a favourite of theirs also. The group would supply the label with three of the first five tracks from its rhythm album series (and, subsequently, go on to release their first two albums there as well in 2001 and 2003, respectively) (both of those albums, "Mentally Disturbed" & "U Know How We Roll" have aged excellently, btw). That includes the very first edition of Greensleeves Rhythm Album series, the Bellyas, which gets going with what is, CLEARLY, its greatest moment 'Who Dem' by Capleton. I'd likely go as far as to make the claim that 'Who Dem' ranks as one of the finest modern Dancehall tracks EVER and it's the best song the Bellyas backs, as it was also the best on Capleton's opus, "More Fire" (...and probably any other album that you'll find it on as well); but you knew all of that already. The unfortunate task of following 'Who Dem' FORTUNATELY fell into the most capable hands on the Bellyas, the Ward themselves, who check in with the first of a pair of offerings, 'Model and Pose'. Though the lesser of their two, 'Model and Pose' is still a pretty good time albeit one which strives and almost revels in how basic it is (especially for a W21 tune). Later, the Ward returns with the stronger and significant (in an entirely ridiculous kind of way) 'Blood Stain'. While 'Who Dem' is THE best song on this riddim, 'Blood Stain' holds a serious claim to being #2. This song is madness and it wholly exemplifies what Ward 21 does when at their best: Along with allowing Suku, the "Deep Voice God", to do what he does, the others create chaos around him but it's still fairly centered. I think it says much that, between 'Model and Pose' and 'Blood Stain', only one of them was featured on the Ward's subsequent album, "Mentally Disturbed", and 'Blood Stain' was the one chosen. Although cringy (with all that damn moaning), Mr. Vegas''Two Minutes More' actually proves to be relatively solid, in retrospect. It makes its way based largely on being pretty clever, lyrically, and Vegas also sustains well (there's a term here that is popular, "flow", I kinda hate that word but that's what I mean by "sustains"). I wasn't much of a Vegas fan at the time (am moreso now but still not a HUGE fan) but credit goes where it is deserved. Speaking of sustaining, Beenie Man provides a heavy dosage (biggup the doctor) of sustenance all over his cut of the Bellyas Riddim, 'Skettel Tune', which features the handiwork of Angel Doolas as well. I hate to say it but in the name of transparency (whatever the hell that is), I've always felt that 'Skettel Tune' would have been better if it were sans Doolas. Typically, I think his presence is well welcomed but not this time. His offerings are kind of awkward while Beenie damn near shines. Moses completely sparkles the next time we hear from him on the Bellyas with another track that could very well be #2 and is, AT LEAST, its second most recognizable selection, the brilliant 'Heights of Great Men'. You listen back to it now and it kind of represents a brief golden era in Dancehall when giants Beenie Man and the aforementioned Capleton were having a bit of a spat and 'Heights of Great Men' was a large part of Beenie's public offense on the subject ["So tell mi how di hell you go sign to Def Jam"]. Chasing the album's first combination, 'Skettel Tune', is its second, this time featuring a triumvirate of Dancehall regulars from the era: Elephant Man, Lexxus & Kiprich; who team up on 'Ghetto Youths'. None of the three offer what I consider to be their absolute best effort but, at the same time, none of them necessarily struggle either. 'Ghetto Youths' was, ultimately, an OKAY tune and it still is but its most remarkable (at least to my ears and maybe only mine) is that it appears to receive an ever so slightly more enthused version of the Bellyas than pretty much everyone else. Lexxus also gets another run out on the Bellyas (yes, I'm about to end this big ass paragraph) with his second piece, 'Halla Halla'. Again, there isn't much to see on this one. While I won't call it annoying and it does have its moments, 'Halla Halla' wasn't a standout in its day and it doesn't carry much weight in 2026 either. Fuck it, I'll mention 'Naah Go Switch' here as well, Kippo's solo track. This tune goes unexpectedly hard for what you may've been expecting. It's full pre-warbot Kiprich and it's fun but it isn't stellar in any way. Kiprich would later show his class on such songs but 'Naah Go Switch' wasn't quite there (this is probably THE longest paragraph I have ever written).
The Bellyas also featured the infamous 'Skin-A-Slap' by Red Rat. I don't know if I ever had a great emotion (of any kind) towards this one but, all of these years later, I can recognize only the positives. 'Skin-A-Slap' is absolutely hilarious:
"....my yute, yuh cellie
'Tell dem fi call back'
But my yute, a Kelly
Mi nah tell her nothin, better you come tell it
MI NAH KNOW HOW YOU AH SHH... SO LONG AND MI NAH SMELL IT"
I can remember quite a few people (I think even Beenie Man) having a problem with 'Skin-A-Slap' and although I can see the (hear) (not SEE) (thankfully)(...no one wants that) the source of the controversy, the song featured the underrated (including by me) rodent on a creative and entertaining pillar. I was never the biggest fan of Red Rat's and I was even less of a fan of Alozade back in da day (there were a few of them back then who just never did much for me and he was one of them) (Buccaneer was another one) and it was kind of sweeping, for the most part. I can't name a single one of his songs that I even sort of enjoy and his cut of the Bellyas, 'Prowler' most definitely isn't the exception. I won't dwell on it for long but the chorus on 'Prowler' is... challenging, there's way too much of it and I'll leave that there. A contemporary of the Rat and Alozade's challenges W21's "Blood Stain' for the champion of the second quarter of the Bellyas Riddim album as Spragga Benz delivers the absolutely blistering 'Praise'. Spragga dazzles on the Bellyas in a way in which is a little deceptive (and I mean that in a positive way). He meets the aggressive track in a way that sounds as forceful but it isn't. This is a masterful matador with a bull and, easily, one of the most skillful displays on the whole of the Bellyas (arguably, THE most) (not the BEST song but the most adroit). Someone else who definitely hits the target is the Ancient Monarchy, Frisco Kid, who checks in with 'Wash Pan'. Although kind of funny at times, the women-empowering cut is a strong display of one of the more overlooked and undervalued talents of the times (I have a very healthy appreciation for what Frisco Kid was able to do with his career these days and he's still out there). Madd Anju may not necessarily appeal to everyone (no one does though) but I've always appreciated his skills and the characteristic 'Dat Nuh Mek It' didn't detract from that appreciation at all. Generally, there's a comedic value to his work and that's found all over this one:
"Gal weh have baby like puppy
DAT NUH MEK IT
Big big man weh fraida duppy
DAT NUH MEK IT
Man weh have stinkin foot
DAT NUH MEK IT
Gal weh too hype and can't cook
DAT NUH MEK IT"
For me, as I've said in the past, Anju is one of the most inventive artists the Dancehall has ever produced and, when he's anywhere near his best, it is a FULL JOY to listen to his work. I also have to mention Mega Banton, who I'm also a fairly big fan of, who went in a controversial direction with his tune, 'Tight Pants'. Songs like this one have an obvious baggage to them these days but I have a very large level of respect for for Mega's talent but if you don't, I do understand why (...if this is the only tune you've ever heard from him and ONLY if this is the only tune you've ever heard from him) (otherwise, you have no excuse at all). Goofy (Mr. G) (I think either name is fine with him these days) does just fine with his piece on the riddim, 'Naah Heng Out'. Goofy (like Red Rat) was a member of the once mighty Main Street crew, helmed by Danny Browne (the most talented of which was General Degree) and he had some very nice songs. 'Naah Heng Out', which cleverly combines more typical/terrestrial Dancehall topics with more substantial ideology (primarily being anti-abuse of women) would have definitely been on the higher end of Goofy's releases in my opinion. You'll find a slightly stronger tune featuring the two on the aforementioned Badda Badda riddim (and they've also had another one since these two) but 'Live Up' is another very high level selection linking together Bushman & I Lue. Their other track, 'Send Dem Come' is a near personal classic for me but 'Live Up' holds its own and interjecting a well received bit of excellent consciousness into the madness here. In retrospect, I'm actually kind of surprised that things didn't turn out better for I Lue. He is incredibly gifted (and still out there, just had at least one big new single a couple of years ago, 'Love Rastafari') and though the stars never seemed to quite align for him to reach a level of stardom, his catalogue is well worth going through, even today (also had a big tune on one of my favourite compilations ever, "Culture Dem", called 'The Sabbath').
The remaining trio of selections on the Bellyas are by veterans and name from the era who I don't feel really hit the mark with their selections. The bottom of them is likely 'Tight It Tight' from Jack-a-Diamond. This one is about exactly what you think it's about and it just isn't very good and it's non-imaginative. J-a-D is someone else who I never really caught on to but I have seen a number of interviews with him and find him to be a very impressive human being, for whatever that's worth... in a music review. Slightly ahead of 'Tight It Tight' would be 'Mix Up Time' by Hawkeye. I was never a fan of Hawkeye's either (he had a tune called 'Twingy Twang' which had a pretty good run. I fucking HATED that song) (and I just listened to it and I STILL FUCKING HATE IT) for some reason and this tune, at least for me, never really got off the ground. And lastly, 'Wi Like It' also didn't do much for me but neither did its creators, Tanto Metro & Devonte. The derivative (of a song from the 1980's by the name of 'Tom's Diner', by American singer, Suzanne Vega) chorus of 'Wi Like It' is painful. It is tough to get through and it comes off as a really cheap way of trying to find a melody on the Bellyas and it did not work at all for me (though the rest of the tune isn't anything special, it's far better than its chorus).
The very fact that the Bellyas album (like most of the Greensleeves Rhythm Series albums) even existed in the way that it did is a rather large statement on the state of those times. It was too damn long. It just was. Checking in at north of seventy minutes, spread over twenty tracks, you got ALL of the Bellyas that you wanted and so much more. The very fact that they did this at a super-consistent rate FOR YEARS (which, obviously, means that they were happy with the revenue that they were receiving from them) definitely speaks to the strength of an unfortunately long gone time in Dancehall music. And I also have to mention that Bounty Killer NOT being present on this track is one of the most regrettable situations of particular artist missing particular riddim that I can think of (Lady Saw, Ce'cile or Tanya Stephens would have been nice as well)... and there not being a clean version of the riddim included is also kinda criminal (thankfully, however, the internet masters have remedied that).
Overall, no, the Bellyas Riddim ALBUM wasn't the greatest riddim album from Greensleeves (if you're looking for the pinnacle of the series, check the later editions, which would go Roots and tracks such as the Diwali and the Masterpiece, from Lenky, where the riddim changed many times over the course of the overstuffed album) but.... DAMN, WASN'T IT SO MUCH FUN! It still is and, listening back to it now, it has not only a nostalgic appeal to me but also one which (almost certainly because of its rarity these days) almost sounds revolutionary. It sounds like something that could set a trend. That is a credit to the riddim's creator, Ward 21 and the lasting quality of their work. Now, when you place it in the context of, again, an album that is... admittedly downright exhausting at times what you ultimately end up with in the Bellyas Riddim album a quarter of a century later is a celebration of a classic and absolute juggernaut of a track. One of the best Dancehall riddims of all time.
The ages. The older I get, the more appreciative and respecting I become of the adage 'you don't know what you've got until it's gone'. Things change so often and so unendingly that it seems so many times that, once you've gotten used to something and maybe have started to enjoy it, that thing is gone, outdated and we've moved on to the next. Theoretically (and actually too since we can't do anything to stop it), this is just fine. Things should evolve and progress (or regress, depending on your point of view) in order to not stay stagnant and this couldn't be more apparent than when you apply it to music. Different generations of people produce different sounds. If you say it like that, it makes perfect sense and it kind of hobbles (even more) the old man on his soapbox talking about, 'well back in my day...', telling the youth how shit their vibe is. They should be different. They behave differently. They speak differently. They dress differently and they should enjoy and make a different type of sound. That being said, however, when you are on the end of things where you are supportive of the outgoing trend... well, it's kind of fucked up and I find myself there these days when it comes to Dancehall. I try only to lift up what it is that I miss instead of stepping on what I hear these days (out of fear of being that old man that I just talked about) (no one wants to be him) but damn do I miss 90's and 2000's Dancehall. There was a clear and obvious sound there which differentiated it from any other in the entire world, to the point where you could play a riddim behind an artist from another, from anywhere in the world and what they would come up with would be described as 'Dancehall infused' or 'Caribbean infused', something like that. You'll STILL hear that description, in fact, if it happens with an older riddim but, outside of that, you're normally only going to get that if you literally have a guesting artist from Reggae. In the current sense. It's gone... but, like I said, I'm not going to step on anyone in this review. The riddim 'culture', in general, is largely a thing of the past and I've heard several individuals lamenting the change over the years (biggup Red Rat). As far as the sound, what we have these days is far more akin to what you'd hear in Hip Hop circles (don't love Hip Hop, never will love it) and that infectious, hypnotic, thudding bounce that once characterized the entire sub-genre has become so frustratingly rare and difficult to find.
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