Hold Tha Line

from the LP Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do, Mad Decent Records, 2009



If this track doesn’t put a smile on your face, you need to lighten up; granted, if this song defines your taste in music you surely need to expand the palette, but the party vibe here is pretty irresistible to anyone that enjoys a good time. Although this album was recorded at none other than Tuff Gong studios in Kingston, ‘Major Lazer’ is actually the very white duo of DJs/producers (see: tech geeks) Diplo & Switch; mind you, they only supplied the beats of course, hauling in a fistful of the island’s hottest toasters to equip their soundtracks with that visceral patois. They led with this single, a wise choice indeed, even getting hipster fav Santigold to make a cameo here---not that Mr. Lex needed any help (the Barry White of dancehall perhaps?). It’s real fuckin’ cold all over the country right now, so just close your eyes while you listen to these vibes and imagine yourself on a sunny beach…

Ganja Smuggling

from the LP Wa-Do-Dem, Greensleeves Records, 1981



It’s incredible to see how much the so-called ‘dancehall’ genre has changed over the years, this classic sounding far closer to regular roots reggae than the hip-hop influenced dancehall which reigns supreme these days; although I must confess, the new school vibes are fun to wild out to sometimes, particularly if the alcohol has been flowing, I definitely prefer this style of vintage sounds from the late ‘70s & early ‘80s. The idea for it grew out of the Jamaican tradition of soundsystems (basically block parties), at which MCs would “toast” over top of the instrumental versions or dubsides the DJ was spinning; to be honest, this practice predates hip-hop by almost a decade, and if you listen to some of the older stuff it becomes clear just how influential it must have been in rap’s evolution. Ripton ‘Eek-A-Mouse’ Hylton is one of the most veteran MCs still doing his thing, deftly navigating through all the varying trends inside dancehall and remaining one of the most popular acts around, always turning in a standout set at annuals like Reggae Sunsplash or Reggae on the Rocks; his stage name actually comes from a horse he used to bet on at the tracks all the time. This song has some obvious appeal, in sound & name, and with the Roots Radics at his back and Prince Jammy on the controls, this LP was bound for glory, “biddy, bong bong, biddy eh-ehh…”