1992 The Year of Ragga

I found this old I-D magazine I've kept from 1992. I think this model was my style icon for a while!
Rising stars of Ragga are named as: Supercat, Ninjaman, General Levy, Buju Banton and Tony Rebel.

Ah yes, the Ragga Years

Oh dear, it's been a while again, I forgot how much time and effort is required to put together a regular music blog. I want to finish what I've started so I will plough on through the months of 2010 to bring you my vinyl Ragga collection. Since I last posted there has been good news and bad news for my favourite Ragga DJ Buju Banton. Good = his album Rasta Got Soul was nominated for a Grammy. Bad = he has been arrested in the US for allegedly possessing (with intent to sell) 5 kilos of cocaine. He is currently being detained in Florida awaiting trial and is denying all charges, entering a plea of not guilty.
Buju, Buju, Buju. Where has it all gone wrong? Is it true? Is it an FBI set up to make an example of him and warn off Jamaican gangsters? Did he get greedy and mix with the wrong people? I guess these questions will be answered at the trial. But for now lets go back in time and listen to a frivolous track praising hot pants, much in the vein of Short Shorts by The Royal Teens (1957)

Batty Rider - Buju Banton (from the Mr Mention LP)

Back with Some Saxon Specials

Well it's been a while, due to lack of internet access and a life I haven't been able to post. Now I'm back with some tracks from the LP Saxon Specials Volume 1 (to my knowledge Volume 2 was never released). 'Specials' are tracks made by artistes specially for a particular sound system (in this case London's Saxon sound system). The tracks are covers of an existing popular song with lyrics changed to praise the sound system and the crew. Sometimes people confuse 'specials' with 'dub plates' - the latter are in fact promo or pre-release vinyls, often white labelled, that sounds will play to try and outdo each other when in competition.
So there goes the science, now here come the tunes:

Saxon I Love You - Sanchez
Ladies' favourite Sanchez croons over a heavy bassline of his love for Saxon.

Stalk of Sensimenia - Michael Rose
Herbalist anthem Saxon style! Guaranteed to mash up the dance and encourage lighters in the air (pre-smoking ban).

Turn Off Dem Idiot Sound Deh - Cocoa Tea
A track well suited for a special, Cocoa Tea helps Saxon to eliminate the other tin pan sounds.

Ladies of Reggae

One Dance Just Wont Do - Audrey Hall

I Shall Sing - Marcia Griffiths

Champion Lover - Deborahe Glasgow

Bam Bam - Sister Nancy

Let Me Be The First - Deborahe Glasgow & Vivian Jones

Macka B

Dang dagga dang, dang dagga dang.....

Dread A Who She Love - Macka B and Kofi

The best song about a hair style....

Wet Look Crazy - Macka B

The man with the lyrics, Macka B, still touring and recording: myspace.com/mackab1

Young Man You're Too Girlie Girlie

Primary School Disco Memories from 1985. Apologies for the spelling errors of the youtuber above. Play this with Pass the Dutchie by Musical Youth and Smiley Culture's Police Officer and you've got my primary school disco's Reggae section right there. Follow it with the theme from Fame and you've got a party!

Girlie Girlie - Sophia George

The Other Mr Ranks

It's time for some Cutty Ranks, my second favourite DJ (Buju being number one). Here are two combination tracks and Cutty on his own. I haven't included the dancefloor smashes Who Say Me Dun and Limb By Limb here (also popular as Jungle remixes), saving them for the second volume. I have some other Cutty tracks I'm saving for Vol 2 but what I really want is The Stopper (which has a kind of stammer effect), I have it on a radio tape I made of Daddy Ernie's Reggae show on Choice FM. Surely this is prime for a reissue (Soul Jazz?).

I will write more on the fantastic Beres Hammond and legendary Marcia Griffiths later. But for now, enjoy the combination styles:

Love Mi Haffi Get - Beres Hammond and Cutty Ranks
Half Idiot - Marcia Griffiths and Cutty Ranks

and the 1991 hit (taken from Jetstar's Reggae Hits 9)

Sound Boy Retreat - Cutty Ranks