Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 1 🔈 China - Love Jah (1997)
With the shift to streaming services in recent years, I feel like there are some killer reggae tunes that have been lost to all but the most hardcore record collectors, especially from the 90s, which is one of my favourite eras of Jamaican music. I've decided to share some on here, starting with this little-known singer called China, singing for the NY-based label Barry U Records. The riddim comes from @legendaryaswad 's Love Fire riddim, aka Promised Land.
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #aswad #Rastafari
Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 12 🔈 Everton Blender - Rastaman (1998)
Another killer riddim on Blacker Dread, voiced by the great Jamaican singer Everton Blender (@realevertonblendamusic ). The history of this riddim goes back to a song that singer Clive Hylton (aka Colour Red) voiced in the 70s on a Lee Perry riddim (see also 'Underground' from the Super Ape LP), originally known only as a dubplate for Lloydie Coxsone. Blacker Dread produced a Don Carlos cover of Hylton's song in 1984, before remaking the riddim again in 1998 with the UK rhythm section Mafia & Fluxy. All the cuts on this riddim were great, but this one from Blender was always a personal favourite of mine, and it's one that doesn't seem to have made it onto the big music streaming apps.
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #rastafari
Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 11 🔈 Queen Omega, Sizzla & Capleton - Warning (2000)
This is an early killer from Trinidad's Queen Omega, featuring Jamaica's Sizzla and Capleton. The riddim was called "Nutcracker", a reference to Garnett Silk's huge tune on the riddim, "Hard Nut To Crack", which came out in 1999 on the Mad Doc label (many years after his death). My copy is on the Green House Family label, but this one also came out on a Mad Doc 7" around the same time.
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #QueenOmega
Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 10 🔈 Natural Black - Hoping and Praying (2001)
I don't know if this riddim was as popular elsewhere as it was here in Melbourne, but it was an anthem for Ras Crucial and I in the early days of our monthly reggae dance, More Fire, which ran for over 20 years. The Junior Kelly 'Push E Fire' was the biggest cut on the riddim, but we never played that without also playing this Natural Black and the Capleton song 'Fire Haffi Bun'. Wicked early 2000s Jamaican roots and culture.
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #trenchtown
Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 9 🔈 Pinchers - Cut Them Down (1998)
From UK producer, DJ, store owner and community leader Blacker Dread, this is a killer riddim called 'Sweeny', which featured several great tunes. While Jamaican artist Pinchers (@pinchersoriginalbandelearo ) was known more for his dancehall hits at this time, I always loved hearing him on more rootsy reggae riddims, and I reckon he does this one justice.
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #blackerdread
Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 8 🔈 Bushman - So Easy (1998)
This is one of Bushman's classic tunes, so I have no idea why it's not more easily found on the big streaming services. The riddim is of course based on Bob Marley & the Wailers' rocksteady song "Bend Down Low", originally released on their Wail N Soul M record label in 1966, but this Digital B recut also came to be known as "Boogie Down" after Beenie Man's song on it. A big riddim with nuff artists.
@original_bushman
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #rastafari #bushman
Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 7 🔈 Anthony B - Child's Care (1998)
I can't remember anyone really talking about the concept of "the drop" in music back in the 90s, and definitely not in reggae, but this 7" from Anthony B (@anthony_b_originalfireman ) builds up to a huge one. I have great memories of this tune getting forward after forward at our monthly More Fire dance back in the early 2000s every time the bassline came in. Riddim by Firehouse Crew for producer Johnny Murphy and the Jazzy Creations label. 🎷
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #rastafari #AnthonyB
Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 6 🔈 Sizzla - Hale The Woman (1995)
This one is a huge personal favourite, from my number one artist of this era, Sizzla (@therealsizzlakalonji ). I say 1996 in the intro, not 1995, as I always thought this was from '96. It wasn't until after recording it that I noticed Discogs and everywhere else lists it as 1995. There's no year on the actual 7", so it's hard to know for certain - I didn't pick it up until a couple years later. A killer modern roots tune, elevating the queens.
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #rastafari #sizzla #sizzlakalonji
Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 5 🔈 Jah Cure - Guiding Star (1998)
I deliberated about whether or not I should even post this tune, given Jah Cure's history, but I do really love his early recordings, and I think they are an important part of reggae music's history. No matter what you might think of him as a person, hopefully you can still apprecilove this music for what it is.
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #rastafari #nattydread
Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 4 🔈 Jah Mason - Never Stoop Down (1999)
I feel like Richard Bell's Star Trail label doesn't get the respect it deserves when people talk about the history of reggae music, and it seems his productions haven't ever receieved the reissue treatment in the way that similar labels like Xterminator and Digital B have. This is one of my favourite cuts on one of my favourite Star Trail riddims, with Jah Mason (@jahmasonmusic ) in top form.
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #rastafari #startrail #jahmason
Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 3 🔈 Buju Banton - The Truth (1998)
A little-known self-production from one of the giants of Jamaican music, the great @bujubanton . Most of his tunes came out on his Gargamel Music label, but he released exactly three tunes on this Natty Dread label in 1998, all on this same riddim. Quality one drop roots & culture, reminscient of his classic 'Hills and Valleys'.
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #Rastafari #bujubanton #nattydread
Reggae 45s you can't find on streaming services pt 2 🔈 Norrisman - Rastaman (1998)
Written and produced by the dancehall artist Buccaneer (@buccaneerfleet ), this tough Jamaican steppers tune from Norrisman (@therealnorrisman ) has been a personal favourite of mine since I picked it up in the late 90s. I love how the drums make way for the bassline when it first drops, especially when you hear it on a proper soundsystem.
#reggaevinyl #vinylcommunity #cratedigging #90sreggae #rarevinyl #reggaemusic #vinylcollector #jamaicamusic #reggae #Rastafari #operahouse #norrisman #buccaneer
