Top Dancehall Albums of the Decade (1-5)

#5.  DUTTY ROCK SEAN PAUL released 2002

Probably the album that brought the greatest international recognition to dancehall in this decade.  Most tracks were well known by the time the album was released internationally but that didn`t stop us from jumping to them one more time in celebration of reggae reaching the top of the mountain.                                                                                                                                                                                                        

#4.  GANGSTA BLUES – TANYA STEPHENS released 2005

An instant classic!  Tanya came off of a relatively lacklustre 5 year period of recording mostly outside of Jamaica to deliver a classic reggae album.  She displayed stellar songwriting ability and was everyone`s top female singer of the year.  She did not forsake hardcore fans either as was feared after her foray into alternative-styled music.  Heavy hitters like Boom Wuk were well received.  Introspective numbers like What A Day and Turn the Other Cheek led to comparisons to reggae founders like Bob Marley, and will live on as modern classics.  Her success was named as inspiration for many female artists and the latter part of the decade saw dancehall`s female scene revitalized with serious commentary from the females such as Etana, and Queen Ifrica.

#3.  RASTA GOT SOUL BUJU released 2009

Buju Banton entered the 15th year after his most acclaimed work, “Til Shiloh” by releasing a long awaited masterpiece called “Rasta Got Soul.”  The collection of tunes could hardly be beat.   From the opening bars of “Hurt Us No More” it is clear that the project was a monumental effort for the Banton.  Flawless vocal deliveries and engaging melodies convey themes of determination, integrity, and struggle that have been characteristic of Buju Banton for nearly two decades.  Close on the heels of “Too Bad” Buju demonstrated that he was ready and able to straddle the two fences of dancehall hardcore and conscious themes.  The album was nominated for a Grammy and would have been his best chance to date to collect the prestigious award.

#2.  DA REAL THING –SIZZLA released 2004

This album has been one of the most consistently rated at 5 stars by die hard reggae lovers and newbies alike.  In the midddle of the decade after Kalonji had strayed from the righteous themes for which he had been known, he connected once more with Bobby digital to produce this masterpiece.  Like the product of thier first collaboration, “Black Woman and Child,” “Da Real Thing” is viewed as one of the finest pieces of work emerging from a recording studio.  Lyrically, musically, vocally it is among the best that dancehall reggae can offer.   “Solid As a Rock” and “Dry Cry” actually titled as “Just One of Those Days” are modern reggae classics known even to listeners outside the genre having been sampled by artists like Ja Rule in other markets.   To date it may be the greatest of Sizzla`s 30+ albums.

#1.  TOO BAD-BUJU BANTON released 2006

Though not the most commercially successful reggae or dancehall artist, Buju Banton may be the most gifted.  No one would disagree that his album “Til Shiloh” featuring “Untold Stories” was one of the most impactful works in the history of dancehall and reggae.  It changed the game at the time.  Slackness was briefly ushered out and consciousness ushered in under the auspices of the Banton.  The international media took it up and artists like  Sinead O` Connor later sung from Buju`s music sheet.  Many whispered the words Bob Marley in the same sentence as Buju Banton.  Ironic, however,  in that it was hardcore toasting to the ladies that saw Buju rapidly ascend the dancehall throne in his late teens.  And it was the brash hardcore Buju that dancehall was married to.  Ten years after the game-changing Til Shiloh and a slew of conscious material from the artist properly known as Mark Anthony Myrie dancehall had many new faces, and Buju looked a softened elder fading into the background with “music for grow folk.”   Just as suddenly as his initial meteoric rise in 1992, Buju Banton stopped crooning and effortlessly dusted off the thunderous vocals that had been synonymous with the name Mr. Mention.  Under his Gargamel label, and with little warning he threw a volley of dancehall dynamite into the fray.  Fans of hardcore were overjoyed.  Roots fans admired his versatility.  The album was flawless as a hardcore dancehall package.  “Too Bad” will be talked about for years as the “where did that come from” album that was perfectly timed and perfectly executed.

Top 10 Dancehall Albums of the Decade

When one tries to consider the complete output in a span of 10 years it becomes obvious that reggae and specifically dancehall reggae is by no means static! In the last decade we saw dancehall artistes continue to work and perform at fever pitch making the task of a review quite a difficult and time-consuming one.  But it was fun.  It was fun to look back and see how this once struggling genre soared to its greatest heights yet, just in this decade alone.  Then there were also the great challenges.  International acclaim, steady collabos with mainstream artists was met with the total misrepresentation by the homosexual groups.  The emergence of new talents was dampened by the loss of peoplel like Baby Wayne, gatemasters like Gilly Priest and the sidelining of Buju Banton.  Much great music was released and choosing only 10 was difficult.  We rated albums based not just on popularity or sales figures but quality of music and impact on the genre.

# 10.  ART AND LIFE – BEENIE MAN released 2000

This was a breakout album and an extremely good start to the millenium for dancehall and its leading act Beenie Man.  Signed to international Virgin Atlantic and featuring a host of big names including Wyclef Jean and Redman, the album immediately raised the profile of dancehall on the urban scene.  Musically the album was exceptionally diverse with urban and latin fusions and samples from posterity including Dennis Brown.   It won Beenie a Grammy, and with that immense bragging rights in his rivalry with Bounty Killa.

#9.  STILL BLAZING –CAPLETON released 2002/WELCOME TO JAMROCK-DAMIAN MARLEYreleased 2005

Capleton was at his roots and dancehall best on this one.  He invites guests Luciano, Glen Washington and Morgan Heritage to toast to some classic and some new riddims, excellently produced.  Between roots and hardcore he shouts “Whoa”, delivers his trademark many-lined verses and toasts the ladies.  With biting militancy he speaks of his prophecy regarding the 9/11 catastrophe that same year, voiced his conspiracy theories and dashed the whole lot in, you know it, a pit of fyah!!

Jamrock was an exceptionally well received album from the youngest Marley son.  It broke ground in addressing the disparity between the Jamaica that tourists know and the real Jamaica.  Marley`s album was pretty ecclectic with many standout tracks holding their own beside the colossal title track which took its beat from Ini Kamoze`s foundation track.  It was in all a dizzying and titilating mix of roots, dancehall, and some hip-hop flavour.

#8.  WALK OUT LADY SAW released 2007

Somewhat underplayed and undervalued this album showcased the best of Lady saw at work with the heaviest hitting producers in dancehall.  The Album also features the autobiographical “Infertility”also released with video.   By the conclusion of the 14 track set it is clear: Marion Hall is a dancehall natural wonder.

#7.  ART OF WAR – BOUNTY KILLA released 2002

Art of War showcases the very best of the Warlord`s spirit.  The Five Star General`s lyrical shots find their mark time and time again throughout the set, making this one of the best war packages in any genre.   He launches an blistering all out attack on Vegas, Beenie, Ninjaman, and Dave Kelly.  So lethal is his invective that all attempts by the competition to respond mostly fell flat.

#6.  GHETTO STORY – CHAM released 2006

Baby Cham was on fire in the middle of the decade and it culminated in Ghetto Story.  He stayed loyal to long-time friend and exceptional producer Dave Kelly and it paid huge dividends.  Remaining true to the dancehall sound he scored heavily breaking into multiple international markets with Ghetto Story.  In fact the releases of the songs Ghetto Story and Vitamin S threw dancehall into olsd school nostaligia that lasted into the late millenium.  It was a significant turnaround coming on the heels of the “get jiggy” period.  The album is certainly one of the best packges released in the last decade featuring highlights fom Alicia Keys on the remix of the title track and also Rihanna.  It reinforced what it meant to be loyal and still push the barriers of the genre.