Customer Reviews

World Jam

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A rather unsurprising set of circumstances led to the success of one of the most 'unusual' big riddims of '05. One of the biggest being that the 'it' thing of riddims in 2005 was reincarnation. Many riddims thought long forgotten were given new life, perhaps the most might of all being the World a Music.

As of right now, the World Jam riddim is easily best known as the riddim of Damian Marley's hit song, Welcome to Jamrock. However, the riddim had already made its rounds; going from big producer to big producer before landing on the Marley's doorstep (and the Marley's took production credit for it, they did use a slightly souped up version of it). It was originally a Taxi Gang riddim used for Ini Kamoze's hit World a Music, and also for Jammy's Boom Shakalak for Jr. Reid. It ended up in the UK where French producer, the aptly named Frenchie set to work on it.

Frenchie did nothing but change the levels and record with different session players. The result is a ever so slightly sped up and less 'dubbish' carbon copy of the original. Shockingly, the dancehall littered Greensleeves Records of the UK decided to pick up the riddim, making it #73 in their Rhythm Album series, making it also the first roots riddim of the entire series in a year where roots reggae basically upended the dancehall and took over in JA.

The only basic 'problem' with the riddim is that due perhaps mostly to its popularity and less so to its tempo, it's terribly easy to ride, (I'd have no hard time imagining that some of the 20-30 something's on the album grew up rhyming over the World a Music and undoubtedly after its rebirth) which lends to a few easy going performances. But the overall album is quite satisfactory, especially when noticing the varied mix of artists voicing on it. Frenchie's rather odd selection of artists is easily one of the highlights here, with many of the usual suspects to some of the "how in the world is he on here" types as well.

Probably the best tune of them all the cut out basic riddim, played by the legendary Firehouse Crew. It is easily one of the coolest laid back riddims JA has ever produced, it doesn't vary itself at all and is very straight forward, but that is the beauty of the riddim. The best artist track is probably Anthony B, with whom the producer was apparently so impressed that he also produced a complete album for (GS's Black Star) the artist, B's World a Reggae Music is wonderful and has received excellent support.

Bounty Killer and Luciano alo score well here on Poor People and A No Like Wi No Like Them respectively, also Beenie Man on From Jamaica and Chuck Fenda on the impressive Jah Nah Sleep. That's where things get a little odd. Frenchie raided half of the old Main Street crew as both General Degree (on the nice Must Run Away) and Red Rat (on the average Ghetto Youths Fi Rich) voice the World Jam (hate to pigeonhole the Rat but he need not step away from the typical craziness where he does his best). Also voicing are Ward 21 who goes slack in an old school stylee on Worldwide Connection, resurrecting Nicodemus at the same time as the riddim and Vybz Kartel who 'shuns' the slackness and goes flat out violent on How We Ride, but his flow is nevertheless impressive (and reminiscent of the one on his combination with Sizzla).

Later in the piece the UK's very own impressive DJ Chukki Starr keeps his excellent Hard Fi Smile on the top shelf, being perhaps the second best lyric on the riddim overall, very nice from the artist who Greensleeves would be wise to sign up, right in their own backyard.

Overall, despite the riddim's popularity, this isn't one for the reggae novice. You can ONLY appreciate this one if you truly love your roots. The World Jam changes not one time throughout the 18 tracks besides the artist's interpretations and backup singers (which I only remember on the final track, In the Street by Baby G). One of the best qualities of this riddim is that on every track the Taxi Gang is given writer's credits, which is becoming a source of controversy with all the redoing of riddim's, Frenchie definitely got it right. If you truly love reggae music, you'll get it right by picking up the World Jam.