Best Dancehall Riddims of the 1990s

What's a riddim, you ask? Well really it's the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the word "rhythm," but in dancehall/reggae it refers to the instrumental of a song. Contrary to sampling wars in hip hop and copyright claims in po(o)p music, any given riddim, if popular, may be used in dozens of songs. Believe or not, if you listen to a Sean Paul song, the instrumental might be more famous than the song itself! And if you don't know, now you know! A lot of people feel the 90s brought forward a lot of timeless riddims that even 20 years later people still rock out to. On the following pages we want to revisit some of our favourites from this era. http://youtu.be/zwtLmzN0NQo The Bookshelf riddim was produced by Tony Kelly for K-Licious Music and saw the light of day in 1998. The cut you all know is probably Deport Them by Sean Paul! Banger! Tracklist: 01 - Wayne Wonder - Watching You 02 - Tanto Metro & Devonte - Say Wooee 03 - Sasha - Dat Sexy Body 04 - Richie Stephens - That's The Way 05 - Evette - Over & Over 06 - Lady Saw - No Matta Me 07 - Tanya Stephens - From You Hot 08 - Frisco Kid & Mr Easy - Bashment Time 09 - Mr. Vegas - Jack It Up 10 - Sean Paul - Deport Them 11 - Beenie Man -- Bookshelf http://youtu.be/d6oFhRnvae8 The Up Close riddim is another late '90s classic on the Penthouse label. This riddim includes the timeless crossover hit "Everyone Falls in Love" by Tanto Metro & Devonte. But there's a lot more heat on here from artists like Sean Paul, Mr Vegas, Beenie Man, & Buju Banton. Tracklist: 01 - General Degree - Sweet Cologne 02 - Alley Cat - Dirty Thoughts 03 - Hawkeye - A We 04 - Mr Vegas - Wuk Di Money 05 - Richie Stephens - Weakness For Sweetness 06 - Pinchers - I Feel Like 07 - Little Kirk - Holding On 08 - Goofy - Spotlight 09 - Buju Banton - Up Close & Personal 10 - Beenie Man - Do You Wanna Diss 11 - Sean Paul -Nah Give No Bligh 12 Tanto Metro & Devonte - Everyone Falls In Love http://youtu.be/8OZjTp8v2ko The Filthy riddim came out in 1997 on Main Street and was produced by Haldane ‘Danny’ Browne. Choice cuts are Mr Vegas - Heads High & General Degree - Traffic Blocking. Instant Classic! Tracklist: Mr Vegas - Heads High Lady G - Breeze Off Buccaneer - Tek it easy Spragga Benz - She nuh ready yet Crissy D - Big tymer Red Rat - Ah fi who fa gal Lady Saw - Don't even stress dat General Degree - Traffic Blocking Tanya Stephens - Draw me finger Beenie Man - Let him go Goofy - Somebody just poop http://youtu.be/DMrnfcKUXwA Here is a sure shot riddim for the summer: Fever Pitch is sure to make sweaty clubs go nuts. In 1994, the Fever Pitch was heavily adopted for "girl tracks", most notably Louchie Lou and Michie One's huge hit 'If I was a Rich Girl'. The riddim was late resurrected by Dr. Dre for Gwen Stefani and Eve's single Rich Girl. http://youtu.be/E1QlEFi0JuU This one screams classic in so many ways... Produced by Sly & Robbie in 1992 for Taxi, you most definitely shook your ass to the Bam Bam riddim before. Murder She Wrote? Yeah that one! Tracklist: 01 - Chaka Demus / Pliers - Murder She Wrote 02 - Pliers - Bam Bam 03 - Nardo Ranks - Dem A Bleach 04 - Mackie Ranks - We A Soldier 05 - Daddy Woody - Bangara 06 - Anthony Redrose - Run Them Out 07 - Brent Dowe - Rivers Of Babylon 08 - Fragga Ranks - Thanks & Praises 09 - Taxi Gang - Santa Barbara http://youtu.be/YEIqnV6_Tqc The Black Widow is a bad ass spider. Naturally the Black Widow riddim is also badass. It doesn't matter that it's from 1998, up to this day we see people stroming the dancefloor when it blasts out of the speakers. 01 Scare Dem Crew – Nah Bow To Nuh Gal 02 Mad Cobra – No One Style 03 Zebra – Call Me Name 04 Mr Vegas – Big Things A Gwaan 05 Beenie Man – Gwaan So 06 Merciless – Gal Sheet 07 Terror fabulous – Dem A Watch Mi http://youtu.be/Gm-toQIo9wE The year 1998 also brought forth the Sail Away riddim and of course the usual suspects like Sean Paul, Richie Stephens, T.O.K., Beenie Man, etc all jumped on it. One the favourites is the Richie Stephens cut. Tracklist: 01 Chico & Frisco Kid - Gal Teacher 02 Sean Paul - Fit & Ligit 03 T.O.K. - Gal Fi Get Loving 04 Richie Stephens - Take me away 05 Tony Curtis - Wish you were here 06 Beenie Man & Mr Vegas - Bad man nuh flee 07 Copper Cat - Wise up 08 Demo - Nuh worry we 09 Nitty Kutchie - Love me down http://youtu.be/wSliNO_tjdA The no-fuss Showtime riddim from 1998 is so minimal, it really makes the artists shine. Hard to pick sides who goes hardest on this one, but Cham and Red Fox are definitely holding it down on this riddim. Track List: 01 Baby Cham - Gallong Yah Gal 02 General Degree - Stand By 03 Professor Nuts - Mama Have Her Own 04 Goofy - Lef We Turf 05 Frisco Kid - Gal Pon Di Side 06 Red Fox & Rayvon - Bashment Party 07 Shaggy - Hot Gal 08 Mad Cobra - Gal Splurt 09 Bounty Killer - Eagle And Di Hawk 10 Beenie Man - Hypocrite 11 Alias - Slurp http://youtu.be/uLvwjI0S7e0 Huuuuge riddim from 1999 with loads of hits. It even got picked up by Destiny Child for their Reggae Remix of "No No No". Talk about mainstream appeal. But no one does it like Sean Paul and Beenie Man on this one. Essential! Tracklist: 01 Destiny Child - "No No No" (Reggae Remix) 02 Cobra - Pet and Pamper 03 Spragga Benz - Strong Performer 04 Beenie Man - Sim Sima 05 Sean Paul - Infiltrate http://youtu.be/by4rrAm2r9k The Joy Ride riddim from 1996 is a stomper! Wayne Wonder, Conroy Smith, Cham, Beenie, Spragga and many more have no trouble grooving over this riddim with ease. Tracklist 01 Lady Saw - Sycamore Tree 02 Wayne Wonder & Baby Cham - Joyride 03 Wayne Wonder - Bashment Girl 04 Tanya Stephens - Yuh Nuh Ready Fi Dis Yet 05 Alley Cat - Fresh Off The Block 06 Beenie Man - Silent Violence 07 Frisco Kid - Rubbers