Classic Penthouse Riddims
Penthouse’s founder Donovan Germain was born on March 7, 1952 in Kingston, Jamaica. In the 70’s he relocated to New York and was running Keith’s Records, a reggae record shop here in Brooklyn. In 1975, Germain began distributing records for several jamaican producers and started producing. Germain spent much of the 80s travelling between Jamaica, USA and England for his productions. He progressively gave up roots productions and turned to digital riddims. Eventually he moved back to Kingston to open his own Penthouse studio on the top floor of a building on Slipe Road in 1988 (hence the name Penthouse).
He produced his first big hit on Penthouse Records “Chaka On The Move” by Chaka Demus in 1989. He became also distributor, first of all of his own productions then of those of other labels. The quality of its productions quickly enabled him to achieve an impressive number of hit singles and to become one of the most important labels in Jamaica. Penthouse allowed many young artists like Wayne Wonder, Buju Banton, Tony Rebel, Cutty Ranks, Sanchez or Mad Cobra to launch their international career in the early 90s.
On the following pages, we picked some of our favourite riddims from the sheer endless catalog of Penthouse Records. Enjoy!
Feeling Soul Riddim (1991)
Marcia Griffiths – Fire Burning
Andi – Fuego Quemando
Anthony Malvo – There’s no Me
Beres Hammond – Feeling Lonely
Beres Hammond & Cobra – Feeling Lonely
Beres Hammond & Cinderella MC – Come and Get Me
Buju Banton – Love Black Woman
Buju Banton – Browning
Chaka Demus – Get Up Stand Up
Jack Radics – I’ll Be Sweeter
Leroy Smart – Bad Boy
Marcia Griffiths – Fire Burning
Marcia Griffiths & Tony Rebel – Things Not So Right
Marcia Griffiths & Cutty Ranks – Half Idiot
Peter Man – Understanding Each Other
Supervisor – Prevention
Tabby Diamond – Miracle
Thriller U – Every Little Step
Tiger – Crying Fool
Wayne Wonder – Feeling Soul
A Love I Can Feel Riddim (1991)
Beres Hammond – Tempted To Touch
Beres Hammond & Cutty Ranks – Love Mi Haffee Get
Cobra – All Who Believe
ET Webster – Temptation
Nana McLean – Nana’s Medley
Pinchers – Stand By Me / She’s Coming Back
Pliers – Call It Off
Richie Stephens – Trying To Get To You
Sanchez – Won’t Last A Day
Tony Rebel – Fresh Vegetable
Tony Tuff – I’ve Got To Get You
Always Together Riddim (1991)
Beres Hammond – Respect To You Baby
Beres Hammond & Tony Rebel – Respect and Honour
Carlene Davis – Dream Talk
Jack Radics – I Love You
Johnny P – Gun Talk
Marcia Griffiths & Cutty Ranks – Really Together / Give Me Your Loving
Marcia Griffiths & Bunny Ruggs – Really Together
Sanchez – Sanchez Medley
Tiger – Must Street
Tony Rebel – Sweet Rose Apple
Head To Toe Riddim (1992)
Beres Hammond – Sweet Sensation
Buju Banton – Protection
Silver Cat – Getting So Hot
Terry Ganzie – Inspiration
Wayne Wonder & Tony Rebel – Cross Over The Bridge
Falling In Love Riddim (1992)
Andi – Thinking About You
Beres Hammond – Falling In Love
Beres Hammond & Buju Banton – Who Say
Jack Radics – Stay With You
Marcia Griffiths & Cutty Ranks – Loving You
Nana McLean – What A Price
Wayne Wonder – Tongue Tied
Wayne Wonder & Terry Ganzie – Woman A How
College Rock Riddim (1993)
Beres Hammond & Marcia Griffiths – live on
Buju Banton – Buju moving
Cuban Stepper – Modela
Jack Radics – rain from the sky
Thriller U – sweet Vanessa
Nanny Goat Riddim (1992)
Buju Banton – Woman no fret
Culture Knocks – Respect to shabba
Garnet Silk – Looking good
General Degree – Brinks
Jack Radics – Heaven must have sent you
Mad Cobra – Hearse
Marcia Griffiths – Closer to you
Marcia Griffiths & Buju Banton – Closer to you
Marcia Griffiths & Cutty Ranks – Much closer
Nana McLean – Are you ready
Richie Stephens – Are you ready
Sanchez – Born again
Sanchez – Salvation medley
Terry Ganzie – Mek mi talk
Thriller U – When It Comes To You
Tony Rebel – Chatty chatty
Rope In Riddim (1994)
Buju Banton – Why Buju Loves You
Buju Banton & Tony Rebel – A So
Garnet Silk – Man Is Just A Man
Garnet Silk & Tony Rebel – Man Is Just A Man
Lt. Stitchie – Envy
Wayne Wonder – You Are The Reason
Movie Star Riddim (1992)
Buju Banton & Wayne Wonder – Bonafide Love
Garnet Silk – Everything I’ve Got
Richie Stephens – Dont Waste No Time
Wayne Wonder – Movie Star
Tonight Riddim ((1993)
Beres Hammond – my wish
Buju Banton & Beres Hammond – little more time
Galaxy P – tickle her fancy
Tony Rebel – it can’t work
Wayne Wonder – saddest day
ACTION RIDDIM (1993)
Buju Banton & Carol Gonzaless – No Second Class Love
Wayne Wonder & Louie Culture – Live & Learn
Buju Banton & Nadine Sutherland – Action
ANYTHING FOR YOU RIDDIM
Don Yute – She Gone
Daddy Lilly – Hard Workerman
General Degree -Home Works
Buggy Thunder and Spirit – Distress call
Snow, Nadine Sutherland, Louie Culture, Beenie Man, Terror Fabulous and Kulcha Knox – Anything for you
Dickie Riddim (1992)
Beres Hammond – No More Pain
Buju Banton – Dickie
Buju Banton & Nadine Sutherland – Wicked Dickie
Cutty Ranks – Leave People Man
General Degree – Money A Run
Jack Radics – It’s Alright
Junior Tucker – Julie
Lemsky Don – Bad Boy
Leroy Smart – Worried About You
Macka B – People Can Dress
Marcia Griffiths – Over
Nadine Sutherland – Wicked And Wild
Peter Metro – X-Rated / Stop Walked Naked
Terror Fabulous – No Retreat No Surrender
Terry Ganzie – Who So Ever Will May Come
Tony Rebel – Guns And Amunition
Wayne Wonder – Missing You
Operation Ardent Riddim (1993)
Buju Banton – Operation Ardent / What More
Cutty Ranks – Everything Legit
Galaxy P – Woman Get Wicked
General Degree – People
Lovindeer – What Left
Nardo Ranks – You A Lead
Terry Ganzie – Play A Part / We All Need A Woman
Tony Rebel – Creator
Thriller U – She Loves Me [released in 2013]
The Bomber Riddim (1990)
Cutty Ranks – The Bomber
Norbert Clarke – Secret Lover
Sanchez – That Girl
Sanchez – That Sound
Sugar Black – I’m Hurt
Wayne Wonder – I’ll Be Loving You
Cherry Oh Baby Riddim (1991)
Baby Wayne – Me No Love Jail
Buju Banton – Gwaan Go Sit Down / Body Come Down
Chaka Demus – Property
Cutty Ranks – Move Up
Garnet Silk & Tony Rebel – Cristian Soldier
Gospel Fish – Jus A Blossom
Grindsman – Quarter Idiot
Johnny P – Tek A Gal Man
Supervisor – Try Hold Me Down
Terry Ganzie – Play Big / Uncalled For Badness
Wayne Wonder – Do Me
Taxi Riddim (1989)
Andi – Who’s Sad, Happy Or Gay
Apache Scratchy – Fancy Girl
Audrey Hall – Nobody Else But Me
Crystal – Ben
Junie Ranks – Lick Out Against The Man / Stop Distressing Woman
Nadine Binns – To My Attention
Nana McLean – Love Me Till Morning
Nardo Ranks – Woman A Rule Dem
Nigger Mikey – Can’t Rule Me
Scotty – Shining Star
Tony Rebel – Fresh D.J.
Wayne Wonder – Anything For You
Wayne Wonder – Fast Car
Body Workshop / Gi Gi Riddim (1992)
Buju Banton – Batty rider
Capleton – Prophet
Mad Cobra – Mate a rebel
Terror Fabulous – Dorothy
Shelly Thunder – Lethal weapon
Terry Ganzie – Sex class
Terry Ganzie – Treat the woman right
Hardware And Lumber Riddim (1991)
Buju Banton – Have To Get You Tonight
Cobra – Mate Ah Rebel
Terror Fabulous – Satisfaction
Terry Ganzie – Hardware And Lumber
