Reggae / Hip-Hop Remixes of the 1990s
Let’s start off with one of our favourite producers! Kenny Dope is know for his excellent production skills over a wide variety of genres, and he’s definitely secured his place in history based on his Reggae / Hip-Hop remixes alone. Listen to Johnny Osbourne‘s classic Buddy Bye and Kenny’s Dondadda Original Rama Jama Mix from 1993.
Looking at the leading vocalist in this Reggae / Hip-Hop territory, it’s fair to say, that Supercat reigns supreme. I still have Dolly My Baby – his collab with Biggie, Puff and 3rd Eye Blind – on a worn out white label 12″ and up to this day this one bangs hard!! Furthermore you should remember the Hip-Hop remix for Don Dada and his smash hit Ghetto Red Hot, that got sampled for the soundtrack of a Sonic The Hedgehog game (Sonic Adventure). You’ll find it in a level called Red Mountain 2. Big up Supercat!
Mad Lion is a tough contender for the crown of the Reggae Hip-Hop sound. Take It Easy takes me back when reggae & hip hop were poetic, original, and a true art that only individuals with true talent could produce. He produced quite a few Hip-Hop tunes behind the scenes, but there’s also collabos where he shines in front of the mic, like 1, 2, Pass It and Gotta Get Mine with the Born Jamericans.
Capleton has some mad Hip-Hop influenced tracks as well. I mean you really can’t go wrong with Method Man dropping knowledge over a heavy drum beat. He just has the grimiest voice in the hip-hop biz. Add a sample from Otis Redding‘s Hard to Handle and Capleton‘s impeccable flow and you’ve cooked up the stone cold classic, that Wings of the Morning Remix is! The Bad Boy Remix of No War is big, but then you also got Capleton’s Tour Remix, which uses Slick Rick’s Children Story instrumental and is apparently co-produced by Lil Jon under the Dynamik Duo moniker.
Cutty Ranks is a name we can’t forget with his contribution to this mash-up genre, including the remixes to Pon Pause, A Who Seh Me Dun Dynamik Duo Remix and The Stopper which uses the classic Fu Gee La riddim!
Next to real remixes and collabos, you got a plethora of blends and mashups. Some official ones, some DIYs, some dope, some really bad. Some picks from our crates include Ricky General‘s Skettle Combo (over Junior Mafia’s Get Money), No Guns No Murder by Rayvon from 1995 (Funkmaster Flex party break style…), Tanto Metro & Devonte – Everyone Falls In Love Hip Hop Remix from 1999 (over beats from Eve, Ruff Ryders, Q-Tip, etc) as well as Spragga Benz and Tanya Stephens going over Busta Rhymes’ Put Your Hands beat for their respective songs. Any other cool blends leave in the comments below, we’re keen to listen to more! 🙂
Last but not least, two more official remixes we love,
Louie Rankin‘s Typewriter Remix comes with the real heavy 90’s boom bap sound! The rap verse fits perfectly, but it’s Louie Rankin‘s contribution that takes this track onto the next level! We also want to point out the Hip-Hop Mix of Red Fox‘s Pose Off, with a super addictive hook: “Girlllllls you look so sharpp, anytime you pass in your pum pum shorrrrrts…”
