Title
Artist
Label
Format
Date
   Album review
Roots & Culture
Macka B.
Ariwa
CD
19-03-1999


Tracking list

  1. Allez The Reggae Boys
  2. Roots And Culture
  3. Serve You Right
  4. Badder Than Jah
  5. I Don't Like Reggae (Featuring Panache Culture)
  6. One For Jah
  7. You're The Ladies
  8. Run Rushdie Run
  9. Dread A Who She Love (Featuring Kofi)
  10. Get Conscious
  11. Sex Machine
  12. Malcolm X (Featuring Earl Sixteen)
  13. Jesus Christ Is Black
  14. Iron Mike
  15. Don't Judge Me
  16. Another Soldier
  17. Pam Pam Cameroon
  18. Squeeze Me (Featuring Dennis Nolan)
Rating : from 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor)

Vocals : 4 Backing : 4 Production : 4/5 Sound quality : 5 Sleeve : 4


British deejay innovator Macka B has a long-standing musical and successful relationship with London-based producer Neil Fraser aka Mad Professor which has resulted in the release of over a dozen albums. Macka B is a conscious deejay whose style can be described as "dancehall with plenty of one-drop grooves".
Apparently an ordinary compilation set of Macka B tunes - recorded for Mad Professor's Ariwa Sounds imprint during the past thirteen years - this "Roots & Culture" album goes far beyond as it not only collects tracks from Macka B's album output but also features tunes which were previously unreleased or only available on a single. Amongst the tracks that appear on an album for the very first time are "Allez The Reggae Boys", the solid "Roots And Culture", "Run Rushdie Run", delivered across a late eighties-style dancehall beat laid by Mafia & Fluxy, the combination songs "I Don't Like Reggae" and "Malcolm X", the excellent "Jesus Christ Is Black" and "Iron Mike" both utilizing the same riddim.
Tackling contemporary subject matters, a strong sense of humor and always an upful vibe is typical for Macka B's work from the earliest, once again fully expressed on this solid and enjoyable compilation album.

Teacher & Mr. T.