Title
Artist
Label
Format
Date

 The Gangstalaw Riddim Selection
Various
IMMusic
CD
July 13, 2007

Track list
  1. The Real Man - Michael Rose
  2. Right Time To Come - Rasta Voice
  3. Ransom - Luciano
  4. Gangstalaw - Rebellion The Recaller
  5. In This Judgment - Natural Black
  6. America - Black Dillinger
  7. Stop Genocide - Queen Ifrica
  8. No Turning Back - Lutan Fyah
  9. The Calling - Natty King
  10. Won't Allow Me - Turbulence
  11. Burn Them Down - Higher Trod Family
  12. Bright Smile - Ginjah
  13. Unto Thee - Lady Yell
  14. Gangster Way - Lady G
  15. Nuff Work - Caster
  16. What About Love - Mark Wonder
Rating : from 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor)
Vocals : 4 Backing : 5 Production : 5 Sound quality : 4 Sleeve : 4
IMMusic (i.e. Irie Massive Music) releases this very nice one riddim album containing their 'Gangstalaw'-riddim, a riddim that seems a strange and unique but well-working blend of inspiration by the Mighty Diamonds "Right To Come" and the 'Welcome To Jamrock'-riddim. The 'Gangstalaw'-riddim was built, recorded and produced by Frederic Palzer & Marius Kuhn with DanPiano on keyboards and Michael Oliver Morgan, a.k.a. Rasta Voice as executive producer. Rasta Voice, born on December 13, 1972, at 26 Greenidge Park Road in the tough inner-city community of Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica, was exposed to music from a very early age through his uncle Earl Morgan who was a key member of the popular reggae group The Heptones. Additionally, in those early years he spent a lot of his time around accomplished recording artistes such as Ken Boothe and Leroy Sibbles. Other early influences included Brigadier Jerry and Dennis Brown. From this humble beginning the young deejay sought to establish his musical career. By 1985 at the age 13, he was fascinated by the soundsystem DJs who played records in the dancehalls and at street dances. These DJs would often chat on the mic over the backing tracks. He soon tried his hand at performing as a DJ, and during that period entered and won numerous DJ contests. From this initial success the young Rasta Voice was greatly encouraged and decided to take his budding musical career to a higher level. Rasta Voice has now established his very own recording label and production company. The name of his new label is Rasta Voice Publishing Production (RVPP) Inc. He is currently in the studio recording new material for his own label and also voicing some major artistes for the label. Yet again a next step forward for this songwriter, rising recording artiste and now producer, who collaborating with German producers Frederic Palzer & Marius Kuhn releases a very promising debut selection.

Veteran Waterhouse singer and former Black Uhuru singer Michael Rose opens this album strong with his song in praise of Jah "The Real Man", before executive producer Rasta Voice himself delivers the completely vocodered but still very nice "Right Time To Come" and Luciano contributes the powerful song thanking Jah for paying the "Ransom" for him. Rebellion The Recaller, the German Gambian, impresses once more with the title track of this selection, the impressive "Gangstalaw" and Natural Black has despite being very prolific in 2007 so far yet to deliver a tune that doesn't sound great, but with "In This Judgment" he once more shows he is still on top of things, as is Black Dillinger the in the ghettos of Cape Town in South Africa as Nkululeko Madolo born singjay impressing more and more with each release in Germany where he is living now with "America" with its absolutely brilliant George W. Bush samples.

Derrick Morgan's daughter Queen Ifrica questions the s(h)ituation in several African countries in her excellent "Stop Genocide" followed by Lutan Fyah's equally strong "No Turning Back" about Africa the Motherland.Natty King is in fine form delivering his melodic conscious "The Calling" and so is Turbulence singjaying about the hardships of life and the faith in Jah aiding him in surviving these in "Won't Allow Me" followed by his Higher Trod Family crewmembers speaking out against the heathen and asking Jah to "Burn Them Down". Former Beres Hammond protégé Ginjah delivers the only real lovers tune on this riddim "Bright Smile" in fine style.

Hamburg's female singjay Lady Yell on her conscious roots tune "Unto Thee" really transforms the riddim into a UK roots backing by her way of singing over it, as this definitely sounds like a prime example of a UK female roots tune, although her voice is at the brink of sounding too frail to be singing instead of singjaying. Yell is not the only DJ/singjay using this riddim to sing, as DJ turned producer and now singer as well Lady G is truly on top of the riddim in her magnificent "Gangster Way". Timesless Sound's Mighty a.k.a. Caster makes his debut with "Nuff Work", trying to found his own style, but clearly influenced by Rebellion the Recaller. The in my opinion still underrated Mark Wonder closes this very nice one riddim album with the fine "What About Love". Unfortunately no clean riddim version of the 'Gangstalaw'-riddim has been included but nevertheless this is a very strong first release for Rasta Voice, Frederic Palzer & Marius Kuhn as producers that should be heard by everyone.