2002 Riddim – X-Rated

Lexxus sets the tone here with “Bong Bong, ” and that’s the cut that gives the X-Rated riddim its edge: blunt, sly, and built for the kind of mid-’90s dancehall that liked its hooks lewd and its bassline clipped. The rest of the four-track set keeps that same raw pressure moving through Monster Shack’s “More Money, ” Power Man’s “Pass Round Donkey, ” and Scare Dem’s “Slapping Tonight, ” with no wasted motion and no room for anything polished. Riddimguide lists Barry O’Hare behind the X-Rated label side, which fits the tougher, street-level feel of the music, and the whole thing lands like a compact snapshot of the era’s bashment instincts. Lexxus is the one who lingers, though, because “Bong Bong” carries the kind of memorable, no-nonsense attitude that keeps this riddim from sounding like just another forgotten dancehall package.