Dark Lake Riddim (2009)

2009 dancehall riddim Dark Lake is a tough, street-leaning 8-track set led by Jr Reid (My Place), Elephant Man (Money Ova War), Beenie Man (Defend It), Vybz Kartel (Smaddy Dead) and Assassin (Come Mek We Show Dem), with Munga closing out the credited run on Special. The lineup reads like a who’s who of hardcore-era dancehall, and the standout energy is easy to hear in Kartel’s Smaddy Dead and Elephant Man’s Money Ova War, both of which have been repeatedly promoted in relation to the Dark Lake riddim release. The collection is tied to Machete Records for the wider Dark Lake Riddim album package, giving the project that darker, bass-forward theme throughout.