98 Was Great Riddim – Real Squad Records

Real Squad Records’ 98 Was Great Riddim landed in 2017 with that throwback-toy box energy dancehall likes when a producer wants a loop to do the talking. The juggle has a lean, driving pulse and a raw-versus-clean split on a few cuts, which gives the set a back-to-back sound system feel rather than a polished compilation vibe. Froggy, who is also tied closely to the Real Squad name, anchors the project from the production side, and the riddim sits comfortably in the company’s catalogue of straight-ahead dancehall work.

The artist mix is one of the reasons the release hangs together. Cutty Ranks brings veteran bite on “Brave Enough (Various Artist Diss), ” turning the riddim into a warning shot with his unmistakable clipped attack. Delly Ranx adds the kind of badmind commentary he has long made his own on “Blind Dem (Badmind), ” while Wayne Wonder’s “Dung Dung Low” brings a smoother, more melodic counterweight. Jahranimo’s “Come Offa Mi Name” and Patexx’s “Dif-A-Rent” keep the energy in the modern dancehall lane, while Froggy’s own “Badda” helps frame the project’s core attitude. The set also pulls in Taranchyla, Ita’Kay, Earthworm and Famous Twenty, giving it enough voices to move like a proper juggling session.

What makes 98 Was Great click is the balance between stern, pressure-building cuts and lighter party traffic. It is less about one runaway anthem than the way the voices switch the riddim’s mood from diss record to flossing tune without breaking the groove.