A Little Bit Of Everything Riddim – Kickin Productions

Kickin Productions had a strong hand in late-’90s roots reggae, and A Little Bit Of Everything Riddim sits right in that pocket. The project is from 1999, credited to producer Norman “Bulpus” Bryan, with Kickin handling the label side. It also turned up as a 2000 release in some listings, but the riddim itself is firmly tied to 1999.

The sound is warm, midtempo and earthbound, with that clean digital-era roots feel that still leaves room for live-feeling bass movement and open-air space around the drums. It is not one of those hard, stripped-down one-drop cuts that hits like a baton; instead it moves with a gentle sway, giving the singers space to stretch out their melodies and message tunes. That makes it a natural home for conscious material, and this set leans that way.

George Nooks opens with Children Of Israel, a sturdy roots meditation from a singer who has long worked that reflective, devotional lane. Luciano’s Good Over Evil brings the clearest statement on the riddim, matching his reputation as one of the era’s most committed voices for righteousness and uplift. Mikey General’s Leave It To Your Heart adds another prayerful turn, while Major Christie’s Heartbreak Hotel gives the project a softer, more plaintive edge. There was also a Capleton cut on the riddim, Could Never Glorify, which helps underline how broadly the track could carry both fire and message.

It is a tidy snapshot of where roots reggae was heading at the turn of the millennium: conscious, melodic, and made to let the song lead the rhythm rather than the other way around.