Bad Afternoon Riddim – Q 45

By 2006, Q 45 had this one sounding like a hot Kingston street set: sharp, lean dancehall with a clipped, percussive bounce and enough low end to keep the selectors busy. Beenie Man opens the board with “Gimmie, ” while Future Fambo and Mr Vegas push the tempo on “Why You Gonna, ” and Kiprich’s “Trendsetter” and Harry Toddler’s “Gooda Dan Dem” keep the slackness and braggadocio moving. There’s room for a tougher edge too, with Sizzla’s “Stop Di Violence” and Wickerman’s “Hunt Dem” cutting through the party talk. Rupert Blake’s Q 45 label kept the riddim firmly in that mid-2000s dancehall pocket where punchy hooks and rude-boy attitude ruled the floor.