Black Tears Riddim – Donsome Records

Adrian “Donsome” Hanson has long run Donsome Records out of the U. S. with a catalog that moves between roots reggae, conscious singles, and polished one-riddim projects, and Black Tears sits neatly in that lane. Released in 2020, and issued on November 6, it arrives as a roots-forward juggling with a sober title that matches the mood of the songs around it.

The riddim has a heavy, reflective pulse rather than a flashy dancehall swing. It leaves room for melody, but the arrangement keeps a bruised, sorrowful edge in the drums and bass, giving the singers space to work through pain, pressure, and survival. The instrumental closes the set and underlines how much of the project is carried by the weight of the groove itself.

The strongest cuts come from the veterans. Marcia Griffiths brings real gravity to Black Tears, while Lutan Fyah’s Yuh Ungrateful and Anthony B’s So Dangerous push the message side hard, each in their own voice. Chezidek’s Bad Seed and Glen Washington’s Hold On To A Feeling deepen the roots feel, while Bugle’s Allow Me to Live and Perfect Giddimani’s Fry Bone add more sharpened, street-level writing. Tommy B’s Crying (Justice) and Kailash’s Seems so Strange (Police Brutality) widen the theme toward public injustice, with Kailash’s youth giving the project a striking contrast.

As a whole, Black Tears reads like a conscious roots set with enough name value to travel beyond one crowd. It is not trying to be loud; it is trying to sting, and that restraint is what gives the riddim its staying power.