Chessboxin Riddim – R.A.R Productions

R. A. R Productions’ Chessboxin Riddim arrived in 2020 with the feel of a live-band reggae session rather than a machine-made juggling set. The production team behind it is Rohan “Fyah Fashion” Robotham and guitarist Paul “Titus” Green, working under the R. A. R banner with a sound built on real bass, guitar and keys. That gives the riddim a gritty, physical pulse at a mid-tempo pace, the kind of groove that can carry both conscious sing-jay cuts and straight melodic hooks. The project was released on April 2, 2020.

The lineup mixes veteran voices and newer names: Lutan Fyah, Pressure Busspipe, Sizzla, Thriller U, Kristine Alicia, Dami Knight, Kaibanon and Sacryfyce, with Kristine Alicia appearing twice, including a version of Love Liberation featuring Tasha T. Lutan Fyah’s It’s a Party and It’s a Sound Clash bring the sharpest chant-style energy, while Pressure Busspipe’s We Can’t Stop and Sizzla’s Free Up push the same rhythm into uplifting, militant territory. Thriller U’s Potholes gives the project a smoother classic-reggae edge, a useful contrast against the rougher, more driving performances around it.

What makes Chessboxin land is the balance between roots seriousness and live-session warmth. The chorus-driven songs sit comfortably beside the heavier message cuts, and the arrangement leaves enough room for each singer to phrase differently without losing the riddim’s forward motion. It is one of those reggae projects where the musicianship matters as much as the voices on top, and that is exactly what gives it its character.