Dead U Dead Riddim – Tiger Records

Some 2008 dancehall riddims hit with brute force, and Dead U Dead is one of Tiger Records’ tougher ones, led by the production work of Sherkhan out of Kingston. Busy Signal turns up twice, first on the clipped, chest-out “We Strap” and again on “The Spot Weh Dem Deh Pon, ” while Natasja’s “Money And Tings” pulls a little more personality into the cut with its singjay swagger. Teflon’s “Real African Man” and Al Pancho’s “Rise Up And Take Your Stand” keep the energy pointed and militant, giving the riddim a rootsy edge without softening the impact. Tiger had already been building a steady run of releases by then, and Dead U Dead landed in August 2008, right in that period when the label was sharpening its sound and widening its roster.