Dilemma Riddim – Keno 4star Production

Keno 4Star Production’s Dilemma Riddim landed in 2018 as a straight dancehall juggling with enough range to move from streetwise declarations to more devotional, radio-friendly turns. The set runs 14 cuts deep and was released on May 4, 2018, with Zojak handling the label side of the digital rollout. Keno 4Star was already in the lane of modern dancehall production by then, and this riddim fits that run with a clean, glossy pulse rather than anything overly raw or vintage.

Mavado’s Father Gad comes in with the biggest pull, and the fact that it appears in both raw and clean versions tells you how well the record was aimed at selectors and radio alike. Demarco’s Never Born Fi Poor and I-Octane’s Get Dem Out keep the energy grounded in struggle talk, while Bugle’s Bread Winner and Jahmiel’s Sad To Say push the survival theme from different angles. Christopher Martin linking with Cutty Ranks on Love Jah gives the riddim one of its most interesting pairings, with Martin’s smooth tenor set against Cutty’s veteran chat. Gyptian’s Mama I Love You and TeeJay’s Wings To Fly open the project up a little more, adding melody and uplift to balance the harder-edged selections.

What makes Dilemma work is the way it holds together across voice styles without losing its mid-tempo pressure. The beat leaves space for melody, but it still has enough weight for deejays to ride with authority.