Ghetto Youth Dem Rising – Heartbeat Records

With 12 cuts and 11 different voices, Ghetto Youth Dem Rising feels like a proper late-’80s dancehall showcase from Heartbeat, with Sugar Minott’s title tune anchoring the set and Fire Fox, Junior Delgado, Rod Taylor, and Maxine Miller each adding their own angle. The riddim has that brisk, tough-edged shuffle that sits between rootsy melody and the sharper digital feel of the era, so even the more playful songs land with a bit of grit. Fire Fox’s “Hypocrite” and “Mr Promoter” keep the pressure on, while Anthony Selassie’s “Give Me Good Loving” and Chris Wayne’s “Give Me The Sensi” lighten things with a more direct, singalong pull. It closes on “Ghetto Youth, ” and that last note leaves the whole compilation sounding like a compact snapshot of Heartbeat’s 1988 reggae-dancehall crossroads.