Grass Roots Riddim – Rootical Productions

Rootical Productions’ Grass Roots Riddim comes from that 2006 stretch when conscious reggae compilations were leaning hard into militant lyrics and roots sentiment, and this one lines up Turbulence, Gyptian, I-Wayne, and Lutan Fyah on the same cut. The rhythm has a warm, steady pulse rather than anything flashy, which suits songs like I-Wayne’s “No Unnecessary War” and Lutan Fyah’s “Burn Dem” particularly well, while Gyptian’s “One and Only” keeps the mood softer and more melodic. There’s no gimmickry here, just a long multi-artist sequence that keeps the focus on voices and message, with 18 tracks in all and a clean run of versions from the opener to the closing cuts. The riddim is credited to Rootical Productions and dates to 2006.