Hardcore Riddim (1993) – Steely And Clevie

Hardcore Riddim arrived in 1993 from Steely and Clevie, the Kingston production duo of Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson and Cleveland “Clevie” Browne, who had already become one of dancehall’s defining hitmaking teams. By that point, their name carried real authority in the era when digital drums, sharp basslines and clipped keyboard phrases were reshaping the sound of Jamaican music.

This one moves with a hard, no-nonsense groove: lean drum programming, a rubbery low end and a brisk, almost martial push that leaves plenty of room for deejays to cut through. It is the kind of riddim that sounds built for sound system play, with the version side keeping the rhythm stripped and functional. The tune set also shows how broad the Steely and Clevie orbit was in the early ’90s, pulling in Capleton, Spragga Benz, General Degree, Captain Barkey, Simpleton, Frankie Sly, Powerman, Dirtsman, Don Yute and Supervisor. Some cuts stay close to pure dancehall swagger, while others come with sharper personality. Capleton’s “Buggering” brings the confrontational fire he was already known for, Spragga Benz sounds fluid and cocky on “Girls Hooray (Hey Ho), ” and General Degree’s “Dweet Sweet” rides the rhythm with the sly, playful phrasing that later became one of his signatures.

The release sits comfortably inside the Steely and Clevie catalogue of tough early-’90s dancehall productions, made for selectors who wanted a riddim with bite, movement and enough space for multiple voices to lock in.