I Am Not A King Riddim – Various Labels

Kingston’s late-’60s roots reggae scene is all over this one, with the “I Am Not A King” rhythm resurfacing across different labels and generations of singers. The familiar cut gets plenty of mileage here: Delroy Wilson turns up twice, John Holt joins Dennis Alcapone on a version side, and Errol Holt’s 7-inch and 12-inch takes underline how long this lick kept circulating. You also get a later jump from the same foundation, with Cocoa Tea’s “I’m Not A King” and the Cocoa Tea/Cutty Ranks team-up “Rip And Run Off” pushing the pattern into the digital era. Frankie Paul’s “Close To You” and Sanchez’s “Call Me On The Phone” sit in the same run, which makes the set feel less like a single moment than a line of rewrites. The riddim is listed as a 1968 reggae production with 19 tracks and 16 artists.