Ilabash Riddim- H20 / Zj Liquid (2012)

Ilabash came out in 2012 from H2O Records, the dancehall imprint run by Michael “ZJ Liquid” Brissett. By then Liquid had already built a reputation as a selector, radio personality, artist, and producer out of Montego Bay, and H2O had become one of the names tied to club-ready Jamaican juggling built for the sound system and the radio alike.

This one is lean by design: just two cuts, Konshens’ “Nah Vote” and Vybz Kartel’s “Dem Bwoy. ” The rhythm has a breezy, mid-tempo bounce with a light, digital snap rather than a heavy bashment stomp, so both voices can ride it cleanly. It feels less like a carnival-pressure riddim and more like a sharp, talkative one, with enough space in the instrumental for the lyrics to land.

Konshens was in a strong run around this period, known for his clear tone and direct, streetwise phrasing, and “Nah Vote” plays to that gift with a chant that sounds built for crowd response. Kartel’s “Dem Bwoy” brings the sharper edge: more aggressive, more pointed, and more in step with the kind of hook-driven dancehall that kept his name everywhere in 2012. Together, the two tracks give Ilabash a quick but memorable profile, with Liquid’s production doing the quiet work of making each cut feel distinct while keeping the riddim cohesive.