Maximum Riddim – Black Scorpio

Maximum Riddim – Black Scorpio is a 1989 Maurice Johnson production for Black Scorpio, and this compact four-track set brings together Dollar Fifty on What, General Grindsman on Agony Tension, Johnny P on House Color, and Wickerman on To The Maximum. Black Scorpio, the long-running Kingston label and sound system built by Maurice “Jack Scorpio” Johnson, was already known for sharp late-’80s dancehall work, and this one keeps that focused, vocal-driven approach tight. With just four cuts and no wasted space, it plays like a lean showcase of the era’s harder-edged style, moving from the grim energy of Agony Tension to the fittingly named To The Maximum.