One Hold Riddim – Size 8 Records

Size 8 Records’ One Hold Riddim landed in 2022 with General Degree’s fingerprint all over it, and that matters. Cardiff Butt has long been one of dancehall’s sharpest voices, but he has also spent years cutting records through his own Size 8 imprint, so this set feels less like a random juggling and more like an artist-producer statement from somebody who knows both sides of the booth.

The riddim sits in a warm, midtempo dancehall lane with a rootsy lift underneath it, the kind of groove that leaves space for melody, chatter, and patter without ever sounding thin. The beat is steady and hook-friendly, and that gives the singers room to work different angles without breaking the mood. Bounty Killer’s “Real Man” brings the toughest edge to the set, while Chris Martin’s “Weekend Love” softens the energy with his clean, sing-song delivery. Queen Ifrica’s “One Hold” adds a conscious, commanding tone, and Tarrus Riley alongside General Degree on “Feeling Irie” push the riddim into brighter, more melodic territory.

D Major’s “Fallin” and Sophia Squire’s “Island Love” keep the emotional range open, while T. O. K. injects their usual group chemistry on “Yuh Turn Me On. ” The closer, Hawkeye and Chico’s “Dem Gyal, ” gives the project a final dancehall bounce. With nine cuts and a strong cast, One Hold works because it lets each voice land differently while keeping one unified feel running through the whole set.