Raw Blaze Riddim – Don Corleon Records

With Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Capleton, Sizzla and Wayne Wonder all riding the same cut, Raw Blaze Riddim feels like a neat little snapshot of Don Corleon’s 2007 dancehall run. The rhythm has that sharp, clipped mid-2000s bounce—lean but heavy, with enough room for the voices to cut through without losing the pull of the bass. Beenie Man’s “They Gyal Dem” and Capleton’s “Warn Dem” bring the heat early, while Buju Banton’s “Green Card” and Sizzla’s “Woman Dem” give it a tougher, more chant-heavy edge. Don Corleon, aka Donovan Bennett from Manchester, Jamaica, was already deep into a prolific period by then, and you can hear the confidence in how stripped-down and direct this one is. The instrumental version and Wayne Wonder’s “Blazin’” close it out cleanly, leaving the riddim itself to do the talking.