Royal Riddim – Zig Boi Music

Warm, roots-leaning reggae with a clean, mid-tempo pulse carries Royal Riddim, and Zig Boi Music keeps the vibe more soulful than flashy. The project landed in May 2015 as a compact five-song EP, with College Boy Jesse, Jah Mel, Kerry John, Makamillion and Raskal each taking a turn over the same backdrop, so the write-up leans on melody and mood rather than big-chorus spectacle. Kerry John’s “Mama” and College Boy Jesse’s “Once In A Lifetime” sit right at the center of that approach, but it’s Jah Mel’s “You Alone” that gives the riddim its clearest emotional pull, riding the groove with a plainspoken, heartfelt edge that lingers after the last note.