Shampoo Riddim – Purple Skunk Productions

Purple Skunk’s Shampoo Riddim comes in with that sharp, rubbery mid-2000s dancehall pulse — lean on the drums, heavy on the chest — and it lines up a tidy set of big-hitter voices around it. Bounty Killer, Buju Banton and Bling Dawg bring the veteran heat, while Munga, Teflon and Hollow Point keep the energy moving through the tougher, road-ready cuts. The version that lingers is Vybz Kartel’s pair of entries, especially “Long Division (Raw), ” which gives the riddim its nastiest edge and feels like the track the whole project is leaning toward. Produced by Wayne “DJ Wayne” Morris and Phillip “Junior Arrows” Linton for Purple Skunk, the riddim also shows up in 2005/2006 listings under the Soap/Shampoo name, which fits the era’s habit of recycling a strong cut across different pressings and mix sheets.