Shella Riddim (More) – Lockecity Music

Lockecity Music Group’s Shella Riddim came out in 2013 and sits right in that period when Adrian Locke was sharpening the label’s juggling style after coming through the Truck Back camp with his brothers. The rhythm has the kind of hard, clean dancehall drive that leaves room for big-name deejays to talk over it, with enough bass weight and swing to work in the dance while still staying crisp for radio edits.

The lineup mixes heavyweight names with newer voices. Beenie Man cuts through on “War Message, ” bringing that veteran badman command, while Mavado is the obvious anchor with “Terror By Day” and the combo “More” alongside Chase Cross and 3Star. Kiprich adds the sly, rooted chat of “Nuh Fraid, ” and New Kidz, paired with Vocally on “Hustling Daily, ” gives the riddim one of its more street-level turns. Chrome Steal’s “Gu Weh” and the Frisco Kid, Ding Dong, Jus Chris, Artikal and Ataru cuts that also circulated on the riddim show how Lockecity kept the juggling broad enough for different styles without losing the core bounce.

What makes Shella work is that it doesn’t smother the vocals. The beat leaves space for personalities to land, so the songs feel like proper clashes of tone rather than just artists floating over a loop. Mavado’s darker delivery and Beenie Man’s sharper, more playful attack give the project its biggest contrast, while the New Kidz cuts add a younger, more hustler-minded angle. It’s a 2013 dancehall roundup that feels built for selectors as much as casual listeners.