Stickz Riddim – Various Artists

STICKZ RIDDIM produced by VARIOUS ARTISTS 2008

Produced under the generic Various Artists credit, Stickz Riddim keeps things lean with just three cuts, and that economy gives the 2008 dancehall set a sharper edge than a crowded juggling usually would. Mr Vegas kicks it off with “Hate, ” Munga follows with “Rasta Gangsta, ” and Red Rat closes with “Grind Pun Me, ” a trio that leans more toward hard-hitting dancehall attitude than anything overly playful or crossover-minded. The sequencing matters here: Vegas brings the immediate hook, Munga leans into a grittier stance, and Red Rat lands the final word with the kind of cheeky streetwise energy that suits a compact riddim like this. The whole thing feels trimmed down to the essentials, and Red Rat’s “Grind Pun Me” ends up leaving the strongest aftertaste.

Stickz Riddim Tracklist:

1. Mr Vegas – Hate
2. Munga – Rasta Gangsta
3. Red Rat – Grind Pun Me