The Crown Riddim (2011) – Kid Ras Production

The Crown Riddim has that early-2010s reggae-session feel, with Kid Ras Production lining up six cuts across eight artists and keeping the focus on voices that can carry a chorus and a message. Orlando Octave’s “So It Ah Go” is the one that jumps out first, but Sizzla’s “Read Yuh Bible” brings the kind of stern, roots-minded weight that gives the whole set some spine, while “Taking The Crown” folds Lil Ray, Ecliff and Makamillion into a tidy posse cut. Kid Ras even claims a slot on the riddim with the title instrumental, and the project stays tight rather than overstuffed, moving through Dale Ryan and Makamillion’s “Pain After Pain” and Kerry John’s “Mad” before closing on Sizzla.