The Wedge Riddim

2002 was deep in that lean, hard-edged dancehall era, and The Wedge Riddim fits right into it with four singers working a compact, no-frills cut. Chocolate’s “Dem Ah Bawl” brings the kind of raw street-level complaint that was everywhere in the dance at the time, while Ernie’s “I Cry” keeps the mood personal and bruised rather than flashy. Lymie’s “Legalize It” nudges the riddim toward a more conscious stance, and Zana closes it out with “Say Goodbye, ” which sounds like the sort of breakup tune built for sound system play. It’s a short set, but that’s part of the charm: no padding, just four quick shots over the same 2002 production, and a snapshot of where dancehall was sitting in that first stretch of the decade.