Tixx / Blaze Riddim – Cj Records

Tixx / Blaze landed in the thick of Greensleeves’ first rhythm-album wave, with Christopher James’ CJ imprint behind it and a 2000 production date attached to the project. The riddim exists in two linked parts: the tougher, more clipped Tixx side and the hotter Blaze side, both built for juggling and both later packaged as Greensleeves Rhythm Album #10 in 2001.

The Tixx cuts bring in a heavyweight mix of styles and generations: Beenie Man, Sizzla, Mr. Vegas, Alozade, Mad Cobra, Spragga Benz, Ward 21, Danny English, Zumjay, and the pairing of Ward 21 and Elephant Man. The Blaze half keeps the heat on with Sizzla, Elephant Man, Lady Saw, Frisco Kid, Kiprich, Zumjay, Mad Cobra, and the Ward 21 links with Fahrenheit and Wayne Marshall, plus Delly Ranks and Patchy. That spread tells you how wide CJ wanted the riddim to travel across dancehall at the turn of the millennium.

Sonically, Tixx / Blaze sits in that era of crisp, digital dancehall: sharp drum programming, a tight low end, and a propulsive bounce that leaves space for fast-chat delivery, bragging, and slackness. Tixx feels like the more percussive side, while Blaze pushes a brighter, more urgent energy that suits Elephant Man’s hype-man rush and Lady Saw’s commanding cut. Beenie Man’s “Straight Prison” and Sizzla’s “To The Point” give the riddim its authority, while the Elephant Man and Ward 21 link-ups add the kind of crossover charge that made these projects travel well through sound systems and mix CDs.