Top Boy Riddim – DJ Crazy Neil

DJ Crazy Neil’s Top Boy Riddim landed in 2020 as a lean dancehall juggling with five cuts from four artists, issued through DJ Crazy Neil - Johnny Wonder and dated July 10, 2020. The set keeps a quick, snappy pace and leaves room for each voice to land cleanly, with the title cut and the repeat appearance from Badgettn giving the riddim its strongest identity. Badgettn’s “Wire” and “Wire (Raw)” anchor the middle of the project, while Chilando’s “Worst Than Chris” pushes the energy hardest and Riigz’s “Top Boy” gives the rhythm its name back. A fifth cut, Amacon’s “Cover Girl, ” adds a smoother edge at the front end.

The lineup also says something about the lane Crazy Neil was working in at the time. Badgettn, the former Merital Family member now recording solo, was already leaning into a more international dancehall-meets-hip-hop style. Chilando, out of Montego Bay, had long been known for melodic, street-conscious singles, and Riigz was emerging from St James with a name tied to a younger generation of Jamaican dancehall recording artists. Amacon’s contribution helps widen the palette, keeping the riddim from feeling locked into one vocal approach.

What makes Top Boy Riddim work is the contrast between the clean and raw versions, the short-song format, and the way the vocals ride a pattern that feels built for juggling. It is a compact 2020 dancehall set with enough movement in the melodies and attitude in the performances to make the repeat plays earn their keep.