Top Ranking Riddim – Unknown Label

Top Ranking produced by Bunny Striker Lee for Unknown Label in 1975

Top Ranking Riddim, produced by Bunny Striker Lee for an unknown label in 1975, pulls together a lean roots-era set with Johnny Clarke’s Top Ranking, King Tubby and Prince Jammy’s Higher Ranking, and Peter Tosh’s I’m The Toughest. Bunny Lee was already deep into his run as one of reggae’s key producers by this point, and the lineup here gives the rhythm a sharper edge through Clarke’s vocal cut, Tubby and Jammy’s dubwise version, and Tosh’s harder-nosed anthem. The result is a tough mid-70s slice of Jamaican music that moves between conscious singing, dub, and militant stance, with the title tune setting the tone and the version work giving the release its identity.

Top Ranking Riddim Tracklist:

1. Johnny Clarke – Top Ranking (1976)
2. King Tubby & Prince Jammy – Higher Ranking (1975)
3. Peter Tosh – I’m The Toughest

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