Whateva Riddim – True Blue Family Records

Whateva Riddim comes out of True Blue Family Records, the Kingston imprint linked to the late Ralston “Tru Blue” Wellington, whose name has long been tied to dancehall production and street-level juggling. Issued digitally on April 7, 2017, the set runs 11 tracks and sits squarely in the modern dancehall lane, with a lean, bass-forward cut that leaves room for hooks, attitude, and artist personality.

The rhythm is built for quick-fire voicing and party rotation. It moves with a clipped, energetic swing rather than a heavy one-drop feel, and the songs on it keep things sharp and conversational. Spice’s “Beef Patty” gives the project its most immediately recognizable name-brand moment, with her usual mix of swagger and humour. Vybz Kartel turns in “Honour Mama” and the explicit version, which is the kind of pairing that helped keep the riddim moving in both radio-friendly and raw forms. Double K’s “Control Yuh” also gets the same clean/explicit treatment, and that dual release makes sense for a rhythm aimed at both mixshow play and the street.

The rest of the lineup keeps the energy varied without breaking the flow: Jahshie’s “A Likkle Bit After This, ” Singer J’s “Another Level, ” 90’s Fella’s “High, ” Mertial and A. Macon on “War Threat, ” Tarnado with Harry Toddler and Baby Lawd on “Change the Weather, ” and True Blue, Villa Flamez and Tahj on “Ghetto Town” all add their own shade to the pattern. It is the kind of riddim that works best as a dancehall tool first, a statement second.