Badman Commandments part 3

By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Monday 15 December 2008 |
8 comments |

This third instalment of the Badman Commandments - who knew there would be so many? Check parts one and two if you missed them and buy the excellently irregular magazine that publishes them.

This set of commandments has more of an international flavour, with contributions from Lord Kossity (France), Killa P (England) and Visionary (Canada). Usual suspects like Elephant Man, Vybz Kartel and Ward 21 are still present and correct though...

"Badman nuh hitch fi go blow petrol"
Dave Kelly - Slurp
(Showtime Riddim)

"Badman dem nah go say sorry"
Killa P on Logan Sama's radio show

"Badman nuh run nursery"
Delly Ranks - Have You Ever
(Tek Ova Riddim)

"Badman never pray fi bruk out"
Visionary - One Foot Skanking

"Badman nah bathe with them baby mumma rag"
Elephant Man - Bad Man
(Fiesta Riddim)

"Badman nuh tek back chat"
Lord Kossity - Speed

"Badman nuh really too beg nuh gal nuttin"
Ward 21 & Timberlee - Give It Up

"Bad man nuh throw word"
Vybz Kartel - From When
(Dancehall Rock Riddim)

"Badman nuh go a candy shop"
G Maffiah - Deh Pon Di Block
(Creepa Riddim)

"Badman know where to start and where to stop"
Bugle - Genuine
(48 Bus Route Riddim)

Tom from Bruk magazine recently sent me a few commandments he'd collected to add to the series:

"Real badman we nuh play table tennis"
Elephant Man - Dem Nah Like We

"Real badman don't buss dem likkle small guns anymore - I got big bumbaclaat rifle that you never seen before"
Elephant Man & Ward 21 - Real Badman

"Badman nuh wear pink"
Bounty Killer - As A Man

"Badman nuh leak information"
Anthony B - Nuh Leak

As previously mentioned, the third issue of Woofah magazine, home of the badman commandments as well as excellent writing on grime, reggae, dubstep and dancehall, is now available.

Artists featured in the new issue include The Bomb Squad, Flow Dan, 2562, Dusk and Blackdown plus there's an interview with Sarah Soulja of FWD/Tempa and a piece on Kingston's Bellevue Hospital.

By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Monday 15 December 2008 |
8 comments |

deezy on 15 December 2008

"Badman nuh go watch Bruckback Mountain"
-Elephant Man, "Bruckback Mountain" (Sidewalk Duck riddim)

Gabriel on 16 December 2008

That one's in part one - http://www.theheatwave.co.uk/blog/item/the_badman_commandments/

Skeptic on 19 December 2008

The thing I notice about your "Badman lyrical list" ( and in fact, nearly all Dancehall/Ragga I hear), is how limited it is, how inarticulate, how materialistic and dumbly one dimensional it is.

It makes Oi! look almost intellectual in comparison.

Gabriel on 20 December 2008

Well yeah that's kind of the point of the badman stuff, it's a very limited lyrical theme.

Though actually what I like about it and why a lot of them make me laugh is that within something that's essentially very limited, artists can get quite creative in stating new things that badmen don't do.

As for 'nearly all' dancehall/ragga being inarticulate, materialistic or one dimensional I think that's plainly rubbish. Just a few counter examples to get started:

Roots, Reality and Culture mix
http://www.theheatwave.co.uk/blog/item/blogariddims-episode-36-roots-reality-and-culture/

Songs about recession, Obama and Bush
http://www.theheatwave.co.uk/blog/item/everything-crash-recession-obama-and-george-bush/

Busy Signal - These Are The Days
http://www.theheatwave.co.uk/blog/item/dark-side-of-the-tune-2/

Capleton - Tour
http://www.theheatwave.co.uk/blog/item/from-the-vaults-capleton-refix-of-flat-beat/

dan bean on 20 December 2008

Badman nuh tek back chat.
Counteraction...

michael on 17 January 2009

"Me a badman nuh wear no Speedos"
Teddy Bruckshot - Not Like Me

Danny Bean on 29 January 2009

"Badman nuh fren fish...
cus fish piss inna water"

Black Chiney show-skit, Vol 8.9

lee@lee.com on 17 December 2009

""Badman know where to start and where to stop"
Bugle - Genuine
(48 Bus Route Riddim)"

what an idiot - everyone knows that badman commandments are prohibitive and thus they must start "badman nuh" or "badman nah".