The Go-Go Club Riddim

By Gabriel_Heatwave |
Tuesday 03 November 2009 |
8 comments |

This is shaping up to be one of the biggest riddims of 2009 and is certainly the hottest dancehall rhythm around right now.

Tarik 'Russian' Johnston's instrumental was originally used for a one-off Vybz Kartel vocal which came out in September:

Download: Vybz Kartel - Go-Go Club

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I guess the tune was too big for other vocalists not to turn it into a riddim project!

The first batch of voicings that came out included stand-out vocals from Kartel's fellow Portmore artists Black Ryno, Lisa Hype and Gaza Kim (pictured below):

Download: Black Ryno - Bike Back

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Download: Gaza Kim & Lisa Hype - Bills

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But the rhythm wasn't done yet; more vocals trickled out one by one, underlining its ongoing and increasing popularity. You can see why Elephant Man wanted a piece of the action:

Download: Elephant Man & Ishawna - Give It To Me

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If you're paying attention you'll notice that Go-Go Club isn't your average dancehall riddim; it's got a definite hip hop feel to it.

Having said that, "average dancehall riddim" is less meaningful now that Kingston's producers are dealing in everything from minimal retro ragga to dark orchestral epics and are influenced by dubstep and electro as much as reggae and soca.

Anyway, even with what seems to be a hip hop beat, Go-Go Club is recognisably dancehall, featuring a bad boy bassline and a syncopated snare anticipating the fourth beat of each bar.

These musical mathematics got a little more complicated when lovers' rock crooner Tarrus Riley (below) joined forces with gun-obsessed Aidonia for a tune defending the herb, creating a track that falls somewhere between hip hop, dancehall and reggae:

Download: Aidonia & Tarrus Riley - Di Trees

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And still the riddim wasn't done - only last week new vocals from Laden and Flippa Mafia dropped. Flippa's is the first of the many cuts on the riddim which is anything less than good, confirming our feelings at Heatwave towers that this guy is simply not a top flight artist.

If you can't cut it on a riddim this good then there's not much hope for you. Even Leftside's slightly grating comedic creation, Gran Faada, bangs out a big tune on the Go-Go Club:

Download: Gran Faada (Leftside) - Mi Tyad

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Finally, English dancehall's most wanted Gappy Ranks has also got involved in the riddim. Watch out for him blowing up Jamaica at Sting this Christmas.

Download: Gappy Ranks - Ball Out

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