Don Dada (album)

Last updated
Don Dada
Don Dada (album).jpg
Studio album by
Released1992
Genre Dancehall [1]
Label Columbia [2]
Super Cat chronology
Cabin Stabbin
(1991)
Don Dada
(1992)
Good, the Bad, the Ugly & the Crazy
(1994)

Don Dada is an album by the Jamaican musician Super Cat, released in 1992. [3] [4] It was his first album for a major label, and also one of the first dancehall albums for a major label. [5] [6] The album title refers to Super Cat's nickname. [7]

Contents

The album peaked at No. 37 on Billboard's Top R&B Albums chart. [8] Super Cat promoted it with North American and Japanese tours. [9] [10]

Production

"Nuff Man a Dead" first appeared on the Dancehall Reggaespanol compilation. [11] Heavy D rapped on "Them No Worry We". [12] It was Super Cat's intention to record an album that appealed to both a Jamaican dancehall audience and an American hip hop audience. [13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [14]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [2]

The Milwaukee Sentinel wrote: "Mixing the latest dancehall styles with phrasing reminiscent of pioneers such as U Roy, I Roy, Big Youth and Dillinger, Super Cat makes some of the most refreshing (and interesting) Jamaican dance music in a long time." [16] Newsday called the album "a bracing collection of tough rhythms, tougher lyrics and a pocketful of contradictions." [17] The Times concluded that, "in much the same way that rap glories in its tuneless, declamatory style of vocalese, so the hardcore dance-hall style reduces reggae almost entirely to rhythm and rhyme; all harangue and no harmony." [18]

USA Today determined that "the rapid-fire rapper serves up equal measures of social conscience and disco fever"; the paper later listed Don Dada as the eighth best R&B album of 1992. [19] [20] The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed the album "a deft mixture of rapping and singing supported by intelligent and not overly repetitive tracks." [21]

AllMusic wrote that "the recurring ability of the songs to consistently provide a simple groove for Super Cat to fervently rap over the top of is amazing, and the virtuosity with which he can constantly provide the necessary vocal concoctions is noteworthy." [14]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Them No Worry We" 
2."Ghetto Red Hot" 
3."Them No Care" 
4."Dolly My Baby" 
5."Don't Test" 
6."Must Be Bright" 
7."Don Dada" 
8."Think Me Come fi Play" 
9."Big and Ready" 
10."Coke Don" 
11."Nuff Man a Dead" 
12."Oh It's You" 
13."Fight fi Power" 
14."Yush Talk" 

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toasting (Jamaican music)</span> Talking or chanting to an instrumental rhythm

Toasting or deejaying is the act of talking, usually in a monotone melody, over a rhythm or beat by a deejay. It can either be improvised or pre-written. Toasting developed in Jamaica, before it took up that name and being part of the sound system era, a similar sound of it is found in mento and now can be heard over musical styles including ska, reggae, dancehall, dub, grime, hip hop, soca and bouyon music. The combination of singing and toasting is known as singjaying.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bounty Killer</span> Jamaican musician (born 1972)

Rodney Basil Price, known as Bounty Killer, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. AllMusic describes him as "one of the most aggressive dancehall stars of the '90s, a street-tough rude boy with an unrepentant flair for gun talk". He is considered one of the best dancehall lyricists of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Cat</span> Jamaican deejay and rapper

William Anthony Maragh, also known as Super Cat, is a Jamaican deejay who achieved widespread popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s dancehall movement. His nickname, "Wild Apache", was given to him by his mentor Early B. Super Cat is considered one of the greatest deejays in the history of the Jamaican dancehall scene.

Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon OD, better known by his stage name Shabba Ranks, is a Jamaican dancehall musician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of the most popular Jamaican musicians in the world. Throughout his prominence in his home country as a dancehall artist, he gained popularity in North America with his studio album, Just Reality, in 1990. He released two studio albums, As Raw as Ever and X-tra Naked, which both won a Grammy Award as Best Reggae Album in 1992 and 1993, respectively. He is notoriously popular for "Mr. Loverman" and "Ting-A-Ling", which were globally acclaimed and deemed his signature songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sly and Robbie</span> Jamaican rhythm section and production duo

Sly and Robbie were a prolific Jamaican rhythm section and production duo, associated primarily with the reggae and dub genres. Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare teamed up in the mid-1970s after establishing themselves separately in Jamaica as professional musicians. Shakespeare died in December 2021 following kidney surgery.

<i>Wonderful</i> (Rick James album) 1988 studio album by Rick James

Wonderful is the 10th studio album by American musician Rick James, released in 1988 via Reprise Records. It includes the hit song "Loosey's Rap", which topped the US R&B Charts.

Oswald Priest, better known as Mad Lion, is a dancehall, ragga musician and rapper. He frequently collaborates with fellow hip hop artist KRS-One. His awards include the 1994 Source Award as Reggae Artist of the Year, and the 1995 Source Award as Reggae Hip-Hop Artist of the Year.

<i>Jah Kingdom</i> 1991 studio album by Burning Spear

Jah Kingdom is a studio album by the Jamaican musician Burning Spear, released in 1991. Burning Spear supported the album with a North American tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mad Cobra</span> Jamaican dancehall musician

Ewart Everton Brown, better known by his stage name Mad Cobra or simply Cobra, is a Jamaican dancehall musician.

<i>U-Neek</i> 1991 studio album by Eek-A-Mouse

U-Neek is an album by the Jamaican reggae artist Eek-A-Mouse, released in 1991. He supported the album with a North American tour. "You're the Only One I Need" was released as a single.

Cecil Wellington (1957–1996), better known as Nicodemus, was a Jamaican reggae deejay who released a string of albums in the 1980s and 1990s. Nicodemus was a pioneer of dancehall music and is credited with positively influencing many aspiring DJs. He is truly a dancehall legend. Partnering with the iconic Super Cat since the late-1970s, the dynamic duo released a string of local and commercially successful reggae hits. Hit songs that spring to mind are "Cabin Stabbin'" and "My Prerogative." Nicodemus died on August 26, 1996, of complications with diabetes.

Leonard Ford, known professionally as Louie Rankin, was a Jamaican dancehall reggae artist and actor.

Merenhouse, merenrap or electronic merengue,Mambo o Mambo de Calle is a style of Dominican merengue music formed by blending with dancehall reggae and hip hop. The mix of Latin music, house music and dancehall started in NYC in the late 1980s.

"Dolly My Baby" is the title of a reggae/hip-hop song performed by Jamaican reggae/dancehall recording artist Super Cat released as a single in early 1993. The original version of the song is featured on Super Cat's album Don Dada (1992). The song was a major success for Super Cat, reaching number 64 on the R&B singles chart and number 21 on both the rap and dance charts.

<i>Coming Back Hard Again</i> 1988 studio album by The Fat Boys

Coming Back Hard Again is an album by the American hip hop trio the Fat Boys, released in 1988.

<i>The Get-Go</i> 1997 studio album by Paul Cebar

The Get-Go is an album by the American musician Paul Cebar, released in 1997. Although not credited on the album cover, Cebar was backed by his band, the Milwaukeeans.

<i>Spirit of Love</i> (Majek Fashek album) 1991 studio album by Majek Fashek

Spirit of Love is an album by the Nigerian musician Majek Fashek. It was released in 1991. Fashek was credited with the Prisoners of Conscience.

<i>Victims</i> (Lucky Dube album) 1993 studio album by Lucky Dube

Victims is an album by the South African musician Lucky Dube, released in 1993. It has sold more than a million copies. Lucky Dube supported the album with a North American tour.

<i>Barrington</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Barrington Levy

Barrington is an album by the Jamaican musician Barrington Levy, released in 1993. It was regarded as a crossover attempt. The first single was "Murder". Levy supported the album with a North American tour.

<i>Sidewalk University</i> 1992 studio album by Shinehead

Sidewalk University is an album by the musician Shinehead. It was released in 1992 via Elektra Records. Shinehead supported the album with the "Sidewalk University Tour", which included Worl-A-Girl among its supporting acts. He also participated in Reggae Sunsplash 1993, his third time and his first as the headliner.

References

  1. Sullivan, Paul (October 15, 2013). "Remixology: Tracing the Dub Diaspora". Reaktion Books via Google Books.
  2. 1 2 MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 743.
  3. Bennun, David (Sep 12, 1992). "Albums — Don Dada by Super Cat". Melody Maker. 68 (37): 43.
  4. Serwer, Jesse (January 2, 2014). "Dancehall Legend Super Cat Is Quietly Making a Comeback". Rolling Stone.
  5. Monette, Austin (10 July 1992). "REGGAE AT RACEWAY". Splash. Daily Press. Newport News. p. 13.
  6. Moskowitz, David V. (2006). Caribbean Popular Music. Greenwood Press. p. 284.
  7. Catlin, Roger (28 June 1992). "Super Cat delivers, though party dragged". Hartford Courant. p. B5.
  8. "Top R&B Albums". Billboard. 104 (46): 23. Nov 14, 1992.
  9. "MUSIC SPOTLIGHT". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. December 11, 1992. p. 15.
  10. Bellafante, Ginia (October 5, 1992). "SUPER SOUND". Time. 140 (14): 91.
  11. "Super Cat Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  12. Considine, J.D. (16 Aug 1992). "Thanks to rap, reggae artists have hit upon a funky new sound". The Baltimore Sun. p. 1J.
  13. Gettelman, Parry (October 22, 1993). "SUPER CAT ENJOYS REGGAE'S STARRING ROLE IN FILM". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 6.
  14. 1 2 "Super Cat - Don Dada Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic" via www.allmusic.com.
  15. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 7. MUZE. p. 853.
  16. Tanzilo, Robert (10 July 1992). "Super Cat unbeatable". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 22D.
  17. Gehr, Richard (13 Sep 1992). "Dancehall Invasion: Bawdy by Nature". Fanfare. Newsday. p. 15.
  18. Sinclair, David (July 25, 1992). "A quick 'toast' to reggae tradition". Features. The Times.
  19. Gundersen, Edna (15 Oct 1992). "Trio of foreign bands making a noise in U.S.". USA Today. p. 8D.
  20. Jones IV, James T. (30 Dec 1992). "R&B: Smooth Sade; drab Day". USA Today. p. 4D.
  21. Moon, Tom (15 Jan 1993). "FROM JAMAICA . . . WITH DUB". FEATURES WEEKEND. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 16.