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Riddim Driven is a series of various artists compilation albums released by VP Records. Each volume of the series features tracks from multiple artists recorded over one or two reggae or dancehall riddims produced by various producers. The series began in January 2001 with the release of the Chiney Gal & Blazing riddim album. Greensleeves Records has a similar series of compilation albums, known as Greensleeves Rhythm Album .
Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word "rhythm". In reggae, dancehall, calypso, soca, grime, and reggaeton parlance it refers to the instrumental accompaniment to a song. These genres consist of the riddim plus the "voicing" sung by the deejay. The resulting song structure is distinctive in many ways. A given riddim, if popular, may be used in dozens—or even hundreds—of songs, not only in recordings but also in live performances.
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.
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably, with digital dancehall becoming increasingly characterized by faster rhythms. Key elements of dancehall music include its extensive use of Jamaican Patois rather than Jamaican standard English and a focus on the track instrumentals.
Lloyd James, who is better known as Prince Jammy or King Jammy, is a dub mixer and record producer. He began his musical career as a dub master at King Tubby's recording studio. His dubs were known for their clear sound and use of effects.
Sleng Teng is the name given to one of the first fully computerized riddims, influential in Jamaican music. The riddim, which was created by the collaboration between King Jammy and Wayne Smith, was titled "Under Mi Sleng Teng" in 1984.
Wayne Smith was a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician best known for his 1985 hit "Under Mi Sleng Teng", which is regarded as the track which initiated the digital era of reggae.
VP Records is an independent Caribbean-owned record label in Queens, New York. The label is known for releasing music by notable artists in reggae, dancehall and soca. VP Records has offices in New York City, Miami, London, Kingston, Tokyo, Johannesburg and Rio de Janeiro. Additionally, the label has established a presence in Toronto, Australia and New Zealand.
Michigan and Smiley are a Jamaican reggae/dancehall duo consisting of Papa Michigan and General Smiley. They rose to popularity during the first wave of dancehall music in the late 1970s.
Christine Chin, better known by her stage name Sasha, is a Jamaican musician, deejay and dancehall recording artist, presently recording gospel music under the name Sista Sasha.
Clive Bright, better known as Tenor Saw, was a Jamaican dancehall singjay in the 1980s, considered one of the most influential singers of the early digital reggae era. His best-known song was the 1985 hit "Ring the Alarm" on the "Stalag" riddim.
Johnny Osbourne is one of the most popular Jamaican reggae and dancehall singers of all time, who rose to success in the late 1970s and mid-1980s. His album Truths and Rights was a roots reggae success, and featured "Jah Promise" and the album's title track, "Truths and Rights".
Clifford Smith, better known as Mr. Vegas, is a Jamaican dancehall musician.
"Turnin' Me On" is the second single from duo Nina Sky's debut album. It was written by Nicole Albino, Natalie Albino, David Shayman, Cipha Sounds and Dwayne Chin-Quee. The song uses Black Chiney's Kopa riddim. The single was released on 30 November 2004 for digital download and CD. It was released as the second and final single from their self-titled debut album. It was a minor hit in France and the United States, failing to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100. "Turnin' Me On" served as the final release by Nina Sky through Universal Records, before the label got defunct in 2005 and the duo moved to Polo Grounds Music.
The Casio Casiotone MT-40 is an electronic keyboard, formerly produced by Casio and originally developed for the consumer market. It has 37 main keys and 15 smaller bass keys, with 9-voice polyphony: eight notes may be played on the main keys, and one note on the bass. The bass section has one timbre, and the main section has 22, assignable to one of four presets. Like most small Casio keyboards, it also has a drum section with 6 different beats, a tempo knob, and a "fill" button. The fill button plays sixteenth note pulses of either the "snare" or "kick" as long as it is held down. Production started in the early 1980s and ceased shortly thereafter. The successor of the MT-40 came with a gray case, and was sold as the MT-41.
Greensleeves Rhythm Album is a series of various artists compilation albums released by Greensleeves Records. Each volume of the series features tracks from multiple artists recorded over one or two reggae or dancehall riddims produced by various producers. The series began in February 2000 with the release of the Bellyas riddim album as a way of collecting various artists' 7 inch recordings on a single CD or vinyl record. Greensleeves has since released 90 installments in the series, making it one of the longest running reggae record compilation series. VP Records has a similar series of compilation albums, known as Riddim Driven.
Greensleeves Rhythm Album #2: Virus is an album in Greensleeves Records' rhythm album series. It was released in March 2000 on CD and LP. The album features various artists recorded over the "Virus" riddim, produced by the Madd Dawgz production team of Mikey Williams, Tony Thomas, and Delon Reid. The riddim contains elements of the international hit Baby One More Time by Britney Spears. Virus riddim is a riddim.
Dwayne Chin-Quee, better known as Supa Dups, is a Jamaican record producer, a drummer, and selector based in Miami, Florida. He is a member of the Black Chiney sound system. His father is a second generation Chinese Jamaican, and his mother is of Hakka Chinese, German, and African descent.
Greensleeves Rhythm Album #35: Clappas is an album in Greensleeves Records' rhythm album series. It was released in February 2003 on CD and LP. The album features various artists recorded over the "Clappas" riddim. The riddim was produced by the South Rakkas Crew production team. The rhythm is inspired by Norman Greenbaum's hit pop song "Spirit in the Sky" and contains elements of Wayne Smith's hit Under Me Sleng Teng. The album includes the hit song "Under Mi Sensi" by Mr. Vegas, Alozade & Hollow Point, which is a take on the Barrington Levy classic by the same name.
Kemar McGregor, also known by his nicknames, DJ Flava and Flava McGregor, is a Jamaican-American pop reggae producer. He has recorded and produced music for the most renowned artists in the music industry, including Sinead O'Connor, Musiq Soulchild, Syleena Johnson, Jon Secada, Maxi Priest, Sizzla, Marcia Griffiths, Beenie Man, Wayne Wonder, Buju Banton, Capleton, Sanchez, Freddie McGregor, Luciano, Sugar Minott, Barrington Levy, Gregory Isaacs, Morgan Heritage, Half Pint, Tanya Stephens, Gyptian, Cas Haley, Beres Hammond, Glen Washington, Etana and Cocoa Tea, among many others. McGregor is the owner and chief executive officer of FM Records.
Leighton Paul Walsh, better known by his stage name Walshy Fire, is a Jamaican American DJ, MC and record producer who is better known as part of the dancehall reggae-influenced group Major Lazer alongside fellow DJs Diplo and Ape Drums. Walshy Fire toured with the Black Chiney sound system beginning in 2004. Black Chiney is cited as a significant influence on the evolution of Major Lazer with its mash ups that blend hip hop or R&B rhythms with reggae & R&B artist vocal tracks and its representation of the Jamaican sound system. The subsequent mix tapes that the Black Chiney collective of DJs, engineers and MCs would develop were the training ground for Walshy to become a remix producer.
