Shabba Ranks: Rappin' With The Ladies - 1988


More to my taste, slightly, than many from the same sub-genre as several others is this one, which, for his debut album, saw the dancehall/ragga loverman Shabba rapping out his lyrics over some solid backing, nice and bassy and. although programmed, containing a bit of melody about it.

 Contributions from lovers rock vocalist JC Lodge impressively augment tracks like the sexy Telephone Love (De Pon Mi Mind) and Shabba knows his dub too as several excellent bassy dubby bits occur throughout the album, something that I appreciate a lot, making me think that it actually still is reggae. 

Just Be Good To Me (later covered as Dub Be Good To Me by Beats International) is deliciously catchy and rhythmic and very redolent of its era. Rebel Princess and Cocoa Tea guest on this one. Ranks' use of guest artists is an inspired one, lending a variety to the album that the previous Shaggy one doesn't have. Lovers rockette Deborahe Glasgow guests on Ranks' glorious signature tune Mr. Loverman. JC Lodge is back on the superb Twice My Age as well. 

As ragga/dancehall albums go, this is definitely one of my favourites.


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