A Full Clip Of Certified Boomshots From The Late Great Dancehall Singer
One of the greatest vocalists of the New York dancehall scene, Sluggy Ranks, died this past weekend at the age of 44 following a car crash in Kingston. Born Andrew Gregory in Jamaica, Sluggy moved to Brooklyn as a youth and soon began recording for local producers, releasing numerous classic tracks on the Jah Life, Witty’s, Park Heights, Shelly’s, Digital English, Tan Yah, and Wild Apache labels throughout the 1980s and ’90s. He eventually became a foundation artist within the NYC reggae community. A mainstay at Don One dub studio, Sluggy was known for hard-edged yet conscious lyrics and his trademark “EEE” ad-lib. Although he could charge top dollar to put his voice on dubplate, Sluggy was always willing to work with a small sound to help another “Ghetto Youth Buss.” Anytime he took up the mic in a live dancehall session, excitement was sure to follow. According to his obituary on Billboard.biz, he adopted the name Sluggy Ranks as a means of “shooting the slugs of destruction, murder and chaos with righteousness, unity and forgiveness.” Let’s take a look back at the man’s musical legacy. Rest In Power Mr. Slug.
10. “Settle Them A Settle”
(Park Heights) “Like a lemon popsicle…”
9. “Rough Wine”
(Witty) “Hold the bwoy and fling him gainst the wall…”
8. “Draw Fi Mi Bible” ft. Junior Cat
(Jah Life) “Mek them know say ah Jah run things…”
7. “Lightning & Thunder”
(Shelly’s) “My brothers are crying, my sisters are crying…”
6. “Surrender Your Heart”
(Tan Yah) “Make sure your heart clean when Mr. Man come…”
5. “One Don Deh Ya”
(Shelly’s) “Sluggy Ranks him ah the ruler…”
4. “Wages Of Sin”
(Witty’s) “But the gift of Jah is eternal life…”
3. “Jah Is Guiding I”
(John John) “Inna my going out & in my coming in…”
2. “95% Black”
(Witty’s) “My brothers are crying, my sisters are crying…”
1. “Sodom & Gomorrah”
(Part II) “Now the youths them acting so strange…”
JUST ONE MORE…
“Tell Me Now”
“When the roll is called up yonder, Sluggy Rankin got to be there.”
