Words and Artwork by Herbert Spliffington—
In a move that initially inspired disbelief, late last month Ninjaman was granted bail from the Horizon Remand Centre after spending three years in jail since turning himself in to police as a ‘person of interest’ in a murder case on Mall Road in Kingston. Ninja really is out pon bail, having already cut numerous dubplates and linked with Kiprich at Big Yard studios for his first official single since being released. Cut on the Gun Inna Baggy riddim for Kiprich’s Nuh Behavior label, “Don Gorgon Is Back” sees Ninjaman give Kiprich the blessing as his musical son before lyrically explaining how to survive in a Jamaican jail. Kippy meanwhile welcomes him back in fine style, trading verses with Ninja and handling the hook.”DON DEH A ROAD NOW!”
The collaboration is a significant one, in light of Kiprich’s comparison of himself to the Original Front Teeth Gold Teeth Gun Pon Teeth Don Gorgon a few years back. Ninjaman wasn’t called the “War God” for no reason, leaving many critics skeptical. But after annihilating Monster Shack at Jamaica’s Follow di Arrow stage show, and defeating Merciless at Sting 2011, it was clear that, out of the new crop of deejays, Kippo really might be, as he said, “the young Ninja in a new jacket.” Isiah Laing, the promoter of the stageshow Sting—and who crowned Ninja ‘King of Sting’ in the ’90s—has called Kippo, who even built new war lyrics using old Ninja patterns to dismantle Merciless, the ‘new Ninjaman,’ too.
NOW HEAR THIS!
[audio:http://largeup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/01-DONGORGON.mp3|titles=Ninja Man feat. Kiprich—DONGORGON]