Toppa Top 10: Pan-Caribbean Anthems of 2010

Words by Eddie STATS Houghton, photos via FADER

This started out as a list of the biggest Caribbean jams of the year–like the top dancehall, soca, merengue, et cetera songs all thrown in a bag together. But as we winnowed out the bullshit it quickly became clear that it had to be a list of Pan-Caribbean anthems, not just the biggest crossover or the champion tune in a given sector but the rhythms and melodies that resonated most within the Caribbean and its diaspora, whether through collaboration innovation or sheer popularity.

Some startling trends emerged: cross-pollination created hardier breeds but Haiti was mostly too busy surviving to sing about it. In Puerto Rico and Colombia the most innovative things happening at both the mainstream and the underground level were based on old ideas borrowed from Africa, with mixed results. Soca arguably replaced reggae as the default sound of the Caribbean, the glue that held things together. But Jamaica and the Dominican Republic came in heavy with hits while PR–which ruled the global airwaves a few years back–was MIA (no diplo).

But bearing in mind that music is a mission, not a competition we present without further ado the official LARGE UP Toppa Top 10 Pan-Caribbean anthems of 2010. Pirates, start your radios:

10. Wyclef, “Election Time” (Haiti/US)

Maybe not so much the song, even, as the actual election-time drama. As mentioned, all the attention on the original ex-colony translated into more tributes (understandably) than actual Haitian music (although there are some notable exceptions–more on that later). If the average Haitian was busy just trying to stay alive, its most famous musical offspring was busy not running for president. For a moment, though, it looked like the world might have to acquaint itself with the phrase rapper-turnt-president. We may or may not be better off that it ultimately produced an EP instead of a government–but the power of that moment should not be overlooked. It’s also a pretty good song.

9. Serani f. Ding Dong, “Skip to Ma Lou” (Jamaica)

Serani again! Though he mostly failed to live up to the astronomical promise of his 2008 mixtape/underground LP The Future, crooner and dancehall multi-instrumentalist Serani still managed to be the other Jamaican artist that non-Jamaicans could fuck with, and this collaboration with footwork specialist Ding Dong showcased positive dancehall vibes as well as any tune this year.

8. Fuego f. Deevani & Serani, “Que Buena Tu Ta” (Puerto Rico/DR/Jamaica/)

A later entry but you can’t really get more Pan-Caribbean than this, Fuego is listed as the artist but Puerto Rican diva Deevani owns the song, getting in touch with both her Dominican roots and Bollywood influence via her Bangladeshi husband. A telling snapshot of the state of reggaeton when its most talented singer stands out with a track that’s closer to chutney merengue (or if you prefer, mambo de la India). We called it here.

7. Omega, “Tu Si Quieres” and “Merengue Electronico/El Rompe Consola” (Dominican Republic)

“Chambonea,” with its dubby bassline might be be more Pan-Caribbean in spirit but these two late ‘o9 gangster mambos from Omega El Fuerte owned Latin radio in 2010. And rightly so, as he continued to reinvent merengue in his own image with electronic riddims and a flow sometimes gravelly, sometimes ghostly–the Tego, the Mavado and the Demarco of the Dominican Republic, all in one. I called it here but properlies go out to DJ Rupture for bussing this artist outside of the DR-Washington Heights corridor.

6. Busy Signal f. Machel Montano, “Wooeeii Gyal, Wooeeii” (Jamaica/Trinidad)

By 2009, Busy Signal had already proved himself to be the most innovative and versatile artist in dancehall–but who knew he was just waiting for an unaugmented Afro-Caribbean drum song to go all Harry Belafonte on us, with multiple melodic flows and a wake-the-town call & response. Machel knew, that’s who; the once and future soca king. We called it here.

5. Los Rakas, “Abrazame” Uproot Andy refix (Panama/SF Bay)

With their unique combination of turf-rap and reggaespanol, versatile Panamaniacs Los Rakas are fast becoming the most exciting thing happening in the Latin market–and the only exciting thing to happen in 2010 that was remotely connected to reggaeton. A good example of the “Hold Yuh” phenomenon, “Abrazame” used the Ricky Blaze beat as a good excuse for a world-class love jam but then Uproot Andy’s version upgraded it to a classic in its own right with hand-drums, dial-up synths and a dembow bassline. We called it here.

4. Skinny Fabulous, “Duracell (Charged Up)” (St. Vincent)

You may have heard us mention this one. Vincy-to-the-world Skinny Fabulous turned the Iberian surf guitar riff from Major Lazer’s “Hold the Line” into a socafied monster with all the energy of Carnival and the edge of “Death in the Arena”–but it was only one arrow in the quiver of this three-peat soca monarch. We called it here, here and here.

3. Rihanna, “Rudeboy” (Barbados/the World)

Say what you like, “Rudeboy” was the moment that Rihanna proved that “Pon De Replay” was no fluke; Caribbean riddim was not just a one-time strategy to break a new artist but an integral part of her global star power and persona. Call it Ouch Girl meets Gossip Girl. The aesthetic might be even better expressed in the Federation refix of “What’s My Name?” f. Vybz Kartel–but it’s not listed here cause we’re pretty confident it’s going to be the anthem of 2011. We called it here.

2. Vybz Kartel, “Clarks” (Jamaica)

The dancehall tune for dancehall purists, as opposed to the dancehall tune for everybody else, this ode to British footwear still managed to go global and became the soundtrack for yardies of all stripes–and anybody with style, really. We called it here.

1. Gyptian, “Hold Yuh” (Jamaica/Brooklyn)

Yes it was the biggest reggae crossover of 2010 but one of the keys to Gyptian’s success was the sheer volume of pop, soca, chutney, house, UK funky and reggaeton remixes, refixes and answer records this shit generated. Even on its own Ricky Blaze’s spare arrangement foregrounded the kind of raw, striking melody that can be all things to all islands; though it is most likely a variation on a North African pop song, I’ve heard the spare, plinky keys on the intro described as Latin jazz piano by a mambo connoisseur and steel pan by a Guyanese hipster.We called it here and here.

Honorebel mentions: Major Lazer, “Pon De Floor” (’09 but still kicking), Beenie Man & Fambo, “I’m OK,” Donaeo “Party Hard,” Pitbull & Machell Montano “Alright,” Sean Kingston f. Nicki Minaj “Dutty Love” (for airplay not airhorns), Drake, “Find Your Love” (for the video), Rita Indiana, “El Juidero” (for the visuals and the vision)