Toppa Top 10: Top 10 UK Dub & Reggae Anthems

Words by Eddie STATS Houghton, Jason “J-Rockaz” Orford, Gabriel Heatwave and DJ Gravy.

All this talk about Gappy Ranks, Reggae Britannia and Rastamouse has got us thinking about how much sterling-quality reggae has come out of the island over the years. The big island. No, the other big island. The United Kingdom. Here are some of our personal favorites. Dennis! Come back wit’ me apple pie…

10. Musical Youth, “Pass The Dutchie.”

Fuck, what were we thinking, this should have been number one. See also; “Youth of Today,” this entire album.

9. Maxi Priest f. Shabba Ranks, “Housecall.”

Or Shabba featuring Maxi Priest, depending who you believe. Either way when the dancehall icon needed to get a worldwide buss, it was UK lovers rock prodigy Maxi Priest that he checked for, resulting in one of the biggest reggae tunes of all time.

8. Papa Levi, “Mi God Mi King.”

As Gabe points out, the first UK record to go #1 in Jamaica. Awo. Yuh Learn.

7. Smiley Culture “Cockney Translation.”

Watch and absorb this one before you branch out from reggae into other UK sounds.

6. Steel Pulse, “Blues Dance Raid.”

DJ Gravy: “You gotta put the live version, where they do the whole slow-down thing.” Indeed.

5. Massive Attack vs. Mad Professor, “Karmacoma” (Bumper Ball Dub).

One of the best things about the UK is that even mainstream rockstar motherfuckers like Massive Attack put out a dub version of their hit albums. Yes, this Mad Professor rework is less straight up reggae and more whatever-you-want to call it but the combination of the mountainous echochamber and the ahead-of-it’s-time Bollywood sample will make your eyes bleed. Which is what dub is supposed to do.

4. Matumbi, “Empire Road.”

A classic you might have missed if you never saw Reggae Britannia or check Dennis Bovell’s pivotal role in the evolution of dub and reggae generally. Plus they put the Union Jack in the video so how were we not going to include it?

3. Deborahe Glasgow, “Champion Lover.”

Yes before anybody outside Jamaica really knew who the hell Shabba Ranks was, Deborahe Glasgowe–British-born of Guyanese parentage–was killing tunes like this outta road first for Mad Professor’s Ariwa label and then for legendary producer Gussie Clark. This one, of course was touched by Shabba and then remade into the hit “Mr. Lover Man” with Chevelle Franklin on the hook but see also “Don’t Test Me.” And don’t. Test her.

2. UB40, “Red, Red Wine.”

I know. But let’s be honest, it’s one of the biggest reggae tunes of all time, worldwide. And uB40 are vastly underrated as a street-credible reggae band–the entire first album is dark, minor-keyed and brilliant but they have put out undeniable and original riddims–“Don’t Break My Heart” is a personal fav–throughout their entire career.

1. Aswad, “Dub Fire.”

The foundation of the Dennis Brown classic “Promised Land,” recently re-licked for Nas & Damian’s version and even sampled by hard-as-nails Detroit rapper Boss on “Deeper” (check the breakdown at about two minutes and some seconds–lawd she too hotta!). This is an absolutely immortal riddim and only the most famous of many tough Aswad tunes from the golden age of British reggae–“Warrior Charge” as also nominated and as with every Aswad tune you haffi check the b-sde for “Dub Charge.”

Honorebel mentions: Anything by Linton Kwesi Johnson; Gappy Ranks, “Heaven In Your Eyes”; Maxi Priest, “Close To You”; anything by Pato Banton; Kyla, “Do You Mind” (Mad Professor Dub); Louisa Mark, “Sixth Street”; Bitty McLean, “Walk Away From Love”; 15 16 17, “Emotion“; anything by Eddy Grant (does he count as British?); Janet Kay, “Silly Games; Top Cat, “Love Me Sess”; all British pop music from the 1980s.