2. “Border Clash”
Carolyn Cooper actually devoted an entire chapter of her book Sound Clash: Jamaican Dancehall Culture At Large to this tune, which showcases Ninja’s stream-of-consciousness spontaneous storytelling style at it’s most virtuosic. He deejays in and out of the riddim like a free jazz saxophonist. This particular story is about a stageshow called Border Clash, where some opening performers got bottled by a particularly ruthless crowd eager for the main acts. As shandy bottles rained down, Ninja stepped out, raised his left hand and yelled ‘Hoooooooold on!’ and performed with his fellow deejays in unity until the crowd calmed down. The song notably highlights the difference between lyrical violence and actual violence, something many music critics stilldon’t get about dancehall.