5. “Go Go Club“/“Freaky Gal”
Vybz Kartel’s work relationships come and go like the wind. Over the years the Worl’ Boss has famously fallen out with mentors, managers, proteges and producers, typically in dramatic fashion. But his relationship with producer Rvssian has been an enduring one. For his breakthrough riddim, Go Go Club, Rvssian assembled an all-star cast including Tarrus Riley and Elephant Man but it was Kartel’s turn on the title track, and also “My Money” by Gaza underlings Merital, (featuring Kartel’s memorable “ha ha” adlib) that stood out. “Go Go Club” is also notable as one of Kartel’s “freaky gyal” anthems; more than just sex tunes, Kartel has always painted these tracks as empowerment anthems for women looked down upon in society (and often dancehall lyrics), a theme he expounds upon in his manifesto, The Voice of the Jamaican Ghetto. See also the equally classic “Freaky Gyal.” —Jesse Serwer