1. Kabaka Pyramid- Well Done
The lyrically-gifted Kingstonian Kabaka Pyramid channeled his inner Peter Tosh and unleashed politically-charged fyah on our No. 1 reggae single of 2015. Backed by the flawless production touch of Jr. Gong Damian Marley, “Well Done” details 50-plus years of dubious decisions by Jamaican politicians, from bad IMF deals to rising unemployment. It’s the type of lyrical content that was the standard in the late ‘70s, from greats like Max Romeo and Neville Martin. And much like them, what makes the this track so impressive is Kabaka’s ability to make his history lesson both catchy and captivating. Chalk it up to the smart, poetic wit we’ve come to love from Pyramid. It’s all the more proof that when Kabaka grab the mic, it’s always worth a listening… even if you’re a Jamaican politician. —Saxon Baird