NotNice, Red Rat Join Growing Calls For Resurgence Of Dancehall ‘Juggling’ Riddims
The future of Dancehall culture has been a touchy subject of late, and Dancehall’s Kyng Midas NotNice and veteran deejay/producer Red Rat have both recently weighed in one major aspect – juggling riddims.
NotNice gave his two cents on the declining ‘juggling’ style that has slowed as artists place more focus on streaming and their individual influence. “Putting out a juggling right now is a struggling,” he explained during his recent OnStage interview, chiding key players for underestimating the value of the classic style.
Emerging in Jamaican music in the 1980s, juggling refers to a DJ or selector playing different versions of the same song on a riddim continuously. This mixing method meant a riddim could have up to 20 artists, sometimes more, and one ‘juggling’ can benefit the careers of the various talents involved (including producers) for years to come.
NotNice’s juggling successes include 2016’s Ova Dweet Riddim and he had nothing but praises for the dynamic projects.
“History shows seh most ah di songs dat cross over came from jugglings,” he said, listing Mavado’s I’m So Special and Serani’s No Games on TJ Records’ Unfinished Business Riddim as Billboard-charting examples.
The producer also mentioned Mavado’s Weh Dem Ah Do on Delly Ranx and Di Genius’ Red Bull and Guiness Riddim and Everyone Falls In Love Sometimes, the flaming classic by Tanto Metro and Devonte on Donovan Germain’s Up Close and Personal Riddim.
“How much song offa Diwali cross over?” he asked, citing the Steven ‘Lenky’ Marsden project which sent Sean Paul‘s Get Busy and Wayne Wonder‘s No Letting Go to the Billboard Hot 100 and which was later sampled by numerous International artists.
“Kartel go gold wid Fever so there are some exceptions, but it show seh juggling more crossover. Yuh nah see no juggling now.”
It’s an issue that was raised earlier this month by producer Jordan McClure of Chimney Records, the local record label behind the wildly successful After Party Riddim (2015) and Rising Sun Riddim (2013). McClure led the charge with a challenge to over 30 producers including NotNice and DJ Kurt Riley to revamp the dying technique.
“My intention for this challenge is to develop the ‘jugglin’ culture which we in the dancehall/reggae industry have created and nurtured over a number of years,” he told the Observer.”
“I do not in any way think it is a dead culture, however, we have allowed our differences and egos to affect its progress and effectiveness. Jugglin’ is something that allows us as a genre to showcase different talents and styles of music – all on one platform [rhythm].”
NotNice echoed the sentiments, adding the surge in singles in recent times is due to artist’s focus on their solo appeal. “Fi dah year yah we need fi do more jugglings. Nuff man nuh waan go pon nuh juggling either, dem ah seh yow, who deh pon di riddim? If dah man deh deh pon it dem nah sing, so more singles ah put out,” he shared.
Also lending his voice to this growing plea is veteran artist Red Rat. The Shelly Ann and Charlene deejay pointed to the lifespan of juggling riddims and the power of combined promotion.
“I understand why some [recording artistes] are doing it, however, I think that they are not knowledgeable on the industry, the major effect that dancehall juggling has on the world, and don’t know the value of a juggling, that features more than one talent.”
“It can only make the dancehall music industry bigger, as opposed to doing it by yourself (or one person at a time), he told The Star. If we all push the same content, we will have a broader reach. … It is simple mathematics.”
Dancehall’s golden era and the aughts delivered some of the most noted juggling projects in the genre, including the Filthy Riddim sampled on Nicki Minaj’s Megatron, BookShelf Riddim, and Don Corleon’s chartbuster Drop Leaf Riddim.