Search - Ninjaman :: Monsters of Dancehall (Don of All Dons)

For Your EYES Only. . .

Achis | Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM | 09/05/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"There are literally dozens upon dozens of Jamaican and Caribbean talents who seemingly will never be able to appreciated away from home as much as they are at home. For whatever reason, these artists have managed to delight millions and millions of their compatriots and fellow islanders, but on the international scale, while certainly attracting a modicum of attention, their popularity exists mainly in the pockets of West Indians scattered all over the world. Many of these talents, on the international scale, take a very unusual role in becoming FAR less popular than some of their peers whom, here in the Caribbean, do not reach half of their level of popularity and respect. This can actually happen through several ways, with the most common being that an artist has failed to register a significant hit which ultimately propels them forward to international hype. Local audiences are very hungry for hits as well, but don't exactly require them of some of their harder working and longer serving and active artists (think of names like Delly Ranks, the wicked General Degree, Red Rat Roundhead and Ghost, all of whom could pull quite a crowd virtually anywhere in the Caribbean but would have to serve as an opening act most places throughout the world to more popular artists) . Another group of artists like this consists of those who have actually scored that big hit but for some reason, generally through extended time away from the game, have seen a shift in their international popularity, but their mainstays of fans at home, have remained as loyal to them as can be expected. Artists like Mad Cobra, Supercat, the all but vanished Terror Fabulous and Cutty Ranks (although you couldn't tell that to him) all fall into this category. The last (common) types of artist who will NEVER be anywhere near as popular internationally as they are at home is definitely the group which is by far the most unusual. Some of reggae's elite fall into this category, particularly on the rootical side. These are the artists who styles are purely Caribbean and in some cases, purely Jamaican and just downright too difficult to crossover to international audiences. This category is reserved for flat out superstars like Vybz Kartel, whose tongue twisting intergalactic space flows will continue to alienate him from international superstardom as those who cannot overstand patois, need not even apply in his case; even though one could make a very easy argument that there is no more popular living human being in Jamaica than Kartel. Artists like Sizzla Kalonji and the great majority of our roots talents also fall into the category, expectedly, as most of the world is seemingly not ready to learn of Black Redemption at this point. The most famous case, however, is definitely Bounty Killer whose popularity here has rivaled (and at times exceeded) that of the far more well known Beenie Man, but remains somewhat of an underground sensation to international fans.



And then there's Ninjaman. In Jamaica, the story of Ninjaman is that of what legends are made. Seemingly through fantastic tales of exaggeration (some even by Ninja himself) the image of the legendary big bad Ninjaman has helped make him one of the few certified dancehall superstars in the music's brief history. However, virtually all of Ninjaman's successes (and failures for that matter) have occurred at home, he has never had a significant outside of Jamaica and hasn't really had a hit in Jamaica in more than a decade. What keeps Ninjaman alive and kicking and his legend well intact however, is that undeniable truth that should you pull him from the studio and throw him on a stage for the masses, suddenly Ninjaman becomes the greatest thing and the smartest thing. Having made a career virtually out of outsmarting his more well known peers in the music and doing so in a live manner, the original `front teeth, gold teeth, gun pon teeth Don Gorgon' has delighted fans at stage shows all over the Caribbean for nearly two decades having been involved in some of the most legendary battles the war torn dancehall has ever seen. Ninjaman has been involved in lyrical wars (and sometimes physical as well) with a great deal of the dancehall hierarchy over the same time as well; really and truly, an artist should take it as a compliment should the Ninja try to war with you, it means you have truly arrived. Generally `winning' more than he has `lost' (although I don't think there has EVER been a unanimous winner in a dancehall clash), the roster of DJ's with whom Ninjaman has engaged in war includes but is not limited to, Mad Cobra, Merciless, Supercat, Shabba Ranking and Vybz Kartel. He has also had rather public feuds with the likes of Bounty Killer, Beenie Man and others still. Ninjaman can be described as a one trick pony of sorts, taking his war lyrics and pushing them to such an unbelievable height and he is one of the very few artists from a generation ago who has remained viable. Who knew the Ninja would have a longer shelf life than Shabba Ranks even. His style of combat is one which has helped him as well, particularly against the younger artists. While he RARELY actually records materials, his foes in war usually attack with far more well known hits which certainly the audiences appreciate and love. Ninja strikes back with tunes from yesteryear when he was one of the most sought after DJ's in the game and with tune never heard before an seemingly from the top of his head. His battleground has been all over Jamaica but usually preferring the Sting stage. Sting is probably the largest SINGLE DAY festival in Jamaica and every year on Boxing Day, dancehall fans from all over the world come together at Jamworld in Portmore to hear a lineup of artists which leaves absolutely nothing to be desired. Historically the event has also been the stage for legendary Jamaican clashes, and no one lives for the clash like Ninjaman.



Ninjaman has also been active on the album circuit as well, quietly releasing nearly ten albums to date and several more greatest hits compilations. It is terribly difficult to appreciate the Ninja on a disc form, I almost think it would be necessary to release only live albums from the artist, in order for his true skills to be really appreciated, on albums, at times he can come off rather awkward. The lion's share of his albums over the years has gone to UK label Greensleeves which has unexpectedly made the St. Mary's native the third choice in their 30th Anniversary celebrating series, Monsters of Dancehall, following Beenie Man in May and Elephant Man in February. Unlike those two, Ninjaman's disc can actually be of some usage, particularly because of his rather inactive nature in the studio, some, especially younger fans may not know many of these songs (unlike the sing-a-longs which were the previous two MoD albums). This album is also particularly nice because it doesn't share much with Ninja's previously released greatest hits anthology piece, Antything Test Dead from VP. MoD also does a fine job in compiling some the Ninja's lesser known hits while sprinkling in some of his bigger ones as well some high profile combinations which is pretty much all you need to make a good compilation these days. MoD opens rather poignantly with Border Clash which is, per my memory, the only track which it shares with VP's compilation and one of Ninjaman's biggest hits of all time. Greensleeves uses the slightly amped up Ward 21 produced version which appeared on their very own Punanny Riddim album back in 2000. This version is actually the better piece than the original King Jammy's produced piece . Musically, it is also one of the very few tracks he has recorded to date which shows off his ultra-clever and off the headtop kind of style as it has always come off as basically a freestyle. Done over the equally clever Punanny riddim, the song is just working on all levels. It is the second tune here, however, which is the album's finest over yet another classic Jammy's piece. Write Your Will is the Ninja at the hight of his powers, strong, confident like no other and well under the belief that nothing badder or tougher has ever held the mic anywhere. It is, in form, basically a sound bwoy shot, showing that not only are his points limited to fellow DJ's but soundmen as well, definitely one of the maddest sound tracks you'll ever hear and definitely the Ninja's biggest and best.



Of the combinations on MoD, by far the most interesting is John Law. The Gussie Clarke produced gem features three certified reggae legends. The Ninja is joined by classic singers Freddie McGregor and Gregory Isaacs. The tune isn't really what I'd call a truly top notch record, but certainly you cannot complain with a tune so full of rich talent, and its certainly overlooked over the time and many have probably not even heard the tune. Clean Hands (Pure in Heart) is another quite unlikely combination for the Ninja as he teams up with former sparring partner Capleton to drop the very bouncy, almost ska-like tune which flowed over Gussie Clarke's Carry Go Bring Come riddim. It actually kind of makes a sense that the two team up on the song, from Ninjaman's time when `clashing' was far less personal than today's bloody war style which permeates the music. In the exact opposite case, a former close friend who is now not on such good terms with Ninjaman: Bounty Killer steps in on the well spinned Jammy's produced Badman Nuh Cub Scout (aka Boy Nah Run). The tune pairs two eras of Jammy's top DJ's together and two DJ's who have been amongst the most influential in the history of dancehall and this one definitely lives up to expectations. It was also present on Bounty's wicked compilation from 2006 The Warlord Scrolls, but it's presence here is definitely not a bad thing at all. The other combination here is by far the least celebrated of them all but is definitely my favorite of them all. While Bounty Killer has always been acknowledged as Ninja man's `Son', mostly because of their very similar place in the game, with both celebrating the `kill anything that moves' style of making tunes; the artist who fits the bill most has been Ninja Ford. The two paired up on the fittingly titled Father & Son for Junjo and the tune is wicked! Ninjaman's influence on the younger Ninja is evident from the first few bars. Initially, Ford's style was much more similar to the elder Ninja's and over the years he has added different variations on it, to the point where you hear him now and he comes off a bellowing voiced version of a slightly more laid back (and more rootical) Ninjaman. Father & Son is an excellent tune to put here, definitely glad to see the criminally underrated Ford getting put on the album (still waiting on his official debut however).



Other tunes definitely worth checking out are headed by the very wicked Two White Rat. The tune is actually Ninjaman's pure social commentary. The actual subjects of the song were the Jamaican Prime Minister and the opposition leader at the time, kind of perfect considering we just had an election, definitely would like to see the Ninja's take on upgrading the Junjo produced track over his Three Blind Mice riddim. Check Hollow Point Bad Boy of course. The Jammy's produced crazy track was the title track for one of Ninja's earlier Greensleeves albums, it kind of goes to show just how deep their vaults go with tunes like such, and its big bad Ninjaman in his typical gun boasting stylee. Check his Ting a Ling a School Pickney Sing Ting (the title track of another Greensleeves album). The Junior Reid produced track was strictly aimed at Ninja's main rival at the time, the very popular Shabba Ranking. It plunders not only Shabba's tune Ting a Ling but some of Ninja's vault as well as he accuses Shabba to being illiterate and favoring a monkey, truly nothing was off-limits for the Ninja. Definitely check Disarm Dem which shows Ninjaman going after his rivals at the time (Mad Cobra and Capleton) by name and leaving absolutely nothing to be desired. And lastly, the harsh, yet playful Bad Publicity over Jammy's ultra-familiar Darker Shade of Black riddim.



What don't I like? Under no circumstances should you listen to track 18 on this album, for all you should care, Ninjaman's Monsters of Dancehall has only 17 tracks! Where is Motorcade? And again, listening to the Ninja over a full album is quite taxing for even the most hardened Ninjaman fan.



Overall, as I mentioned, you can't really get the true and full appreciation of Ninjaman listening to him on album. I imagine if music was strictly a live thing and the only opportunity one had to listen was to be present at a performance, Ninjaman would definitely be one of the most popular artists in all of the world. This album is strictly for the hardcore fans, and probably even only the collectors amongst them. Newer fans (and EVERYONE for that matter) pick up a DVD containing a performance, or ever better: Catch the next flight to Jamaica to see for yourself, one of the most peculiar and beloved of all Jamaican talents."