CHUNE

Riddim: Ganja Smuggling

Producer: Junjo Lawes

I’m not sure there’s a more distinctive vocal affect in dancehall than the man born Ripton Hylton. Not only did he cut an imposing figure at 6’6, but he boasted a self-interrupting scat style that was unlike anyone before or since. He also sang about topics not a lot of singjays touched—I mean, the man made a song called “Hitler” on top of everything else. While he’s probably best known for “Wa Do Dem,” “Ganja Smuggling” remains one his most enduring hits, an unsentimental look at climbing up from nothing that perfectly suits the melancholy of his minor-key intervals.

Additional Listening:

• Eek-a-Mouse explains his style using “Ganja Smuggler” in a an 1982 interview: How when a man sing an starts his lyrics, him seh “la la” and “whoa whoa”—well, Eek-a-Mouse don’t seh dat… Bonus points for the soccer-ball hat.

• “Ganja Smuggling” live at Sunsplash (1983): This includes the same bit of patter as the above clip—but more importantly, it gives you a sense of the confidence he performed with and the effect it had on crowds.