Ranking Joe & Sly & Robbie – Top Ranking (2024) Album

Label: Tabou 1
Produced by: Guillaume Bougard with Sly & Robbie for TABOU1
Mixed by: Collin “Bulby” York except 11 by Steven Stanley
Drums by: Sly Dunbar
Bass by: Robbie Shakespeare
Guitars by: Mikey Chung, Dougie Bryan
Keyboards by: Robbie Lyn, Ansel Collins
Percussion by: Sticky Thompson, Skully Simms
All songs by: Joseph Jackson, Sly Dunbar, Robert Shakespeare
except 3 (Carlton Livingston, Joseph Jackson, Sly Dunbar, Robert Shakespeare), 5 (Albert Griffiths, Joseph Jackson, Sly Dunbar, Robert Shakespeare), 10 (Carlton Hines, Joseph Jackson, Sly Dunbar, Robert Shakespeare)
Published by: Funky Gemini Inc.
except 5 (EMI Music), 10 (Dubplate Music)
Release date: 08/21/2024

TABOU1 has always enjoyed working with legendary DJ’s, including the godfather U Roy, U Brown, or Big Youth. These artists revolutionized Jamaican music, creating an art form that became Rap and Hip Hop in the US, Dancehall in Jamaica, or Afrobeats in Africa, etc… It is thanks to these pioneers that Deejaying in its various forms has conquered the entire world, and we at TABOU1 insist on paying tribute to them.

Ranking Joe, born Joseph Jackson, ranks (no pun intended) super highly among those groundbreaking artists who chose to “chat” rhymes over instrumentals (known as “riddims” in Jamaica) rather than sing.

Born in 1959, he started his career in the 70s at the tender age of 15, taking over the role of resident DJ for the then dominant El Paso Hi Fi Sound system, founded by the great Dennis Alcapone. Back then, he was known as Little Joe. Producer Prince Tony (Gladiators, U Roy, Owen Gray and many others) suggested he change his name to Ranking Joe. Continuing his ascent, in the midst of ferocious (and friendly) competition from the likes of Dillinger, he established himself as the leading DJ in the late 70s, on the footsteps of founding fathers U Roy or Big Youth.

In addition to recording singles for Studio One, Joe Gibbs, Prince Tony (for whom he recorded the hit “Mr. Finnegan” and the album “The Best of Ranking Joe”), Ranking Joe was far-sighted enough to start his own “Ranking Joe Universal” production label, with such hits as “Rent Man” by Black Uhuru. As he said to Angus Taylor:

“I got into the business and starting producing artists like myself, Barry Brown, Tristan Palma, Sugar Minott to name a few.”

His unique fast-talking style and great lyrics earned him international recognition and he started touring worldwide, single handedly igniting the fast-talking craze in the UK. After relocating to the United States in the 80s, Ranking Joe continued to record and produce material with the same verve and youthful enthusiasm

Fast forward to 2023, we at TABOU1 were elated and honored when Ranking Joe agreed to work his magic and record new tracks over riddims recorded with Sly & Robbie. The result of this collaboration is a stellar collection of 10 tracks mixed by Collin “Bulby” York.

“AI” is a stern warning against the dangers of Artificial Intelligence’s dystopian ubiquitousness with the defiant: “ChatGPT can’t control we; AI, AI can’t control I & I”.

We liked “AI” so much that we asked Steven Stanley to produce his own mix of that song, which is added as a bonus track to the album.

Other tracks such as “Babylon Destroy Creation” or “Too Much Bloodstain” are very much to-the-point social commentaries, while “Mama Africa” is an ode to the motherland over a beat reminiscent of Fela Kuti’s sound and guesting guitarist SupaJo

Of note is also the cover of the Gladiators‘ super hit “Stick a Bush” in combination with Albert Griffiths Jr. from the Gladiators.

A limited edition 7″ vinyl of the “AI” single as well as a special edition containing dub and alternate mixes will be released exclusively on the www.tabou1.com store in October 2024 while the album will soon be available on all digital platforms.