Tapper Zukie - Man Ah Warrior FLAC

Generally it's nice to have some bonus tracks but in this case they diminish the overall impression compared to the original release. They don't fit this raw material.

'Liberation Struggle' / 'Double Struggle' uses Gregory Issac's 'Love Light', one of my faves from Tappa Zukie

This album is plainly insane. Legend says that Zukie himself wasn't aware of the fact that he's recording material that will actually be released, and was surprised coming back to England a few years later and seeing this LP in stores. Young Zukie was sent off to UK by his relatives because he got involved in some trouble in Jamaica. In England he started to deejay for some soundsystems and at some point stumbled upon Patti Smith, who took him into a studio. This is the result.

The tracks are as rough as Perry's most insane material, only even a bit more rugged. There is tape-wheeling and all kind of noise in the background, the drums sound at times as they were cardboard boxes and bricks of wood. The lyrics are rather bizarre, even for Jamaican deejay standarts (check out "Archie The Red Nose Reindeer" and you'll keep wondering what is going on), but burst of powerful self-esteem, in intonation as in content ("I King Zukie", "When Zukie Deh Ya"). Listening through the whole album makes you question your sanity, but also gives you the vague yet certain feeling of witnessing something great. An insane studio session as well as the triggering point of Tappa Zukie's carreer as one of the most idiosyncratic and witty Jamaican toasters.