CD Review

"Essential Booty Shakerz Vol. 1"

Special Forcez

[Special Forcez/Xplode]

Review by Marlon Regis

Made for DJs by DJs, the opening of this LP, available on CD or Vinyl, shoots a barrage of automatic weapon-fire blasting in the hip-hop beat to Akon’s “Locked Up”, and with the anticipation for Special Forcez (made up of DJ Trasha & Dom P Da Chemist) laying Spragga Benz’ “Glisten & Glow” vocals over it just feels ideal for increasing the energy on the dance floor.

In fact, you’ll want to stand in front of more artillery which aims close-to-perfect hip hop tracks under the sweeping hardcore dancehall lyrics from your favorite deejays from Jamaica and beyond. On their next Uzi spray - Beenie Man’s “Dude” over Jadakiss’ “Why” – the perfect blend doesn’t even feel like a remix, since the matched-up on-target timing seems to sync 2004’s most famous dancehall hook sung by Ms. Thing over one of hip-hop’s breakthrough grooves of the same year.

While Ce’Cile’s “Hot Like We” finds herself under the weight of 2004’s even more powerful hip-hop anthem, “Lean Back” by Terror Squad, it’s when the Southern crunk-funk expands the wire-netting of your speakers, that other deejays such as Elephant Man, Mr. Vegas and even Ward 21 find themselves riding shotgun while beats from producers and artists such as Young Buck, Dem Franchize Boyz, Master P and Lil Jon steer your pimped-out whip bumping and disturbing the peace. With other highlights including Foxy Brown & Baby Cham’s “Tables will Turn” over the beat to “Scandalous” by British ensemble Mis-Teeq, Vybz Kartel ends the session with his signature gun-talk, shuts down all the competition with his “Real Bad Man” over the beat to Ashanti’s “Only U” closed-casket style!

Marlon "Mr. Marlon" Regis, "Musical Murder" columnist, is the dancehall reviews selector, as well as the annual guest editor for The Beat's dancehall issue each year.