In Search of...Shabba Ranks


Back when I would at least listen to a reggae song, Shabba Ranks was the king of the dancehall. I really couldn’t understand a word he was saying until he got to the chorus, but it didn’t matter. It also didn’t matter that he was among the most unattractive brothers you would ever see, because it seemed like every station you tuned you radio to or every time you turned to BET in ’91, ’92, there was Shabba! Yeah, back during my middle school years, when you would Bogle to damn near every song, because damn near every song seemingly had Shabba!
Just as hot as he was, he disappeared just as fast. It seemed like record companies and artists alike decided it was time to capitalize, because Mad Cobra, Mad Lion, Supercat and a slew of others soon replaced Shabba! They came and went, and then Elephant Man, Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Bounty Killer and others had their run before Sean Paul got hot. I never really understood the fascination with Sean Paul, by then the music was commercialized and he seemed to fit the bill. That’s another story for another time, this is about Shabba! I know someone has seen him recently, somebody get him the word that I got one last Butterfly in me…


1 comment

Drew-Shane 11:43 AM

I was never a fan on reggae music. Could be a regional thing or ting' mon