🔊 Michigan & Smiley have been nicing up the Dancehall since the early 70’s and after riding high with island-wide hits on classic Studio One riddims they were snapped up by one of the most prolific and highly regarded producers of the era, Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes, in 1982.
The Channel One studio dream team was assembled by Junjo, consisting of the Roots Radics band with Soldgie & Scientist at the controls, the ideal backing for the perfect synchronisation of Michigan & Smiley’s call & response lyrical prowess.
The skeletal-sounding riddims provided by the Roots Radics were given a real lean & mean treatment by the ace engineers of the time, Soldgie & Scientist, which allows M & S to really enunciate their lyrics and showcase their dexterity.
A lot of parallels can be drawn with ‘Downpression’ in terms of musical style and aesthetic with the early days of Hip-Hop, the standout track ‘Diseases’ is still, to this day, a guaranteed party starter and has even been sampled by Hip-Hop pioneers JVC Force & BDP (Boogie Down Productions).
Simply put ‘Downpression’ is a vital piece of Jamaican musical history.
Well Crucial!
Downpression
Natty Heng On In Deh
Come When Jah Call You
The Ghetto Man
Jah Army
Diseases
Living In A Babylon
Jah Know
Arise
Come On Black People
