King Fire (ft. Steady Ranks) – Herb For Real - NiceUp

Over a banger of a beat, King Fire and Steady Ranks arguably outshine Capleton, Determine, Tony Rebel, and even Sizzla on an obscure riddim from an equally unknown label, Stargate Records. A captivating slab of 2000s dancehall, found via a deep Discogs dive, it should be evident from the intro and nearly-too-catchy chorus that this is a standout.

Singing praises to natural juice and the ladies who love the vibes – as well as the herb, for real – the aforementioned effort by King Fire sets the mood before a tough opening verse from Steady Ranks. Bars are traded, digital horns blare, and the groove hypnotizes. Bert from Australia (?) gets a shout-out, as do perspiring smokers, and the video ends with the sound of the surf – OK, I’ll rewind it again.

Is this just a party slayer though? It certainly isn’t not one… though the lack of slackness and killer production, combined with the vocal interplay, keep it elevated. Check it out – it may be best to loop it right away; plus, a certain someone copped the only listing on Discogs!