Beenie Man

Beenie Man

Beenie Man - Monster Of Dancehall - Greensleeves.

Never in the history of music as one tune summed up an artist so well.

'Who Am I'? Who indeed? They called Yellowman the Walking Jewelry

Store - It would make Beenie Man the walking xerox machine! He can

copy any style of deejaying - and he's proud of it. But the end result

is very confusing. In comedy people can earn a good living mimicing

people - but is it a good idea for music? All you can really say is

that most of these 18 tracks have been hits. Big hits in some cases.

Which as been very good for Beenie Man, but can the same be said about

reggae music?

Beenie Man - Y2K - Artists Only - CD

Probably not an official release as far as Beenie is concerned - but

with tracks coming from producers like King Jammy. Ward 21, Bobby

Digital and even Triston Palmer, it was always going to be good.

Another important point is that they are all reggae tracks - no one is

talented enough to put 20 new tracks on a CD without losing the plot.

These 12 tracks are more than enough - they might not be his latest

hits, but they are all good.

Beenie Man - Blessed - Island Jamaica - 1995 The best Beenie Man set to date without a doubt, and unlike the first Shocking Vibes album it captures the man in fine form, not only lyrically but with style. For this style album he’s incorporated bits of Bounty Killer into his style, that already includes at least 3 other dj’s. It all comes together for the first time on ‘Stop Live In A De Pass’. Where he criticizes other dj’s for naming themselves after cowboys and indians, and living in the past. It’s quite ironic when you consider his own name, but that all part of the dj business. Another outstanding track is ‘Acid Attack’ that is built around a powerful poco rhythm. The man finally comes of age."

"Beenie Man - Defend It - Shocking Vibes - 1994

This album represents Beenie’s coming of age. It would take a lot more than youthful vibes now to keep the dj fans interested.

With that in mind, he seems to borrow wholesale from a combination of Ninjaman, Capleton and Cobra. Nearly every dj as borrowed from someone at sometime in their career. Things and time usually tell, and in Beenie’s case, all that can be said is that this release didn’t do him any harm. When he started to do the business, it was singles that brought him forward and they have kept him there ever since. Perhaps what he needs is a good singles collection. "

"Beenie Man - Dis Una Fi Hear – Hightone.- 1994

Another singles compilation set. This time for the American market. Some of the tracks appaers on the Charm release, but there’s enough tracks here to make it worth having alone. Thankfully there are no concessions to the Rap scene, in that you get reggae remixed into a rap/hip hop style. That sort of business should be left on 12” singles. In that format it makes sense. All the current dj’s have brought up in a post rap era. Each and everyone of them can rap, and could easily make it in rap. The problem with this, is why bother at all with reggae, if that’s what you want to do."

"

Beenie Man - Gold – Charm - 1994

Much much better and the reason for this it that’s a compilation of various producers works. The nature of deejaying is such that if a rhythm is hot, a producer will try to get as many artists to voice it as possible. The problem of course is that producers, cannot produce one hit rhythm after another. Not today anyway. The result is that some artists tend to follow hit rhythms. What is then needs is for some company to sit down and pick out the best of them. By and large this is not a bad selection. It’s got big hits like ‘Matie’ and ‘Veteran’. Together with others like ‘Mother The Grace’ and ‘Music A The Beat’ which are just as good and interesting."

"

Beenie Man - Monster Of Dancehall – Greensleeves - 2007

Never in the history of music as one tune summed up an artist so well. 'Who Am I'? Who indeed? They called Yellowman the Walking Jewelry Store - It would make Beenie Man the walking xerox machine! He can copy any style of deejaying - and he's proud of it. But the end result is very confusing. In comedy people can earn a good living mimicing people - but is it a good idea for music? All you can really say is that most of these 18 tracks have been hits. Big hits in some cases. Which as been very good for Beenie Man, but can the same be said about reggae music?"

"Beenie Man - The Invincible Beenie Man - World Enterprise. - 1988

Beenie Man was making records when he was 7 years old, and was Billy Boyo’s main rival, back in the early 80’s. This digital set sounds like it dates from around 87/88, and if this is the case, it is not Beenie’s debut, because someone voiced him over ‘human’ rhyhtms for an album back in the early 80’s. Still this is a spirited set from young Beenie. It’s a case of not what he says, but how he says it. The lyrics here, just flow and flow. His inspiration comes from life in the ghetto, and it comes across bnest when he changes voice to bring in another character. Yes he was doing it, even then."

"

Beenie Man - Y2K - Artists Only - CD - 1999 Probably not an official release as far as Beenie is concerned - but with tracks coming from producers like King Jammy. Ward 21, Bobby Digital and even Triston Palmer, it was always going to be good. Another important point is that they are all reggae tracks - no one is talented enough to put 20 new tracks on a CD without losing the plot. These 12 tracks are more than enough - they might not be his latest hits, but they are all good."

Beenie Man - As The World Gone Mad - Call Me Shams - 7"

Beanis as chopped and changed his style so many times its bordering on

a physiological condition 'Who Am I' does not cover it. In this

instance he's stepped into a time warp and gone back to 1985 and the

fast style. I'm sure Papa Levi, Smiley Culture and Peter King will be

smiling when they here this one. And it's a reality tune.