It's a measure of dancehall's emergence as an international phenomenon that Moses "Beenie Man"Davis'third album for Virgin abandons the hip hop crossovers that filled Art And Life and Tropical Storm. There's no need to mediate this music any more, in the wake of Sean Paul's superstardom. Hence Beenie Man's exclusive use of Jamaican producers on Back To Basics. Mainly, this is brilliant pop music: thrusting, crass and immediate on one level; but also genuinely fearless with its squelching and stabbing electronic productions. Intensely sexual, too?though Beenie's insistence on asserting his celebrated heterosexuality (he styles himself the "Grindacologist"here) can grate. At least feisty appearances by female MC Ms Thing, especially on the fabulous "Dude"single, leaven the machismo a little.
It’s a measure of dancehall’s emergence as an international phenomenon that Moses “Beenie Man”Davis’third album for Virgin abandons the hip hop crossovers that filled Art And Life and Tropical Storm. There’s no need to mediate this music any more, in the wake of Sean Paul’s superstardom. Hence Beenie Man’s exclusive use of Jamaican producers on Back To Basics. Mainly, this is brilliant pop music: thrusting, crass and immediate on one level; but also genuinely fearless with its squelching and stabbing electronic productions. Intensely sexual, too?though Beenie’s insistence on asserting his celebrated heterosexuality (he styles himself the “Grindacologist”here) can grate. At least feisty appearances by female MC Ms Thing, especially on the fabulous “Dude”single, leaven the machismo a little.
