Sluggy Ranks
Sluggy Ranks | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Andrew Phillip Gregory |
| Born | 14 December 1966 Kingston, Jamaica |
| Died | 29 July 2012 (aged 45) Kingston, Jamaica |
| Genres | Dancehall |
| Years active | Mid 1980s–2012 |
| Labels | Profile |
Andrew Phillip Gregory (14 December 1966 – 29 July 2012), better known as Sluggy Ranks, was a Jamaican dancehall singer who was a major part of the New York dancehall scene.
Biography
[edit]Born in the Rae Town district of East Kingston, Ranks relocated to Brooklyn in 1981.[1] In 1984 he began recording for the Brooklyn-based Jah Life label and worked with local sound systems such as Mini Mart Hi Power, King Custom Sound and African Love.[1] He became known for his 'cultural' lyrics, which contrasted with the prevailing 'slack' lyrics of dancehall.[2][3] In 1988 he worked with producer Whitfield "Witty" Henry on the single "95% Black, 5% White", a commentary on the state of the US prison system.[1] He went on to record several albums in the 1980s and 1990s, including the Prince Jammy-produced Ghetto Youth Bust in 1994, released on Profile Records.[1][2][4] His single "Sodom & Gomorrah", recorded on the "Tempo" rhythm, dealt with the confrontation between Super Cat and Nitty Gritty at Count Shelly's record shop that led to Nitty Gritty's death.[5] In 1997 he contributed to the Easy Star album Easy Star Volume I, and in 2003 to the Easy Star All Stars' Dub Side of the Moon.[1]
At the age of 44, he passed away on July 29, 2012, as a result of injuries he sustained in a car accident in Kingston's Stony Hill neighborhood.[1][6]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]- Settle Sluggy (1988), Park Heights
- Ghetto Youth Buss (1989), Grade One
- Ghetto Youth Bust (1994), Profile
- Just Call Sluggy (1987), Witty
- My Time (1999), Barry U
Singles
[edit]- "True Sound" (198?), Jah Life
- "Draw Fi Mi Bible" (198?), Jah Life
- "Rucumbine" (1987), Music Master - Sluggy & Twitch
- "95% Black, 5% White" (1988), Music Master
- "Don't Be Prejudiced" (1989), Park Heights
- "Ketch Dem Fraid" (1990), Mr. Doo
- "My Time" (1990), Shelly's
- "Iron Curtain" (1990), Libra - with Rev. Badoo
- "Tell Me Now" (1991), Shelly's
- "No Money Na Run" (1991), Rockers Forever
- "Ghetto Youth Bust" (1994), Profile
- "Jah Is Guiding I" (1994), John John
- "Sodom & Gomorrah" (199?), Part II/Gold Shop
- "Titus, Share the Cake" (1995), Secret Rival - with Chuck Fender, Ninja Kid, Tuffest, Mikey Merican, and Terrible Cat
- "Ghetto Youth" (1995), WEA - Booyaka Crew & Sluggy Ranks
- "Weedman" (1995), Secret Rival - Sluggy Ranks & Tuffest
- "The Coming of the Lord" (1997), Barry U
- "Nothing in the World" (2003), Wild Apache
- "Zion Gate" (2006), Total Satisfaction
- "Don´t Want To Be A Shotta" (20??), Digital English
- "Don't Want to be a Shotta part 2" (2010), Digital English
- "Rough Wine" (2010), Witty
- "Done With The Badness" (2011), Digital English
- "Ghetto Youth" (2011), King Kustom
- "Another One Bites The Dust" (2011), 14 Karat
- "Too Chatty Chatty" (2011), 14 Karat
- "Strictly Reggae Music" (2011), Roots Injection
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f Meschino, Patricia (2012) "Sluggy Ranks, New York Based Dancehall Singer, Killed in Kingston Car Crash", Billboard, 31 July 2012, retrieved 1 September 2012
- ^ a b Huey, Steve "Sluggy Ranks Biography", Allmusic, retrieved 1 September 2012
- ^ Moskowitz, David V. (2006) "Sluggy Ranks", in Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall, Greenwood Press, ISBN 0-313-33158-8, p. 248
- ^ Nixon, Richard (1995) "Sluggy Ranks Ghetto Youth Bust", Vibe, December 1994-January 1995, p. 122, retrieved 1 September 2012
- ^ Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn., Rough Guides, ISBN 1-84353-329-4, p. 428
- ^ "Sluggy Ranks dies in crash", Jamaica Observer, 15 August 2012, retrieved 1 September 2012