Roots Archives Forum

Have just discovered this album (I know, I know) and whilst not a massive fan of his this album is special to me as it contains many original Yabby You rhythms...not re-recordings but the original backing tracks. So my question is if anyone knows how this came about and what link did Leroy have with YY.
1 - Lorna (Yabby U - Stranger In Love/Take My Hand)
3 - Gambling (Prophets - Stand Up & Fight/Africa)
7 - In This Time (Yabby U - Beware/Undivided World)
8 - Rasta Man (Wayne Wade - Man Of The Living)
9 - Back Out Weak Heart (Wayne Wade - Black Is Our Colour)
10 - You I Can't Forget (Yabby U - Run Come Rally)
11 - Do You Remember (Wayne Wade - Close To You)

Also are there any other artists who used YY backing tracks? I am aware of I Roy's Don't Touch I Man Locks.

Many thanks

"Conquering Dub Of Africa" from the Maya Dread album (a Pat Francis aka Jah Lloyd production):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psCkAa1Zk0Q

and "Natty Roots" by Toyan (an Errol Don Mais production):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inF9eWjruqs

both use the "Conquering Lion" riddim.

"All I Want To Do" by Wayne Jarrett (a Blackbeard Sinclair production) uses the "King Pharoah's Plague" riddim.

In the booklet for the Blackbear Sinclair compilation "Too Much Iron In The Fire", it says:

If some of Blackbeard's rhythms sound familiar, it's because other producer friends of his have also used them on occasion.

"We used to share rhythm tracks all the time," he concurs. "Yabby You or Bunny Lee would have a rhythm and say I could have a cut of it, so I'd just take it and then voice someone else on it. From we were all producing good music, it never seem to matter too much really."

Seems like quite a common thing when you think about it. Blackbeard's younger brother Tapper Zukie built his whole "MPLA" album around riddims given to him by Bunny Lee and Ossie Hibbert.
Leroy Smart started "producing" his own albums like "Impressions" and "Dread Hot In Africa", where production just seems to involve re-voicing existing riddims rather than building one from scratch.

In fact listening now to "Dread Hot In Africa" I've just noticed another Yabby You track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egz3RmBE1pI

Leroy Smart's "Africa" on the "See Them A Walk (Fire Fire)" riddim!

Thanks for the replies.

I suspected iy was this answer. Probabaly a way fro YY to make a few extra dollars by 'licensing' the backing track to other artists/producers.

Gotta love them Jamaicans. Imagine Phil Collins records a song over the Billie Jean instrumental - Sony Music would sue his ass.

Great Album, Love it.