Roots Archives Forum

Can you recommend any artists playing strong militant reggae?

I generally mean "militant" riddims, not necessary "militant" lyrics.
I'm listening to Mutabaruka alot lately, always liked LKJ, so I thought a little bit of militant stuff would be more than welcomed (but of course not necessary only dub poets;)

So, let your opinions and recommendations flow:)

Thanks!!!

Errol Dunkley "Militant Man".

Cannot get any more militant than that

Awesome album

Dave

Prince alla - Only love can conquer
Hard rythims !

can you describe militant because there are many different opinions of what militant roots is. i believe it is more of a heavy minor chord influence with lyrics about sufferation and standing firm against babylonian scociety. this is only my opinion. i would like to see what other peoples opinion on this is.

good militant tracks i think are

1.None shall escape judgment-johnny clarke

2.top ranking-rod taylor

3.goverment land-horace andy

these are just examples of what i believe to be militant roots

I would highly recommend the productions of Ryan Moore's Twilight Circus project. This is new dub roots coming out of Holland but it features the likes of Michael Rose, Big Youth, Vin Gordon and Ranking Joe. The track 'Don't follow Babylon' ft Michael rose & Ranking Joe is about as Militant as i have ever heard... Earth shuddering bass with a hard stepping marching beat puncuated by spring reverb laden Skanks. Truly inspiring...

Thanks guys!

Militant to me means very heavy bass, faster and let's say stronger riddims, marching beat as Naram pointed out.

I think my punk-rock background is coming to the daylight:D

PABLO GAD

too much to mention really. Barry Brown has a lot of militant tunes. Any best of his late 70s work is bound to contain some serious militancy. Check "Fittest of the Fittest".
Knowledge: "What's Yours" comes to mind
Earth & Stone: "Sweet Africa"
check the Disciples website for crucial top 10 lists of militant steppers tunes!

I guess what you mean is what many reggaeheads call "Steppers": where each beat is emphasized by the bass drum (instead of just the third (=one drop) or the first and the third). The style was prevalent in the late 70s (many steppers recordings Sly Dunbar)just before the time early dancehall really kicked off. The style had much success in UK roots milieus (think Jah Shaka etc) (my guess is because it's much colder in the UK than in JA) and continued to be popular there after it went out of fashion in JA: UK producers started in the early 90s to produce a digital substitute for these steppers records, with some interesting results but not to everyone's tastes. Every now and then roots reggae seems to produce some steppers riddims: XTerminator made some in the mid 90s, for example.

I feel that the ROOTS RADICS/DUB SYNDICATE have a very strong/militant sound, especially in the works they did with Prince Far I.
Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter 1. could be the marching music for JAH ARMY any day!