Hardcore Dancehall (Victory World, 2002)

Have you ever been listening to a reggae album and thought to yourself, "Gee, this is nice, but I really wish it had more slackness," or "What this album needs is more songs about vaginas!"  Well, to the rescue comes Hardcore Dancehall, which unabashedly proclaims to provide the "mean, dirty, offensive, tough and nasty" edge that you crave!...Well, I suppose there might be some people who actively seek out this type of content, but I'd wager that they're in the minority of reggae fans.  Still, despite its outward appearance (and there are a few nice outward appearances here), Hardcore Dancehall actually isn't that hardcore in content.  Aside from "Big Pu##y," there's not a whole lot that's so in-your-face vulgar (at least, not much that you can readily understand).  The sound is more hardcore that the lyrics, dominated by simple, pounding, fast and furious digital riddims that often take a cue from '90s dancehall... because they are all from the '90s!  More specifically, they are taken from JamDown Records compilations from 1998 to 2000.  The point?  I don't know; it's not like this is such an untapped wealth of material that needs exposure. On the bright side, I was expecting Hardcore Dancehall to be a one or two-rhythm album, but to my pleasant surprise, few of the beats are re-used.  In all, there are about 10 spread out over the 15 tracks.  While nothing here is particularly distinct or noteworthy, as a whole, it's solid, propulsive, party music that should entertain fans of modern dancehall.  Certainly, bit names like Elephant Man, Cutty Ranks, Mad Cobra, Tanya Stephens, Red Rat, Tanto Metro & Devonte, Goofy, and Merciless are quite a draw...if you like vagina music.