On this day, December 30, 1992, dancehall deejay Shabba Ranks received his first and only Gold single certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling 500,000 copies of the song “Slow And Sexy” featuring Johnny Gill in the U.S.
Produced by Clifton “Specialist” Dillon, alongside Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, this dancehall-infused R&B track, released on September 29, 1992, not only set records but also transformed the marketing landscape for dancehall music throughout the 1990s.
The lead single from Shabba’s Grammy-winning RIAA Gold album “X-tra Naked,” “Slow & Sexy,” reached its peak a No. 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart the week of January 9, 1993, No. 4 on the US R&B chart, and No. 17 on the U.K. singles chart.
“Slow And Sexy” was the second single by a dancehall artist to be certified Gold in the US following Mad Cobra‘s solo hit “Flex” on December 2, 1992.
Despite his early success, Shabba Ranks, born Rexton Ralston Fernando Gordon, has constantly lamented that the industry does not acknowledge his legacy, highlighting the necessity of owning the masters of one’s music for enduring success and freedom. In an impassioned plea last year after his performance on the Welcome To Jamrock Cruise, he asserted his refusal to be a slave to anyone else and expressed his determination to emancipate himself, ensuring a lasting impact for generations to come.
Emphasizing the importance of fair compensation for artists and the need for gatekeepers in the industry to recognize his contributions and include him in contemporary reggae and dancehall music production.
He said, “I work and make Dancehall be a multi-billionaire, multi-billions innah this music yah, and you see the people them who a the gate holder or the gate people them innah this music yah a gwan like seh them see every other artists and them don’t see Shabba, so hear what I want all of the people dem fi do”, as he paused. “Me want inuh fi chat to the people dem who a produce dancehall music and reggae music and make them know seh unuh want some Shabba music.”
Shabba Ranks’ impact on music extends beyond dancehall and reggae genres, influencing the stylistic foundation of reggaeton music, notably traced back to his 1990s hit “Dem Bow” from the album “Just Reality.” The song, produced by Bobby “Digital” Dixon, became so iconic in Puerto Rican freestyle sessions that early Puerto Rican reggaeton was simply known as “Dembow.” “Dem Bow” is the subject of a sweeping lawsuit filed by dancehall pioneers Steely and Clevie, producers of the “Fish Market” Riddim (which insured Dem Bow) against several record labels and reggaeton producers alleging copyright infringement over 1800 songs.
In the same interview with On Stage, Shabba spoke about being robbed over the years of his royalties and rights. “So unuh rob me of me already but unuh cyah rob me of my children’s children…a music me a deal with..If you do not own the masters you are a slave, and i refuse to be anymore slave, because them seh them emancipate we but me haffi emancipate myself,” he said.
Despite a temporary hiatus, Shabba Ranks made a partial comeback in 2007 with the song “Clear The Air” alongside Busta Rhymes and Akon. In subsequent years, he continued to release singles, maintaining relevance in the ever-evolving music landscape.
His latest song “Hallelujah Heaven” by Jeymes Samuel ft. Lil Wayne, Buju Banton from the motion picture soundtrack ‘The Book Of Clarence’ a Jeymes Samuel film has peaked at No. 9 in Jamaica and No. 7 in Dominican Republic on YouTube’s Daily Songs Chart.
