I found myself changing lanes a little bit for this one. Guess you could say I put up the Cachaca and Coke (Rum Punch? Red Bull and Guinness? The metaphors are endless…) in favor of an Apple Martini. I am not referring to the Street Team riddim segment of the following blend. That is straight Ghetto Palms, no chaser and has been in the works for a few weeks now, just waiting for the right moment. No, I’m talking about the lover’s medley that sets it off, where you might be thrown off by the appearance of names like John Legend and Bobby Valentino in the track list. A little more "kissing after dark" than "daggering shop," but a week in which Legend kills a one drop tune, Bobby Valentino teams up with Mavado and Serani jumps on the lover’s rap anthem of the moment deserves to be recognized. Plus it’s summer, lighten up, get in the BBQ mode. I hereby solemnly swear that this is as quiet storm as you will ever hear me get on Ghetto Palms (If you’ve ever been to Jamaica in hurricane season you know: tropical storms nuh inna di quiet thing.)
Apple Martini / Street Team blend
John Legend f. Estelle, “No Other Love”
Drake f. Serani, “Best I Ever Had” refix
Bobby Valentino f. Mavado, “Hands On Me” refix
Mavado, “Mockingbird”
Elephant Man, “Purify”
Ding Dong, “Street Team”
Fambo f. Esco, “Go Hard"
Download: Ghetto Palms Street Team Blend
Which brings us to the Street Team. The first Fire Links riddim I’ve heard drop since Drumlane destroyed the dance last spring, it is an example of one of favorite tropes in dancehall: riddims built from scratchy sounds. This nano-genre also includes the ATM and the Nookie, but with Fire Links bringing a much darker edge to the formula. If it’s going to follow the Drumlane into dub-box immortality I’m betting it’s Mavado’s “Mockingbird” that will propel it, but I’m equally amped about the Ele version and most especially the eponymous “Street Team” from Ding (? can’t bring myself to say his full name.) There’s also a killer Voicemail joint, I just forget to put it in the blend.
On a side note, Busy Signal put out two more brilliant 45s this week, but since this palmcast is already in danger of turning into the Busy Signal show lately, I resisted the temptation to work them in. But just so you know, he is still crushing it.