Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, these three artists ruled the dancehall with hits like "Hold On" and "Stop Spreading Rumors." Shabba by himself was no joke, but was even more massive while collaborating with Home T and Cocoa Tea. The man responsible for putting it all together was producer Augustus "Gussie" Clarke, who lived behind the boards and behind such bass-swelling melodic classic productions as the "Telephone Love" riddim.
On "Pirates' Anthem," the three rocked together on this 1989 smash that ripped up airwaves, especially in the UK where the concept was inspired. Over the "Telephone Love" riddim, Home T's going solo on his "Single Life" boasting his famous "free and single, she love to mingle" chorus hook, still an echo in the dancehalls today.
But the real strength of this era and of Gussie Clarke's talent was that he launched Shabba Ranks into the world! On his "A nuh me she so," it's obvious why this master deejay is still considered by many to be the modern day father of the dancehall deejay. Cocoa Tea on the solo tip, through his "First Date" and "Why Turn Down the Sound," wasn't far behind either, especially if you were a fan of the singing smoothness that captivated the dancehall-reggae world. This music is indeed a reminder of a classic dancehall period.
