Selekta Jah Crucial mix 2009
South African reggae artist did not go to an endless slumber this year, they were toiling out in the studio, composing, recording and perfoming. Cape town ites did not disapoint as usual.
The Chronic Clan descendants have converged again in studio, on the phone, in the gully side to do what they know best, producing hot reggae music for the people.
Sugah and Black Dillinger benefited this year from this coming together as they released albums. For Sugah it was a debut while f0r Dillinger, it was the second time around and consolidation phase.
Here are some of the albums that made it to the market.
Straight up from Mzimhlophe, Johannesburg, the hardest working man in South African reggae scene. Jah Crucial, a top selektar and music and dvd distributor released the Kulcha Fela reggae mix 2009.
Jah Crucial is also hardest working reggae ‘ Truebrary’ music seller and distributor. This year he compiled a nice mix with international and South African artists like Black Dillinger in full and living colour.
He wrote in his business smses to custormer, “Jah Crucial Mix 2009 is out and Hooot. I compile a very good reggae music without including or playing Sizzla or Capleton”, he big up himself.
I must commend the selector because it is a temptation not easy to resist to exclude these two big artist in the reggae business. The mix is fine with Jah Crucial spreading vibes on the tracks and introducing the artist.
He also features a nice riddim called alter ego, a nice ting deh. Black Dillinger comes exclusive on a dubplate version for Jah Crucial sound.
I must say the second riddim featured in the mix is not the best compared to how other outernational selectors have done it. Crucial can do better than this. He also features the dub version of all the riddims featured. At R130 a cd, it has an impressive sleeve design, good music and quality audio.
Black Dillinger's second album, Love life
Black Dillinger made a lot of waves after his three year departure and musical stint in Germany. He released his second album this year entitled Love life.
Recording and releasing some nice stuff through IM music, he has blended in a fine stable with other African artists like Rebellion the Recaller, Casper and Rasta Voice. Other than this album Dillinger features in the Gangstalaw mix also released by IM Music. Love life is a rasta call for all humanity to love life and not take it for granted.
This is another platform where Dillinger has displayed his versatility as an artist. He has mellow tone that almost resonates like Sizzla Kalonji’s voice. In the track sexy girls, he can easily confuse.
Nathi B in the cd Ilanga
Nathi B who originates from Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape released an isiXhosa reggae album titled Ilanga or the Sun. This album befits the honour of being called the best isixhosa reggae album in a decade or two. An artist or anyone who wants to take away this honour from Natty Bongo will have to convince me seriously or work very very hard to dethrone this new king of venacular isiXhosa reggae.
Almost 80-90% percent of this album is in good roots rock and conscious isixhosa mix. Natty Bongo has worked well with a Sister Called Thandiswa who also happens to be a hot item in the reggae music business. Their combination fit each other like a hand does to a glove. Tracks like reggae dancehall, Ndiyazifuna idayimani, mama, Dudlu nonyisha.
Natty Bongo was born in the rural town of Middledrift, eXesi in the former Ciskei. He later moved to Mdantsane , one of the biggest townships in the Eastern Cape where he dabbled in boxing. After accepting Rastafari as faith and way of life, he changed his boxing gloves and traded them for a music stage and a microphone. 
Malawian born, South Africa based artist Born Afrikan released this interesting title with interesting works and liberating sounds and rhythms. Born African delivers mellow roots rock reggae style with a pinch of hip hop in songs like, its Tough in the streets, where he features artist like Qba.
- Gugulethu 7 cd
Featuring international stars like Vivian Jones and local acts like Zuko, Black Dillinger, Crosby , Spencer and others, this album befitted its humble intentions of honouring our heroes in song. This compilatioin is a counscious roots reggae that has that warm analogue feel characteristic of Ghetto Sound productions.
SA reggae artist like the late Lucky Dube, Dr. Victor, Harley, Alexis Faku, Sipho Johnson, Oyaba, Slaves and the Black peoples choice.This album is still on top in terms of the quality of the music, the calibre of the artist and the compilation in its totality.
Ras Judah - Give thanks and Praise album
Straight from the mothercity, here is one of SA ‘s classic album. Produced by the hardworking Ghetto Sound crew this solo album is one of the best composition.
Written, recorded and produced in Cape town by long time artists and producers like Wakhile Xhalisa, Ricky Bushula and Ras Vuyo this album qualifies to be a collectors item.
The Xhalisa brothers rocked the riddim on original beats and riddims while Ras Vuyo Fanele was strict and uncompromising on the productions. Big tunes like reggae night , True born rasta are some of the best tunes featured in this album. If Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare are reggae’s riddim twins, Wakhile and Mkhuseli are the South African equivalent of the duo. They display their skill on the dub versions of the tracks recorded in this album and take you back to the time when the dub was still in style and fashion.
l say big up Born Afrikan good works ca your ablum nice.