Jahdan has been around for a while now, but just recently seems to be getting a lot more shine after appearing on Major Lazer’s track Cash Flow. I was initially introduced to him back in 1999, through Smif N Wessun’s second album, The Rude Awakening. He did a verse on the opening track, Off the Wall, that didn’t really stand out. But then the 1999 compilation, Duck Down Presents, came out, and I was all about Jahdan. He had my favorite track on the album, the only straight up reggae song, titled Raiders of the Arc. Defintiely worth a listen.
Born in Guyana and raised in Brooklyn – his immigration to the US is the subject of the track Come With Me – Jahdan has been a regular of the New York hip hop scene for some time. Aside from the Duck Down stuff, he’s also done collabos with DJ Premier, Dead Prez and Afu Ra. The hip hop influence comes through a little bit on his second and latest album, Buzzrock Warrior, and he definitely sticks to the roots reggae message in most of his songs, but he’s on some next shit too.
Leg’s Go has a slowed down bhangra feel to it, while The General and What you Know About This are straight dubstep tracks. The song Earthshaking has a simple but deep-hitting bassline and some cumbia percussion, and the electro love song She Said, with 77Klash, is a stand out party track.
Overall, Jahdan and producers DJ /rupture and Matt Shadetek have made a solid album. I’m bumpin it, and you should be too. Beware, though, there are a few tracks with some auto-tune on this album.
