bassculture islands
It is a known fact that Kingston is the undisputed capital of
reggae music and culture. What many don’t know though, is
that deep, within the immense shadow of Reggae, lays a burgeoning, underground Kingston hip hop scene. Jeff Chang
(American journalist & Hip Hop music critic), describes
hip-hop as a “generation-defining global movement” that
was “forged in the fires of the Bronx and Kingston, Jamaica;” due to the fact that DJ Kool Herc (who was originally
born in Kingston) is credited with originating Hip Hop music at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, during the early
1970s, in New York City. Hence the organic connection
between the two cultures of Reggae & Hip Hop that has
always existed. Here in Volume 1 of “JA Universe Chronicles “, you will meet three heavyweights of the underground
Kingston Hip Hop scene: Five Steez, Sly Rankin & DJ Inkstinkz.
A super hero’s Mo- name stuck from there. make my music more
personal so I added my
dus Operandi, or
MO, is that they Sly Rankin: My given real last name, “Rankin.”
always need a se- name is Jason Rankin. Coincidentally “Rankin”
Sly Rankin is the mon- was also an old Jamaican
cret identity, so
what is your giv- iker/nickname/stage slang word for “O.G.” so
en name? What is name. Sly is an adapta- it worked well.
your stage name? tion from my first ever
Five Steez: My given
What is the story rap name “Slylock da )