Winner, The

It's not usually a good sign when an artist's promotional copy starts off by bragging about how derivative he is ("...an uncanny resemblance to the DJ style and delivery of Tiger..."). But in this case there's no need to fear. First of all, Zebra's chatting, while certainly informed by Tiger's gruff, rockstone style, seems to derive equally from the singing of Louis Armstrong (or, perhaps more directly, from the late-1960s reggae singer Pat Satchmo). Second, it doesn't really matter how imitative he is, because the rhythms (courtesy of legendary producer Prince Jazzbo) and his performances are of such consistently high quality. True, he commits the all-too-common DJ sin of disregarding the key signature on "Blow Wow" and Frankie Paul gets no credit for his cameo on "The Winner," but Zebra's energetic and original delivery are enough to overcome the occasional lapse in musical or professional standards. Highlights include "Take Man Fa" and the conscious "Jah Talk." ~ Rick Anderson|