In Bed With Yellowman

This 1993 album reunited Yellowman with both producer Henry "Junjo" Lawes, who launched the singjay to stardom and oversaw all his recordings across the first half of the '80s, and the Taxi Gang, who brought King Yellow into the ragga age with 1986's Rambo album. By the '90s, the luster had long rubbed off King Yellow's crown, but the DJ still retained a sizable hardcore fan base, who continued to appreciate his slack-free, gunless toasts. And here Yellowman proves he still knew how to throw a party, combining new material with recuts of his classic hits, including an entertaining take on "Yellowman Getting Married" and a sharp ragga remake of his smash "Zungguzunggugunguzungguzeng." However, his favorite themes -- the girls all love me and I'm the best -- are getting pretty stale, although "I Love the Girls" at least shows the DJ can still turn a rhyme on a dime. Once upon a time, Yellowman at least occasionally tackled serious subjects from "Operation Eradication" to the horror of "Even Tide Fire," but there's not a single conscious thought on this set. The DJ can boast that he's "Better Than Them" all he wants, but that doesn't make it so. The Taxi Gang's riddims, in contrast, are absolutely lethal, and Yellow rides them with ease and with obvious delight. He's no threat to the likes of Shabba Ranks, no matter what he says, but the DJ is still going strong, and for those who like their dancehall light, the King still delivers the goods. ~ Jo-Ann Greene|