Shabba Ranks

Biography

Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon (born 17 January 1966), better known by his stage name Shabba Ranks, is a Jamaican dancehall musician. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of the most popular Jamaican musicians in the world. Although his early success ensured he was prominent in his home country as a dancehall artist, he gained popularity in North America with his album Just Reality×Just Reality1990 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Gal Yuh Good3:352Roots & Culture4:003Just Reality3:214Wey Yuh Get It From3:205Back and Belly Rock3:446Dem Bow3:377Ramer3:368Dem A Do It Too3:219Mandela Free3:2610Are You Sure3:0911Live Blanket4:17 in 1990. He released other albums, including As Raw as Ever×As Raw As Ever21 May 1991 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search) and X-tra Naked, which both won a Grammy Award as Best Reggae Album in 1992 and 1993, respectively. He is notoriously popular for "Mr. Loverman×Mr. Loverman1992 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Mr. Loverman (D.M. Ragga Hop mix)6:062Mr. Loverman (radio mix)3:403Mr. Loverman (Twin City Crew mix)4:074Mr. Loverman (New World mix)4:315Mr. Loverman (Raggamental mix)4:24" and "Ting-A-Ling", which were globally acclaimed and deemed his signature songs.

Early life

Shabba Ranks was born in Sturge Town, Saint Ann, Jamaica, and raised in Seaview Gardens, Kingston.
His father, Ivan Gordon, was a mason who died in 1990. His mother, Constance "Mama Christie" Christie, remained in Seaview after Shabba's success, feeding the community with money sent from her son after his emigration. She was the subject of the 2015 hit song "Shabba Madda Pot" from the dancehall artist Dexta Daps.

Career

He gained his fame mainly by toasting (or rapping) rather than singing, like some of his dancehall contemporaries in Jamaica. He was a protégé of DJ Josey Wales. His original stage name was Co-Pilot. His international career started in the late 1980s, along with a number of fellow Jamaicans including reggae singers Cocoa Tea and Crystal. Ranks also worked with Chuck Berry and American rappers KRS-One and Chubb Rock.
He secured a recording contract with Epic Records in 1989.
The stylistic origins of the genre reggaeton can be traced back to the 1990 song "Dem Bow", from Ranks' album Just Reality×Just Reality1990 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Gal Yuh Good3:352Roots & Culture4:003Just Reality3:214Wey Yuh Get It From3:205Back and Belly Rock3:446Dem Bow3:377Ramer3:368Dem A Do It Too3:219Mandela Free3:2610Are You Sure3:0911Live Blanket4:17. Produced by Bobby "Digital" Dixon, the Dem Bow riddim became so popular in Puerto Rican freestyle sessions that early Puerto Rican reggaeton was simply known as "Dembow". The Dem Bow riddim is an integral and inseparable part of reggaeton, so much so that it has become its defining characteristic. The song name itself is lent to a subgenre of reggaeton from the Dominican Republic, Dominican dembow.
His biggest hit single outside of Jamaica was the reggae fusion smash "Mr. Loverman×Mr. Loverman1992 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Mr. Loverman (D.M. Ragga Hop mix)6:062Mr. Loverman (radio mix)3:403Mr. Loverman (Twin City Crew mix)4:074Mr. Loverman (New World mix)4:315Mr. Loverman (Raggamental mix)4:24". Other big tracks include "Housecall×Housecall1 August 1991 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Housecall (remix radio edit)3:582Housecall (12″ ’remix)6:003Housecall (club dub)4:014Housecall (Ragga mix)4:34" with Maxi Priest, "Slow and Sexy" with Johnny Gill, "Respect×Respect1993 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksARespectBRespect (Version)", "Pirates Anthem", "Trailer Load a Girls", "Wicked inna Bed", "Caan Dun", and "Ting A Ling". He won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1992 for As Raw as Ever×As Raw As Ever21 May 1991 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search) and in 1993 for X-tra Naked.
In 1993, Ranks scored another hit in the Addams Family Values soundtrack to which he contributed a rap/reggae version of the Sly and the Family Stone hit "Family Affair×Family AffairDecember 1993 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Family Affair (Album Version)4:002Family Affair (Extended Affair)5:163Family Affair (Dead Man's Graveyard Mix)5:104Family Affair (Old School Retro Mix)4:29". His third album for Epic, A Mi Shabba×A Mi Shabba13 June 1995 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Ram Dancehall4:102Shine Eye Gal4:253Spoil Mi Appetite3:424Well Done3:445Fattie Fattie4:056Rough Life4:007Let's Get It On5:188Ice Cream Love4:259High Seat4:1910Gal Nuh Ready3:5211Medal and Certificate4:1212Original Woman3:58, was released in 1995. He was dropped by the label in 1996. Epic went on to release a greatest hits album, entitled Shabba Ranks and Friends×Shabba Ranks and Friends1991 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search) in 1999.
Ranks made a partial comeback in 2007 when he appeared on a song called "Clear the Air" by Busta Rhymes, which also featured Akon. Shabba released a single on Big Ship's Pepper Riddim called "None A Dem×None a Dem5 May 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1None a Dem3:05", in April 2011. In 2012, Shabba was featured on Tech N9ne's EP E.B.A.H. on the track "Boy Toy". In 2013, Shabba was also mentioned in A$AP Ferg's song "Shabba," and has a cameo near the end of the music video. He was featured in the remix alongside Migos and Busta Rhymes on 23 November 2013. In August 2013, he was reportedly working on a new album.

Controversy

Ranks has been controversial for homophobia, particularly violent attitudes towards homosexuals. The 1990 song "Wicked Inna Bed" includes lyrics about shooting gay men.
In 1992, during an appearance on Channel 4 music show The Word, he was asked to give his thoughts on the subject of the hit song "Boom Bye Bye" by Buju Banton. Shabba held a copy of a Bible which he carried with him and stated that the "word of God" advocated the "crucifixion of homosexuals". He also alluded that he advocates the progression of the Jamaican people and freedom of speech but did not conclude that being against homosexuality would be in question of exclusion, according to Bible laws. He was condemned for his comments by presenter Mark Lamarr, who said, "That's absolute crap and you know it." Following these comments, Ranks was dropped from a Bobby Brown concert as a performer and faced altercations with his label, Sony Music. Ranks subsequently apologised, after realising that his comments might advocate "the killing of gays and lesbians and any human being in retrospect".

Personal life

Ranks and his wife, Michelle, have two sons Rexton Jr and Jahwon. He currently resides in New York City.

Videos and DVDs

2002: Shabba Ranks: Dancehall Ruff – Best of Shabba Ranks (DVD)
2001: The Return of Shabba Ranks (DVD)
1994: Darker Side of Black
1992: Shabba Ranks: Naked and Ready
1992: Shabba Ranks: Fresh & Wild
1992: Shabba Ranks vs. Ninja Man: Super Clash Round
1990: Reggae Showdown, Vol. 4: Shabba at Showdown (DVD)
1987: Prince Jammy