Sluggy Ranks

Andrew Phillip Gregory (14 December 1966 – 29 July 2012), better known as Sluggy Ranks, was a Jamaican dancehall singer who was a major part of the New York dancehall scene.

Sluggy Ranks
Birth nameAndrew Phillip Gregory
Born(1966-12-14)14 December 1966
Kingston, Jamaica
Died29 July 2012(2012-07-29) (aged 45)
Kingston, Jamaica
GenresDancehall
Years activeMid 1980s–2012
LabelsProfile

Biography

Born in the Rae Town district of East Kingston, Ranks relocated to Brooklyn in 1981.[1] In 1984 he began recording for the Brooklyn-based Jah Life label and worked with local sound systems such as Mini Mart Hi Power, King Custom Sound and African Love.[1] He became known for his 'cultural' lyrics, which contrasted with the prevailing 'slack' lyrics of dancehall.[2][3] In 1988 he worked with producer Whitfield "Witty" Henry on the single "95% Black, 5% White", a commentary on the state of the US prison system.[1] He went on to record several albums in the 1980s and 1990s, including the Prince Jammy-produced Ghetto Youth Bust in 1994, released on Profile Records.[1][2][4] His single "Sodom & Gomorrah", recorded on the "Tempo" rhythm, dealt with the confrontation between Super Cat and Nitty Gritty at Count Shelly's record shop that led to Nitty Gritty's death.[5] In 1997 he contributed to the Easy Star album Easy Star Volume I, and in 2003 to the Easy Star All Stars' Dub Side of the Moon.[1]

He died on 29 July 2012 as a result of injuries sustained in a car crash in the Stony Hill area of Kingston, aged 44.[1][6]

Discography

Albums
  • Settle Sluggy (1988), Park Heights
  • Ghetto Youth Buss (1989), Grade One
  • Ghetto Youth Bust (1994), Profile
  • Just Call Sluggy (1987), Witty
  • My Time (1999), Barry U

Singles
  • "True Sound" (198?), Jah Life
  • "Draw Fi Mi Bible" (198?), Jah Life
  • "Rucumbine" (1987), Music Master - Sluggy & Twitch
  • "95% Black, 5% White" (1988), Music Master
  • "Don't Be Prejudiced" (1989), Park Heights
  • "Ketch Dem Fraid" (1990), Mr. Doo
  • "My Time" (1990), Shelly's
  • "Iron Curtain" (1990), Libra - with Rev. Badoo
  • "Tell Me Now" (1991), Shelly's
  • "No Money Na Run" (1991), Rockers Forever
  • "Ghetto Youth Bust" (1994), Profile
  • "Jah Is Guiding I" (1994), John John
  • "Sodom & Gomorrah" (199?), Part II/Gold Shop
  • "Titus, Share the Cake" (1995), Secret Rival - with Chuck Fender, Ninja Kid, Tuffest, Mikey Merican, and Terrible Cat
  • "Ghetto Youth" (1995), WEA - Booyaka Crew & Sluggy Ranks
  • "Weedman" (1995), Secret Rival - Sluggy Ranks & Tuffest
  • "The Coming of the Lord" (1997), Barry U
  • "Nothing in the World" (2003), Wild Apache
  • "Zion Gate" (2006), Total Satisfaction
  • "Don´t Want To Be A Shotta" (20??), Digital English
  • "Don't Want to be a Shotta part 2" (2010), Digital English
  • "Rough Wine" (2010), Witty
  • "Done With The Badness" (2011), Digital English
  • "Ghetto Youth" (2011), King Kustom
  • "Another One Bites The Dust" (2011), 14 Karat
  • "Too Chatty Chatty" (2011), 14 Karat
  • "Strictly Reggae Music" (2011), Roots Injection

References
  1. Meschino, Patricia (2012) "Sluggy Ranks, New York Based Dancehall Singer, Killed in Kingston Car Crash", Billboard, 31 July 2012, retrieved 1 September 2012
  2. Huey, Steve "Sluggy Ranks Biography", Allmusic, retrieved 1 September 2012
  3. Moskowitz, David V. (2006) "Sluggy Ranks", in Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall, Greenwood Press, ISBN 0-313-33158-8, p. 248
  4. Nixon, Richard (1995) "Sluggy Ranks Ghetto Youth Bust", Vibe, December 1994-January 1995, p. 122, retrieved 1 September 2012
  5. Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn., Rough Guides, ISBN 1-84353-329-4, p. 428
  6. "Sluggy Ranks dies in crash", Jamaica Observer, 15 August 2012, retrieved 1 September 2012
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