Delly Ranx.

OVER THE LAST YEAR in the dancehall reggae movement, Jamaican born DJ and producer Delly Ranx has risen to worldwide super stardom. Delly's Guinness and Red Bull riddim (featuring the Mavado smash hit "Wah Dem a Do"), and his latest Ghetto Whiskey riddim (featuring Delly's hit "Gangsta," Mavado/ Vybz Kartel's recent hit, "Sunrise," and Scan Paul's new track, "Move Ya Body") are tearing up dance floors across the planet from Jamaica to Japan to the United Kingdom and the United States. Delly Ranx' unique badman dancehall riddim sound, heavily inspired by the Kingston ghetto, gangsta hip-hop, drinking, partying, blazing high-grade weed, and explicitly grinding sexy girls all night, is ushering in a whole new sound of gangsta dancehall reggae, or gangstafari as it's called. This new sound is a lot darker and closer to hip-hop than any previous reggae music. Which is why America's black hip-hop audience is embracing it. Check most major hip-hop shows on the radio from New York to Los Angeles, and you will hear Delly Ranx' riddims in the mix. So grab a blunt and a straight ghetto whiskey--it's a badman party and it's alright, it's a badman party and it's tonight. Bullet, bullet.

Welcome to Calijuana.

Blessed love to all the peeps. I'm here in the lab making music as usual.

Big time for you right now. Two huge riddims blowing up in the club, you got Guinness and Red Bull and Ghetto Whiskey rocking the dance floors worldwide ...

I can see that; thanks for the support from everyone. The riddims are tight, real dancehall tracks, and I think that's why the people love them. You represent a new kind of dancehail star; an artist and producer similar to, say, Kanye West being a rapper and a producer. How did this come about for you?

It's just making the move at the right time.

The Mavado track on Guinness and Red Bull has become a hit club and radio track; not just with the dancehall stations and fans, but also with hip-hop stations and fans, too. This brings badman dancehail a lot closer to the mainstream hip-hop audience.

From day one I knew that track was a bomb. The riddim has a vibe between daneehall and hip-hop, so it's no surprise that hip-hop fans love it. Scan Paul, Cham, and Darnian Marley have hit them with straight classic commercial reggae and dancehall hits, but your sound is something new and people are loving it. It's blowing them away.

I'm so happy that they're feeling the beat, and I'll continue to give them the real Jamaican music.

Elephant Man just signed to Bad Boy. Do you have plans getting rappers alongside badman dancehall artists on your riddims? What tracks are you working on now?

I just completed my new riddim called Serengeti; it's a one-drop beat. You have a number of new artists you're bringing up into the game. Who are they, and what are they working on?

The new acts are Bramma, he's working on singles right now, Craig Dennis, Tyrical, Singing Sweet. They're all working to get the break. And you have a label, too, yes? Talk a little bit about that.

My label is called Pure Music Productions/Di Ranx Productions. I started out in 1999 with a remake of Old Broom riddim with artist like Luciano, Anthony B, Louie Culture, Lukie D, and myself. Next was the Hennessy riddim, where I was granted a chance to be a part of Sean Paul's Dutty Rock album, which earned me a multi-platinum producer plaque. Then Molases riddim, then Push Come to Shove riddim, then the famous Red Bull and Guinness riddim, and now Ghetto Whiskey riddim. Now it's time for the Serengeti. I enjoy doing production; it's an important part of the music.

What artists are you feeling in dancehall and hip-hop?

I really like Busy Signal, Vybz Kartel, Assassin, and a new artist called G-Mafia. In the hip-hop world I love Nas, Tupac, Biggy, Jay Z, and Eminem.

What producers served as an inspiration to you coming up?

Dave Kelly, Steelie and Cleevie, Sly and Robbie, Bobby Digital, and Tony Kelly.

Are Jamaicans in dancehall finally getting their business in order, ie, are they sculpting their business model for dancehall after the hugely successful hip-hop business model, thus creating jobs for ghetto youth and taking control of their finances and making sure all the money is paid back to them?

I can't speak for all, but by now they all realize that it's a business and they should get things sorted out. Although, for me, I'm on the fight track.

How much of a tragedy was it when Bogle was shot?

It was sad for the dancehall fraternity. Even to this date, he was like a brother to me and I miss him baaaad. That's the reason why I made the song "Bogle Memorial," so that the dancehall goers can remember him.

Shout outs?

Thanks to the almighty who made all things possible, big up to all my longtime fans who always believe in me. Big up to my new fans, my mom and dad, big ship family father Freddie McGregor--you large--Stephen, Chino, Shema, Super Mark, Bookie, Barry Clarke, Dalton, Nico Bam-Bam, DJ Smurf, my brother Dwayne who's always supporting me, and my girlfriend, the one who turned my life around. And I have to big up to you for taking the time out to do this interview.

RIP, Bogle.