Jahshii Goes 90s Dancehall With New Clash Song ‘Dem Nuh Bad’

Now that the Summer is ending, Jahshii seems to have fully shifted gears, discarding his usual Trap beats and teaming up with producer DJ Frass to smack his opponents with the new song Dem Nuh Bad, voiced on a hardcore 90s Dancehall beat, a seeming remake of Steelie and Clevie’s Giggy riddim.

The hook in Jahshii’s Dem Nuh Bad samples Baby Wayne’s Mama, which was voiced on the Giggy in 1991. 

His verses also have a distinct Mad Cobra flow.

However, instead of the cautionary tale of Baby Wayne’s Mama, which warned young men against engaging in ‘badness’, the Born Fighter declares that he is an action-packed badman “like Dancehall throwback”, while his opponents are merely Instagram bad guys. 

In the black and white music video which was released late Saturday night on YouTube, Jahshii dons 90s attire, and saunters around with his crew, with his ganja spliff in his mouth.  At times, he is shown sporting a mesh merino, the rude boy attire historically associated with Dancehall.

Jahshii has not called any names in the song, which apparently means he is addressing his message to those “whom it may concern”. 

He has also said nothing further, except to note on his YouTube channel that this was “Real Dancehall”, this to the delight of his fans.

In July, Jahshii had said that even though he is not averse to engaging in record-for-record combat with Silk Boss, Intence or any other deejay, trading diss songs in the Summer, with his slate was fully booked for performances and dubplates, was not a priority. 

At the time, he had said he was not about to allow Silk Boss or any followers who are goading him on to clash, to determine the pace at which he conducts his business affairs, this after Silk Boss took aim at him on July 19 in a diss track titled Facts, after he mocked Silk’s motor vehicle, which appeared to be in need of repairs, on Instagram.

Jahshii had dismissed Silk Boss as having too much idle time on his hands. The First Nation artist had also told vlogger/producer Terro Don that he was following the traditional approach of Dancehall culture, in which the Summer months are dedicated to money-making via touring and performances.

The month of November he had argued, was dedicated to recording diss songs as a precursor to a showdown at Sting, which is Dancehall’s greatest platform for clashing, and where all Dancehall arguments historically, are settled face-to-face.

Sting will make a return on Boxing Day, December 26, at the Grizzly’s Plantation Cove in St. Ann, after a seven-year hiatus.

Jahshii had also told Terro Don that he would lyrically crush Silk Boss and any other deejay who is feisty enough to face him at Sting, as he had taken cues from the late Merciless, who decimated Ninjaman, Bounty Killer, and Beenie Man at Sting 2000.

The First Nation artist had also insisted that it was a ridiculous idea for artists to be voicing clash tunes so early, as these songs should be reserved for the October-November period for the lead-up to Sting.  He had argued that such songs would not resonate with the audience at Summer shows, as the holiday period was meant for fun songs and “Summer songs”.

Some of Jahshii’s followers have begun to throw down the proverbial gauntlet to the artists in his peer group, declaring that they must prove their Dancehall mettle by similarly voicing their responses on a complex riddim such as the Giggy, as Dancehall diss songs must be sung on authentic riddims and not Trap.

“Finally a dancehall diss song!! With a dancehall riddim,” Mustic said.

“Jahshii has separated himself from the bunch with this. I’m impressed. Everything is on point…10/10,” Wayne Booth declared.

“Well this is a quite the shocker but always refreshing. Thought provoking as well. How many of the new yutes could do this?” Gridlokk noted after listening the track, while Dontaye noted: “Love eh old style dancehall beat mix, really and truly nuh see nun like this inna the new era a dancehall.”

There were also celebrations by some who reveled in the fact that by virtue of Jahshii’s actions, 90s Dancehall styles would be making a comeback.

“Jahshi the riddim, the lyrics, the delivery…. Youth you powerful you are here to stay you will be successful after 10 years bad bombath song … Man go old 90s riddim fi show him fulla style this is classic and you know music,” said Nathan Nelson.

Discourse Motion added: “Jahshii is a dangerous force inna dancehall. Once you study the legends and icons of the past, you cannot lose. War start but this is only a prelude. Stand witness to greatness”, while VNSenseRythm added: “Back to sampling on a wicked classic riddim Jashii mek dem knowkill anything pon ah sampling!!!”

As for the Baby Wayne’s Mama sample, it was produced on the Giggy riddim, a juggling riddim, released in late 1991, by Wycliffe “Steely” Johnson and Cleveland “Clevie” Browne.

The song which cautioned young men to not commit murder and become wanted men, topped the RJR and JBC Radio One charts in April 1992.

The songs which made up the Giggy riddim were recorded at Mixing Lab studio in Kingston.   Among the tracks were Ting-A-Ling by Shabba Ranks, Stone by Powerman, Shot A Talk by Mad Cobra, and Matey by Penny Irie.

Mama was the breakout hit Baby Wayne, a native of St. Catherine.  The artist, whose given name was Wayne Parkinson also had another big hit in 1993, a collab with Leroy Smart titled Money Friend.  

Baby Wayne died in October 2005 from pneumonia at age 37.