The 10 Best Songs Inspired By Shabba Ranks’ ‘Ting-A-Ling’ And The ‘Giggy’ Riddim
Over the years, the influence of both the Giggy Riddim (created in 1991) and Shabba Ranks’ Ting-a-Ling has spawned a wave of new songs that were inspired as much by Shabba’s delivery as they were by the instrumental itself. Produced by Steely and Clevie, the original riddim featured other hits such as Sasha’s Kill The B-tch!, Baby Wayne’s Mama, Powerman’s Stone, Mad Cobra’s Shot A Talk, and Simpleton’s Coca Cola Bottle Shape.
It stands in extremely rare company as one of the few riddims of Dancehall that repeatedly blurs the lines between Dancehall itself and Pop, Hip Hop, and R&B. It transforms the works of those who were privileged enough to use it, and those who may yet be lucky enough to use it in the future.
Below we rank the ten best songs inspired by the Giggy riddim and Shabba’s hit version.
1. Spice – Romantic Mood (2018)
The Queen of Dancehall Spice’s Romantic Mood is as true to the roots of the Giggy Riddim as it gets. Produced by two of the original creators of the riddim, Steely and Clevie, the banger is a down-to-earth, unapologetic homage to the era of Dancehall characterized by zinc fences, over-the-top colourful fashion, sound systems and endless bumping and grinding.
The song draws inspiration from a number of Dancehall classics including Sasha’s Kill The B-tch!, Patra’s Queen Of the Pack, Sister Nancy’s Bam Bam, Dawn Penn’s No, No, No, among others, and it masterfully honors some of the genre’s most powerful, pioneering female artists. Spice specifically identifies those women as Althea and Donna, Sister Nancy, Sister Charmaine, Patra, Dawn Penn, Sasha, Marcia Griffiths and Lady Ann in the Xtreme Arts-directed music video, which currently boasts over nine million views on the star’s YouTube page.
2. Tai’aysha & Saweetie – One Night Ting (2022)
In this Di Genius-produced track, which features up-and-coming Hip Hop/R&B artist, Tai’aysha and American rapper Saweetie, the influence of the Giggy riddim, and that of Ting-a-Ling was almost palpable. With the song’s official music video set to scenes reminiscent of old-school dancehall, with both ladies styled to a fusion of Dancehall and Hip Hop fashionwear, the riddim seamlessly served as a flexible yet firm base for the song’s Hip Hop and R&B flavour.
According to Tai’aysha in an interview with People.com, the single is “about cutting loose, letting go, and throwing yourself into the night.” and that in her real life, she’s “never actually had a one-night stand”, which is what the song basically speaks about. She even went on to mention that not having a one night stand isn’t for a lack of her trying, but “they [the guys] come to my house the next day or send me flowers.”
3. A$ap Ferg, A$ap Rocky – Shabba (2013)
Shabba, by A$AP Ferg featuring A$AP Rocky, is the best-selling song in the United States on this list. Released in 2013 as the lead single for Ferg’s debut studio album, Trap Lord, the song takes things a step further beyond merely sampling Ting-a-Ling, and features a guest appearance from Shabba Ranks himself in the music video. Produced by Chinza and Fly, Shabba is a high-energy track that combines a hard-hitting beat with catchy melodies and verses from Ferg and Rocky.
Shabba peaked at No. 7 on the US Billboard Under Hot 100 chart and No. 34 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop songs chart. It was certified 2X platinum last year, selling over two million copies in the US.
4. Leftside & Esco – Tuck In U Belly (2005)
This 2005 release by the now-defunct Dancehall duo, Leftside and Esco, provided one of the most memorable modern takes on the Giggy riddim. Produced by both Esco and Leftside on what they called the Throwback Giggy riddim, Tuck In Yuh Belly provided a blend of musical comedy and, oddly enough, a message of body consciousness in the song’s light-hearted jab at women who were out of shape. The song’s music video complements the comedic themes in the song effortlessly and does justice to Giggy riddim within the context of two artists who knew their strengths and played to them.
5. Vybz Kartel – Gaza Ting-a-Ling (2009)
Vybz Kartel took his swing at the iconic track, sampling Ting-a-Ling in a way only the head of the Gaza can. Released in 2009 on the School Bell Riddim, and produced by Craig ‘Leftside’ Park, Gaza Ting-a-Ling takes the majority of its flow from its muse, Shabba’s original track. Gaza Ting-a-Ling is track number 17 on Vybz Kartel’s Pon Di Gaza 2.0.
6. Wale – Name Ring Bells (2021)
Rapper Wale could not resist the pull of the Giggy riddim-backed Ting-a-Ling, and in 2021, he sampled the track on his song Name Ring Bell, which appeared on his Folarin II album. In the song, Wale raps about his rise to fame and the success he has achieved in the music industry. He brags about his wealth and fame, and the fact that people recognize him and his name. He also touches on the theme of loyalty, stating that he has remained true to his roots and has not let his fame go to his head.
The song ended with an outro playing an altered version of Ting-a-Ling.
7. Buju Banton – Too Bad (2005)
Buju Banton, the Reggae legend, took a playful, self-aggrandizing swing at Leftside and Esco’s Throw Back Giggy riddim with this entry from his eighth studio album of the same name. The track took its share of the airwaves in 2006 as a refreshing call-back to Banton’s earlier years when his music dangerously toed the line between Reggae music and Dancehall.
Too Bad, bolstered by the influence of Giggy’s fast tempo and percussion instruments, helped the Til Shiloh singer issue a timely reminder to his fans about his flexibility.
8. Burna Boy – Don Gorgon (2014)
Produced by Spellz, Don Gorgon showcases Burna Boy’s unique blend of Afrobeat and reggae influences, particularly those from Shabba – not just Ting-a-Ling, but his overall look. The Afrobeat superstar seemed intent on replicating Shabba Ranks’ overall look, and the flashy jewelry and oversized clothing at points throughout the video captured that. The song also gives an obvious nod to Ninjaman, the original ‘Don Gorgon’, evident in song’s name and catchy hook.
9. Nicki Minaj – Pink Print Freestyle (2016)
Nicki Minaj, the Trinidadian-born superstar, honors the roots of her Caribbean music heritage with this one, which is nothing new for those who follow the Anaconda rapper’s career. The Pink Print Freestyle is a fierce and confident track that showcases Minaj’s signature rap style and clever lyricism, and its hard-hitting beat and sparse production provide the perfect backdrop for her rapid-fire flow and clever wordplay which incorporated everything from Game of Thrones to The Godfather. The song, which is ultimately a lyrical flex, caps off with a change in flow that perfectly introduced Ranks’ Ting-a-Ling as the crescendo.
10. Drake – Wednesday Night Interlude (2015)
From his Grammy-nominated 2015 mixtape If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, Wednesday Night Interlude, which featured and was produced by PartyNextDoor, comes as an honest, emotional delivery by Drake which briefly taps into Shabba’s heavily-sampled track in its third verse with the lyrics:
“Ring ring ring,
What a thing,
Ring ring ring,
School bell a ring…”