Rumours Riddim | Various Labels & Producers

Playlist • 19 tracks(s) • 275K views

"Rumours Riddim" is the riddim-child of Augustus "Gussie" Clarke (born 1954) a reggae producer who worked with some of the top Jamaican reggae artists in the 1970's and later set up his own Music Works studio. Clarke started working in the music industry by cutting dub plates and made his debut as a producer in 1972, with U-Roy's "The Higher The Mountain". He established himself as the top producer of deejays in the early 1970's with albums such as Big Youth's Screaming Target, and I-Roy's "Presenting I Roy", both regarded as among the best deejay albums ever produced. Clarke soon built an arsenal of prominent artists that included the likes of Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, Augustus Pablo, Leroy Smart, and The Mighty Diamonds, including on the latter's influential "Pass the Kouchie" in 1981. Much of Clarke's output was released on his own Gussy and Puppy labels. In 1988 he launched his Music Works studio, equipped and ready to fully adopt the digital reggae era which led to Gregory Isaacs' hit "Rumours", the biggest hit on the island during the summer of 1988. J.C Lodge's "Telephone Love", using the same riddim, was the biggest reggae hit of the same year in the United States. The riddim built such a momentum that a few years later she teamed up with Shabba Ranks to release "Telephone Love (Deh Pond Mi Mind)". Important to note is that also within the birth year of the "Rumours Riddim" (1988), Another Producer Edward O’Sullivan Lee aka "Bunny Lee" released a version album of Clarke’s "Rumours Riddim" which was a monster hit the same year. Delroy Wilson, Tullo T, Double Ugly and Beenie Man refereed to as Beany Man back then were a few of the artistes to grace this album. Beenie Man was just 15 years old when he voiced on the riddim. Another significant Reggae riddim to grace the 80's. Patronage to all involved.