On February 25, 1992 Shabba Ranks became the first dancehall artiste to win the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album with As Raw As Ever. Previous winners were roots-reggae acts like Black Uhuru, who first won the category in 1985.

Shabba Ranks was coming off a prolific 1991, having signed with Epic Records, which released
As Raw As Ever. It included the Billboard Hot 100 single Housecall featuring Maxi Priest, the UK chart hit Trailer Load A Girls and the #1 Billboard Rap Single, The Jam, featuring rapper KRS-One.

As Raw as Ever debuted at #89 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart and topped the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) one month before the 1992 Grammys.

Music producer Mikey Bennett, who worked on multiple tracks from As Raw as Ever, including Housecall, recalled his first meeting with Shabba Ranks.

“My involvement with Shabba Ranks was facilitated through the late, great Bobby Digital, while we were working at King Jammy studio. I remember one night he played me something and, when I heard the voice, I said: ‘Who is this?’ And he said it was the same youth who had been sitting down in the studio from morning. And I said, ‘This is one of the greatest voices I’ve heard!’ And we went to a dance the same night and heard when he [Shabba] touched the mic,” Bennett said in an interview with the Jamaica Observer’s Splash on Thursday.

At the time, Home T (the group Bennett was a member of) was working on a project with King Jammy, which resulted in the song Who She Love, which was meant to be a Home T single. Cocoa Tea and Shabba got involved and the “three-the-hard-way song” became a hit.

Bennett then encouraged fellow producer Gussie Clarke to record Shabba on Clarke’s Rumours rhythm, which had hit songs like the title track by Gregory Isaacs and Nuff Respect by Lady G

“Greensleeves Records called and said if we got all three artistes (Home T, Cocoa Tea and Shabba Ranks) to do a song about the whole pirate radio station system in England it would blow up the place. We wrote
Pirates Anthem and, as predicted, it blew up. Later on, Gussie did an album with all three. Throughout this time, Shabba and I got close and I did an album with him for my “2 Friends” label called Golden Touch. My songs with Shabba started to make inroads in New York. I had done some songs with Maxi Priest for Gussie, so I had the working relationship with Maxi as well,” Bennett shared.

After the deejay signed with Epic, his manager Clifton “Specialist” Dillon asked Bennett if he had any songs for Shabba’s début album for the label. On his way to New York to meet Maxi Priest and Shabba, Bennett was accompanied by singer Brian Gold who came up with the chorus for what became Housecall.

They arranged a studio session for the next day and, while crafting the song, there was space left to fill Shabba’s vocals.

“We did the song on this rhythm that I had. One day I got a call from Dean Fraser, who said I had the biggest reggae song in America. I said, ‘Which song dat?’ And he said the song with Shabba Ranks and Maxi Priest. I heard that it had been remixed, and I had no idea what the remix sounded like. Then a few hours after Dean’s call [Epic Records executive] Vivian Scott called and said, ‘You are my hero. I think we have a big hit on our hands!’ I realised there was something big happening,” said Bennett.

Shabba Ranks’ impact on the American pop scene was so big that major record companies began signing reggae and dancehall acts.

“We were doing the songs, and the labels were finding people to remix them. They were trying to break them into different markets. You heard Shabba’s music being played in cars, clubs, and on the radio. Reggae/dancehall was making the buzz, and it was the new flavour. What helped was the amount of promotions they had for reggae and dancehall,” Bennett stated.

He added that winning the Grammy did a lot for Shabba as well as his (Bennett’s) career as a producer/songwriter.

“After the success, everyone kept calling. I subsequently co-produced an album for Maxi Priest, and I worked with LL Cool J and Caron Wheeler of Soul II Soul. It was an opportunity for us to make money,” Bennett shared.

Almost 34 years after its release, Bennett says As Raw as Ever has aged well and is a potential collectors’ item.

The album also features production by Bobby Digital, Steely and Clevie, and KRS-One.

Among its musicians are keyboardists Handel Tucker and Paul “Wrong Move” Crossdale, bassist Michael Fletcher, guitarists Earl “Chinna” Smith, Stephen “Cat” Coore, and Danny Browne; along with drummers Sly Dunbar and George “Dusty” Miller.

The 67th Grammy Awards will take place this Sunday, February 2 at the Crypto.com Arena on Los Angeles, California.

The nominees in the Best Reggae Album category are Evolution by The Wailers, Never Gets Late Here by Shenseea, Take It Easy by Collie Buddz, Party With Me by Vybz Kartel, and Bob Marley: One Love – Music Inspired by The Film (Deluxe) – Various Artistes.