This sonic fusion, which was unprecedented at the time, sparked a dancehall trend that paired with streetwise verses with sweet sing-song hooks. Similar to rap/R&B collaborations, the juxtaposition of Demus’ rugged “toasting” (lyrical chanting in the vein of rapping) and Pliers’ melodic vocals on the hook helped the song take flight. Their new, buzzing “Bam Bam” riddim became one of the most popular dancehall riddims of the early ‘90s, with songs by dancehall greats like Cutty Ranks, Admiral Bailey, and Nardo Ranks.Īlong with its sound, “Murder She Wrote” also introduced a new song structure. Rather than relying on instruments like they did during the 70s roots reggae era, they embraced technology to create electronic drums-based riddims. The new production was inspired by the Toots and the Maytals’ 1966 song “Bam Bam.” Sly and Robbie, who were previously known for their more laid-back reggae and dub stylings, were introducing a new digitized sound to dancehall at the time.
Originally recorded for Jamaican label Harry J Records in 1987, the duo spent five years perfecting the track’s sound: after recording the original song for various local producers (including Jack Scorpio and Specialist), they tried again with Sly and Robbie in 1992. “Murder She Wrote” – Chaka Demus & Pliers’ signature song – was a testament to perseverance. Listen to Chaka Demus & Pliers on Apple Music and Spotify. Solely produced by iconic Jamaican duo Sly & Robbie, the album spawned six Top 40 UK hits: the flirty “Tease Me,” “She Don’t Let Nobody” (a soulful cover of Curtis Mayfield’s 1981 hit), “Gal Wine,” “Twist and Shout” (a cover of the Isley Brothers’ 1962 classic), the R&B-inspired “I Wanna Be Your Man,” and “Murder She Wrote.” The following year, the pair released Tease Me (known as All She Wrote in the United States). After releasing a few albums on local Jamaican labels in 1992, Chaka Demus & Pliers signed to Mango Records (a subsidiary distributed by Island Records). The duo’s prior music business experiences, along with a pop-minded reggae-dancehall fusion sound, helped them gain overseas attention. Chaka Demus & Pliers, a duo composed of deejay Chaka Demus (born John Taylor) and singer Pliers (born Everton Bonner), officially emerged in 1991 after separate solo careers. Back in the early 90s, however, roots-reggae traditionalists were still trying to wrap their head around the brash new sound.Īrtists like Shabba Ranks, Beenie Man, and Buju Banton encapsulated dancehall’s rowdy nature with their explicit lyricism, but a singular duo helped catapult the genre past Caribbean shores. Dancehall music has undergone multiple waves of popularity in the US since its birth in the late 70s from the early 00s takeover with Sean Paul, Elephant Man, and Shaggy, to Rihanna, Drake, and Daddy Yankee putting their own spin on the genre in the 2010s.
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