Words by Jesse Serwer, Photo by Floyd Celluloyd—
Butcher-turned-artist Cutty Ranks has never been for the squeamish. The guy known for lines like “Limb by limb we ah go cut dem down/send fi deh hacksaw, take out deh tongue” went full blast with the gore in the video for his politically charged comeback single “Full Blast,” illustrating his lyrical points about police brutality with scenes of young men lying in pools of blood. As the disclaimer at the start of the clip says: FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.
“Full Blast” is the first single from an upcoming LP by the same name and one of three songs on an EP dropped yesterday on Cutty’s own Phillip Music label. It’s a bit different than the abrasive style of dancehall we know Cutty for, with the “Limb by Limb” and “Who Seh Mi Dun” deejay flexing his singing muscles over a self-produced one-drop riddim. The EP also features “Take It Away,” an electro stepper that strives to reconnect Cutty with the U.K. dance world that embraced him in the ’90s. Stream that one below and read our interview with Cutty for more on what the dancehall veteran has been up to.
[audio:http://largeup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/CUTTY-RANKS-TAKE-IT-AWAY-PHILLIP-MUSIC.mp3|titles=CUTTY RANKS – TAKE IT AWAY (PHILLIP MUSIC)]
“Take It Away”
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