New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu


?>

 

Makin Waves Record of the Week: Version City Rockers’ ‘Fortitude Riddim’


By Bob Makin

originally published: 01/18/2018


“Fortitude Riddim” is the latest compilation by a group of individual artists known collectively as Version City Rockers released by producer-artist King Django through his New Brunswick-based Version City studio on his Stubborn Records label. The fortitude riddim originally was created by Django in 2002 sessions for Version City Rockers’ “Darker Roots” album. Django then went around the world, collaborating with and capturing 15 other reggae and dub artists with tunes they composed to the fortitude riddim. 

While it’s interesting to hear how 16 artists take different melodic and lyrical approaches to the same rhythm, after 16 songs, the collection gets monotonous. The best of the bunch is the Bob Marley-minded opener, “Let There Be Love,” by dancehall great Johnny Osbourne.  Also worth downloading is rocksteady master Carl Dawkins’ soulful, sexy dub, “Tranquility;” Django’s philosophical rap, “The More I Learn;” Justin Rothberg’s “God of Abraham,” one of the comp’s two instrumentals; Nigger Kojak’s meditative “Give Ear;” P-Dub’s diversely rhythmic, vocally dynamic mellow jam, “Solitude,” and Drew Daniels’ exotic love song, “Talk about Love.”

What’s even more interesting about “Fortitude Riddim” is the deeply spiritual approach the majority of the artists take to Rastafarianism and the worship of Jah. Driven by Rastafarian-style Niyabinghi drums, Pampidoo (“Selassie I Rule”), Rocker-T (“Dread Inna Mi Heart”), Little John (“I Feel Good”) and Prophet Adam (“Final Judgment”) join Osbourne and Kojak in a soul parade of love and worship. Others, such as Prince Alla (“We No Want No Bomb”) Jack Ruby Jr. (“Action Time”), and Kapaichie (“One for All”), step up politically to the mic to spew solutions to societal and global ills. 

Ironically, after Django wrote the fortitude riddim, he was forced to embrace fortitude in the wake of the 2008 hurricane death of his Jamaican mentor, Bertram Brown of the Freedom Sounds label, who helped launch the Version City subsidiary label in Kingston. Django then got screwed in a bad music business deal, his home and studio got destroyed when a New Brunswick contractor caused a backup of raw sewerage in 2015, and a year later, his father died of cancer. Yet, despite also suffering from sciatica and a hernia, the Brooklyn-raised Django managed to tough out “Fortitude Riddim” to share with his large international fan base. The influential, eclectically talented artist’s fiery but fluid rap, “The More I Learn,” makes a nice bridge between his 2014 LP, “Anywhere I Roam,” and whatever he plans on doing next. 




Promote your shows at New Jersey Stage! Click here for info



Bob Makin is the reporter for www.MyCentralJersey.com/entertainment and a former managing editor of The Aquarian Weekly, which launched this column in 1988. Contact him at makinwaves64@yahoo.com. Like Makin Waves at www.facebook.com/makinwavescolumn.




New Jersey Stage is proud to be the home of Bob Makin's Makin Waves column since 2017. His Song of the Week column comes out every Friday. He also writes an Album of the Month and Interview of the Month as well.

FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


Straight

Straight No Chaser - Summer: The 90’s Part 2

Tuesday, July 08, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC)
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
category: music


 

Frisson

Frisson Winds

Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 7:30pm
The Morris Museum Back Deck
6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ 07960
category: music


 

Three

Three American Troubadours: A Tribute to James Taylor, Carly Simon, and Carole King

Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Axelrod Performing Arts Center
100 Grant Avenue, Deal Park, NJ 07723
category: music


 

Candlelight

Candlelight Concert: Tribute to Queen and The Beatles

Friday, July 11, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Monmouth University - Pollak Theatre
400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
category: music


 

Motor

Motor City Revue

Friday, July 11, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Bell Theater
101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733
category: music


 



Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info





 

EVENT PREVIEWS

Jazz

Jazz Concert at Trenton City Museum will Feature the Joe Baione Vibraphone Experience

(TRENTON, NJ) -- Trenton City Museum will present a free jazz concert Friday, July 18, 2025 at the museum's Ellarslie Mansion in Cadwalader Park. Featuring world-renowned vibraphonist Joe Baione, the Joe Baione Vibraphone Experience is the first group to perform in a series of jazz events leading up to the museum's 2026 TRENTON MAKES JAZZ exhibition, in collaboration with the City of Trenton.



The

The Newton Theatre presents Tonight's the Night - a tribute to Rod Stewart

(NEWTON, NJ) -- Tonight's the Night - a tribute band that celebrates the music of Rod Stewart - will perform at The Newton Theatre on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at 8:00pm.



Hoboken's

Hoboken's Sinatra Park to Host Concert by Freedy Johnson and Karyn Kuhl and the Gang

(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Local events organizer, Geri Fallo, who retired last year, is inviting you to celebrate with her, as she embraces new and exciting endeavors. Come enjoy a free evening of music in Hoboken's Sinatra Park (525 Sinatra Drive) on Thursday, July 17, 2025. The evening is presented by Mayor Ravi Bhalla, The Hoboken Division of Cultural Affairs, and Geri Fallo. The event is free, and music starts at 6:30pm. Come early for the best seating.



An

An Interview with Dan Kurtz of The New Deal

Formed in 1999, Toronto, Canada based trio The New Deal, is a pioneer in jam-based electronic music. The group was founded by remaining members Dan Kurtz (bass) and Jamie Shields (keys), along with Darren Shearer (drums) who left tND in 2011. Since its inception, tND has remained committed to its improvisational roots and has served as a model for other jamtronica bands bridging the gap between multiple music genres as well as the border between Canada and the United States.



Two

Two NJ Jazz Musicians Will Play with The Jazz Ambassadors in Morristown

Pianist Anthony Pocetti grew up in Hamilton, NJ, studying piano, "doing sort of traditional piano lessons. I have an uncle who was always encouraging me to get into the jazz thing. He gave me the (Miles Davis) Kind of Blue CD, and he knew that the jazz pianist Jim Ridl was living in Hamilton."