Combining a biblical sense of righteousness with the patter of a Kingston hustler, Manley Augustus Buchanan (a.k.a. Big Youth) made a name for himself as one of the pre-eminent roots-reggae toasters of the mid-'70s. “Natty Cultural Dread” is prime Big Youth, with Buchanan calmly spinning a chant about the Ital diet and conscious living as his loose, slangy vocals practically become one with the dewey riddims. His take on the Ray Charles classic “Hit the Road Jack” channels all the fire of the original into a textured, grooving slice of dub that's as energised as it is effortless.
