Dutty Rock

Sean Paul isn’t the first dancehall reggae artist to infiltrate pop and hip-hop, but he’s the only one to reach a level of ubiquity that makes him one of his era’s biggest U.S. names. Dutty Rock, his second album, is the onw that put him over. Hard beat-knocking tracks such as “Get Busy” and “Like Glue,” along with the relatively calmer “Ganja Breed,” portray the toaster as an everywhere-at-once nightlife denizen, keeping both eyes on the booty even as he sparks up with his fellow hardmen. He’s not scared of decelerating for lilting sweet-talkers like “I’m Still in Love With You,” a duet with Sasha that gave his softer edges a radio hearing. Paul’s insistent flow, along with his many producers’ ear-grabbing variations on the basic rhythms, make Dutty Rock both emblematic of and unique in its cultural moment.