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| Reggae icon's best & rarest. Untold Stories, Murderer, Ring The Alarm Quick, Deportees, Hills And Valleys, Mama Rule, Champion, Fake Smile, etc. |
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| 1 Buju Movin' |
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| 2 Ring the Alarm Quick |
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| 3 How the World a Run |
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| 4 No Respect |
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| 5 Operation Ardent |
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| 6 Willy (Don't Be Silly) |
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| 7 Deportees (Things Change) |
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| 8 Rampage |
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| 9 Murderer |
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| 10 Sensemelia Persecution |
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| 11 Champion |
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| 12 Untold Stories |
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| 13 Shiloh |
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| 14 Hills and Valleys |
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| 15 Mama Rule |
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| 16 Love Sponge |
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| 17 Fake Smile |
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| 18 Give I Strength |
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Album Review
As is to be expected, the "Ultimate Collection" doesn't quite live up to its billing, but so prolific is Buju Banton, so many hits has he unleashed, that even the fulsome 18 tracks within doesn't begin to collect the ultimate of his material. Besides, this is only partially a Greatest Hits compilation, and draws heavily from the "Mr Mention", "Voice of Jamaica", "'Til Shiloh" and "Inna Heights" albums, and tossing in a few singles for good measure.
Arranged chronologically, the early selection is the weakest of the set, pulling only two numbers from "Mr Mention", neither being the biggest hits, although you do get the entertaining "Buju Movin'" and the crucial "How Massa God World A Run" under an alternate title "How The World A Run". Also from this period is the DJ's version of the Eighties' classic "Ring The Alarm", a welcome inclusion.
From this point on, the Collection turns into a snapshot of the island, in which Banton explores the dancehalls, bedrooms, yard life, and the current cultural climes. Much of the set deal with heavy hitting issues, the troubles in the dancehalls of "Operation Ardent", the safe sex message of "Willy (Don'T Be Silly)", the outrage of the remixed "Rampage", the ravaged cry of "Murderer", the introspective suffering of "Untold Stories", and the Wailers-esque Rastafarian message of "Hills And Valleys, a theme reiterated on "Give I Strength".
Be it telling off an irresponsible ex-pat or glorifying ganja, Banton hits all the cultural bases, although his romantic and sexier side barely get a look in, with only "Mama Rule" - like "Alarm" also utilizing the "Stalag 17" riddim, and the effervescent "Love Sponge", representing this aspect of the DJ's work. A few more of those turn up on Hip-o's "The Best of" set, but at a mere 11 tracks, this is a far superior set to that. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
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• Biography
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Other albums by: Buju Banton |
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