Black Roots

With his gap-toothed smile, manic stage presence, and penchant for flashy headgear, Sugar Minott was easily one of the most charismatic performers recording for Studio One in the late ‘70s. His output for the venerable label helped revive its flagging commercial prospects at a time when upstart producers like Joe Gibbs, Lee Perry, and Joseph Hookim were starting to challenge Coxsone Dodd’s dominance of the reggae scene. By the end of the decade, however, Minott had grown tired of Studio One's highly regimented atmosphere. Minott broke off to form his own imprint, Black Roots—and it was with records like 1979's Black Roots that he truly came into his own. Where Minott had previously performed over older Studio One instrumental tracks (many of them recorded in the late ‘60s), Black Roots found him stretching out over a set of original rhythms and tackling more complex subject matter than on any of his previous efforts. The album’s lead-off track, “Hard Time Pressure,” became Minott’s signature tune, but this album is a classic from front to back. It's required listening for anyone seeking insight into the trajectory of Minott’s career.