Gappy Ranks has returned with Pure Badness, his eighth solo studio album and the fourth release from his Hot Coffee Music Group label. Since he burst into the international spotlight in 2010, Ranks has proven to be a force on any type of riddim. However, Pure Badness is laser-focused on a very particular brand of pop-influenced, contemporary dancehall. This lighter approach to the music is counterbalanced by Gappy’s reality lyrics, employed in about half of the songs, including the titular track. This dichotomy between the lyrics and the riddims inspires a deep sense of unrelenting hope in the face of adversity. Pure Badness, When I Grow Up, Town, and similar tracks further my personal perception of Gappy Ranks as one of the most emotionally stirring contemporary songwriters in the world of reggae, if not the world.
