DI REAL ROCK: MACKA B AND FIREHOUSE CREW SHAKE THE FOUNDATION
One of the UK’s most respected reggae voices, Macka B steps up with Di Real Rock, riding the most iconic riddim in Jamaican music with trademark precision and cultural depth. Cut at Studio One in 1967 by Sound Dimension under Coxsone Dodd, it’s a masterclass in reggae history over the Real Rock riddim.
The production comes from Firehouse Crew, who also released the track on their own label and recorded it at Anchor Studio in Kingston. That level of investment shows in the session. As veterans of the 1990s roots renaissance, they know this terrain intimately. The riddim sits deep and unhurried, giving Macka B all the room he needs.
“Real Rock is one of the biggest riddims to ever come out of Jamaica,” the artist says. “When Firehouse Crew called me to voice it, I knew I had to give the people the full history. This is a tune and a lesson in where we come from, and why the riddim still shakes the foundation today.”
A TUNE AND A LESSON IN WHERE WE COME FROM
Born Christopher MacFarlane in Wolverhampton to Jamaican parents, Macka B rides the groove with effortless flow. The Real Rock riddim has been versioned hundreds of times, from Willie Williams’ Armageddon Time and Junior Murvin’s Cool Out Son, through to Buju Banton, Barrington Levy and Beres Hammond.
He name-checks a roll call of giants, honouring the riddim’s history while stamping his own conscious signature on it.
Some riddims don’t age. Di Real Rock unites Macka B and Firehouse Crew, delivering authentic musicianship firmly rooted in the cornerstone of conscious reggae.
ABOUT MACKA B
One of the UK’s most influential reggae artists, Macka B brings four decades of intelligent, conscious lyricism to stages worldwide. He has performed alongside Burning Spear, The Wailers and Lee Perry.
His viral Medical Mondays and Wha Me Eat Wednesdays social series reach millions, blending ital living with modern digital culture.
