HOW STINGING RAY’S THE MAN FROM BEIJING MARKS A NEW ERA FOR GLOBAL REGGAE
Reggae has always travelled well, but Stinging Ray now expands its horizons even further. On his freshly released LP, The Man From Beijing, the Chinese artist blends authentic Jamaican roots with eastern soul. It is a striking collection that bridges two worlds without losing an ounce of heart.
Producer Jericho, working through Irie Ites Records, sculpts a landscape where classic one-drop meets subtle hip-hop textures across 16 heavy tracks. Stinging Ray glides effortlessly between English, Patois, and Mandarin. He delivers messages of resilience, faith, and freedom across roots, rub-a-dub, and deep dubwise styles.
The record hits hard right out of the gates. Chinaman Party opens the project with explosive energy, linking Beijing directly to Kingston. Smooth anthems like Stepper and My Rizla anchor conscious lyrics to heavyweight rhythms.
Meanwhile, reggae veteran Chezidek joins for Mount Zion, creating a shining highlight that celebrates spiritual strength and Rastafari faith.
JAMAICAN ROOTS BRIDGE CHINESE CULTURE WITHOUT LOSING AN OUNCE OF HEART
The album moves easily between militant resistance and quiet introspection. Romantic cut Bird On The Wire brings a gentle touch before Forbidden Herbz fires back against oppression. Towards the end, Drifter explores identity and exile, leading into the soulful finish of No Remedy II.
Six exclusive dub cuts mixed in classic Irie Ites fashion elevate the release even further. These echo-laden mixes give selectors and sound systems deep, immersive trips through the album’s finest riddims.
The Man From Beijing offers a fresh perspective on roots reggae while remaining faithful to its foundations. Stinging Ray honours this while stepping forward as a compelling voice in the international reggae scene.
TRACKLIST
01. ChinaMan Party
02. Stepper
03. My Rizla
04. Mount Zion ft Chezidek
05. Bird On The Wire
06. Forbidden Herbz
07. Drifter
08. Don’t Let Dem
09. To H.I.M I Run
10. No Remedy II
11. No Remedy Dub
12. Mount Zion Dub
13. Forbidden Dubz
14. My Rizla Dub
15. Drifter Dub
16. Don’t Let Dem Dub
CREDITS
Musicians/Riddims: King Jammy’s, Medtone, The Ligerians, Tribuman, Riddim Factory, West Finga
Label: Irie Ites Records
Publishing: Irie Ites International
Production, Arrangement: Manuel Malhoeuvre, Jericho
Mixing: Roberto Sanchez, Irie Ites
Mastering: Etienne Jeanne, Cris
ABOUT STINGING RAY
Rising from Beijing’s underground hip-hop scene to co-founding the Dungeon Beijing rap label, Liu Rui, aka Stinging Ray, constantly breaks ground. He is co-founder and a director at ChinaMan Yard, China’s first dedicated reggae label.
Now, the emerging artist collaborates with legendary Jamaican acts like Roots Radics. He delivers conscious, authentic roots music, firmly establishing Chinese reggae on the global stage.
