Beenie Man

This 2000 release was Beenie Man's attempt to move beyond Jamaica's borders, with the help of an all-star cast of American collaborators that included Redman, Kelis and Wyclef. R&B and rap displace dancehall influences to a large extent, and the sublime pop hit "Girls Dem Sugar" guaranteed the crossover attempt would meet with some success.

Hip-hop plus salsa plus r&b plus more r&b equals pure reggae crossover ("Analyze This," "Girls Dem Sugar") (Grade - ***)