Gappy Ranks

Evoking the British reggae surge of the 1990s, when acts such as Maxi Priest and Bitty McLean dominated the scene, singer Gappy Ranks extends U.K. reggae’s reach internationally. Born Jacob Lee Williams, the London-based performer faced the threat of homelessness at the outset of his career, yet radio placements and a steady schedule of live performances enabled his ascent. He joined the Greensleeves roster in 2009 and delivered his first album for the label, Put the Stereo On, the following year. That release looked back to the reggae sounds of the 1960s, whereas the 2011 follow-up Thanks & Praise moved ahead with prominent dancehall rhythms and a clear R&B sensibility. Blending styles once more, Shining Hope appeared in 2013 under the VP imprint Hot Coffee Music and featured the Bob Marley tribute “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.” In 2014 he joined producer Tom Chasteen on Gappy Ranks Meets Dub Club, a Stones Throw collection comprising six fresh tracks alongside four dub versions. The 2016 Hot Coffee LP Guide Me incorporated contributions from the German production crew Jugglerz and American vocalist J Boog, while his eighth studio album, Pure Badness, surfaced a year later.