A The Rulers – Got To Be free
B The Rulers – What A Situation
The Skank and Groove reissue label delivers a treat for fans of early reggae skanks with the release of a 7″ single showcasing two golden nuggets from the Jamaican vocal group The Rulers.
Formed in 1966 at the dawn of the rocksteady era, The Rulers faded from the Jamaican music scene in 1969, just a year after rocksteady transitioned into early reggae. Unlike many of their contemporaries from the late sixties, the group never gained widespread recognition.
Both Got To Be Free and What A Situation exemplify the essence of early reggae — marked by a faster, more rhythmic and choppy style compared to rocksteady. Produced by Carl Johnson, known as Sir J.J., these socially conscious tracks were originally released in 1969 on J.J. Records in Jamaica and on Trojan Records in the UK. They stand as The Rulers’ final recordings before slipping into obscurity.
If you missed out on this single when it first hit the shelves, now’s your opportunity to grab it.