Shinehead Serves Notice With Rap-Spiced Reggae

Too bad only 100 people showed up at the John Anson Ford Theatre on Saturday afternoon, because a Jamaican-born, New York-bred toaster/rapper who goes by the name of Shinehead served notice that his brand of reggae spiced with rap is a future force to be reckoned with. Headlining “Jamaica Aid 2,” a benefit to raise funds for the Jamaica Relief Fund in the wake of hurricane Gilbert, Shinehead effortlessly blended an ever-shifting melange of musical motifs and lyrical riffs during his hourlong set.

Shinehead (nee Edmund Carl Aiken) and his versatile backing quintet, the A Team, principally operated from a reggae base. “Toasting” is the Jamaican equivalent (and forerunner) of rap, and Shinehead merged the two when he traded in Jamaican patois for American B-Boy slang. “Who the Cap Fit” moved from hard political commentary to apocalyptic religious imagery over bedrock reggae rhythms, but Shinehead’s best shot was his opening one--”Unity,” the title track of his new album, combined spare funk with rock ‘n’ roll (the Beatles’ “Come Together”) and a plea for unity directed at hip-hop deejays.

Most important, Shinehead displayed the kind of quick wit and engaging performing skills, lyrical substance and musical imagination to avoid getting stuck in any kind of rap or reggae rut.