In over thirty years of meeting with reggae artists and musicians in the UK and Kingston, I never encountered anything like the feeling of being around the Xterminator camp during the nineties. It wasn't just the depth of talent that owner Philip Fatis Burrell could call upon or even the quality of his productions, but the sense of purpose he instilled in people. At times, it felt as if he and his group of largely Rasta artists had aligned themselves with a higher power - not just in their reasoning sessions, but when someone stepped to the mic and opened their heart, as well as their mouth. If you recorded for Fatis, you went into the studio empty-handed - no lyrics - and put your trust in the Almighty. That was the rule and the artists who passed through Xterminator had to really feel what they were singing or deejaying about. As you can tell, the music on this album wasn't just slapped down in search of hits or a quick buck. The aim was more profound than that, and nor was it made by people who watched the clock or sought stardom, but souls brave enough to stand up and speak their truth as music filled the room and Fatis smiled from the side-lines. The irony is that whilst they're hailed as classics today, Xterminator records were hardly played on the radio in Jamaica - mainly because payola was rife when these tracks were recorded, and the idea of a DJ playing music for reasons other than love or solidarity was never going to impress Fatis. Four years after recording Hot Stepper, Ini Kamoze had the biggest hit of his career with a revamped Here Comes The Hotstepper but the original version, stripped of bombast and samples, makes the same point just as well. Hot stepper is Jamaican slang for a badman, which is how Gregory Isaacs uses it in the lyrics of Make Me Prosper. That song is another of the Cool Ruler's ghetto confessionals, whereas Ini's advice is to stand strong, don't fear no one. Live good with everyone.
Release date:
January 7, 2022
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
Featuring a one-piece carbon fiber tonearm, precision-tuned motor, and a heavy steel platter with TPE damping, it ensures superior stability and sound quality.
-
Vinyl Care - Top Picks
A selection of accesories to keep your turntable equipment & vinyl records in the best shape
-
Cartridges - Top Picks
A selection of turnatble cartridges that provide great performance and sound quality
-
Nagaoka MP-110H Cartridge
Features a high-quality elliptical stylus that provides excellent tracking and minimizes distortion, delivering a detailed sound reproduction with an output voltage of 5.0 mV
-
Phono Preamps - Top Picks
A selection of the best phono preamps for your turntable setup
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Niia V (Opaque)
Candid
October 10, 2025 -
Between the Buried and Me Blue Nowhere (Mint Green) [2xLP]
Century Media Int'l
September 19, 2025 -
The Vintage Caravan Portals [2xLP]
Napalm Records
September 26, 2025 -
Blue Lake The Animal
Tonal Union
October 3, 2025 -
Ziur Home
Raum Musik
September 19, 2025 -
Will Linley Don't Cry Because It's Over (Baby Pink)
Island
October 17, 2025 -
Lola Young I'm Only F**king Myself (The 'Basic B*tch' Edition Nude Pink)
Island
September 19, 2025 -
Warcoe Upon All Thrones (Pearl)
Ripple Music
September 26, 2025 -
Anne Wilson Stars (Clear)
Sparrow
October 17, 2025 -
AJR Living Room (Bone/Black Splatter)
Bmg
October 24, 2025 -
The Subways When I'm With You [2xLP]
Cooking Vinyl
October 17, 2025 -
Cheap Trick All Washed Up (Graphite Marble)
Bmg
November 14, 2025 -
Beyond The Black Break The Silence (Gold)
Nuclear Blast
January 9, 2026 -
Sammy Hagar Sammy Hagar & The Best Of All Worlds Band (The Residency Amplified Lime/Reverb Blue) [2xLP]
Big Machine Rock
October 10, 2025