Turbulence: Holding the torch for Conscious Dancehall’s next generation is Turbulence, who has even taken to calling himself “The Future” for that very reason. He is the heir-apparent to Sizzla Kalonji, who has taken the young DJ under his wing and taught him the finer points of walking the line between roots, reality and rudebwoy imagery.

Turbulence’s DJ style patterned off of his Sizzla’s melodic chatting and occasional fire-breathing rasp. His singing style, however, is more refined and confident than his mentor’s thin falsetto. Turbulence’s fans are evenly divided among those who think he should sing-jay more and those who think he should croon his way to the top. His talent is undeniable.

However, like Assassin, Turbulence still sounds too much like Sizzla to really command attention on his own. He has also picked up his mentor’s habit of flooding the market with albums, having released four albums in the second half of 2003. What Turbulence needs now is one really good album, not a string of so-so ones.

Prediction: SOLID. The problem with Turbulence seeing himself as “The Future” is that Sizzla has a looong time left at the top. For Turbulence to excel, he must distance himself from Kalonji and seize the day. He has yet to prove he can do this.

Discography: Turbulence, Rising, Different Thing, Truth , Future Join Us, Hail to the King [Reviewed in the January '04.pdf Magazine]