Ghetto Story (2006)

He may not be a household name in the U.S., but Cham's booming rhymes have been boosting Kingston riddims for about a decade. On Ghetto Story, his major-label debut, the Jamaican vocalist takes advantage of producer Dave ''The Stranger'' Kelly's gritty lo-fi pulses, his unmistakable baritone adding bravado and empathy to each minimal loop. And with its unflinching take on poverty and violence, the remarkable title track—and its superior remix featuring Akon—goes lengths to secure Cham's place among his country's celebrated soul rebels.