Possibly the quintessential dancehall deejay of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Ninjaman brought the violent gun talk of the era to frightening and exhilarating new heights. Devotees of the politically conscious lyrics of roots reggae may be shocked by the visceral malevolence of tunes like “Permit to Bury” and “Murder Dem”, but bald-faced threats and boasts of criminal prowess have been essential to reggae culture since deejay Honey Boy Martin brashly proclaimed himself “the rudest of all rude boys” on 1968’s “Dreader Than Dread.” Though Ninjaman’s lyrics may remain controversial his talent is indisputable, and his matchless capacity for lyrical invention is in evidence on every one of the twenty-nine cuts compiled on Anything Test Dead, an expertly assembled survey of Ninjaman’s work between 1987 and 1994. Ninjaman was incredibly prolific during this period, and Anything Test Dead wisely emphasizes the breadth and diversity of his output, leavening the ever-present gun talk with selections that display flashes of romanticism (“Take Time to Know Her”), political consciousness (“Mandela Come”), and nostalgia for the roots era (“Nice Up the Lawn”).