Sluggy Ranks (Born Andrew Gregory)
1968 – July 29, 2012
Born in East Kingston, Jamaica in 1968, Sluggy Ranks moved to New York City in 1981 to pursue his music career. By the mid ’80s, Ranks was recording for Jah Life Records out of Brooklyn. He eventually became one of the city’s most prominent dancehall singers. Ranks built a strong following thanks to his socially conscious lyrics and strong vocal styling. Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, he could be found singing for such premier New York City area sound systems as King Custom Sound and Mini Mart Hi Power while packing in crowds at the popular Biltmore Ballroom and Reggae Lounge. Throughout his career, he released several scene defining singles including “95% Black 5% White” and “Ghetto Youth Bust.” On July 29, 2012, Sluggy Ranks died of injuries he sustained in a car accident while in Kingston. He was 44.