Words by Jesse Serwer, Photo by DJ Gravy—

Last week, we brought you a taste of our recent reasoning session with dancehall legend Nardo Ranks. In round two of our interview, Na-na-na-na-na-Nardo reflects on his apprenticeship on Jamaica’s Caveman Hi Power sound, his early sparring sessions with Wayne Wonder, and why New York City embraced his music before Jamaicans did. And we had to ask him for the stories behind the favorites for which he is best known: “Rikers Island” (with Cocoa Tea), “Burrup” and “Them a Bleach.” True to form, the self-described “different kind of actor, natural kind of character and human factor” delivers each tale in colorful fashion.