"While there is life, there is hope," says dancehall reggae star Supercat,"but the struggle will always continue, because life is a struggle. We haveo struggle day to day to make ends meet. And in whatsoever you are doing,ou have to put forth great effort to see success."Super Cat had already seen success in Jamaica and beyond with a string ofancehall hits when he released his first Columbia album, Don Dada, in 1992.ith it's dynamic mix of hardcore deejay reggae with hip-hop and rootseggae, the album set the dancehall scene on its ear and ruled the reggaeharts for more than a year, introducing Super Cat to new fans around theorld. Don Dada was a tough act to follow, and Super Cat devoted over a yearn the studios of Kingston, New York and Los Angeles to the production ofhe Struggle Continues, and album that packs as hard a punch as itsredecessor while breaking new stylistic ground. "When you're talkin' aboutuper Cat," he says, "you're talkin' about a guy who likes to createifferent patterns and sounds, not followin' other people."The Struggle Continues ranges from the tender sentiments of "Turn" to theierce anti-gun lyrics of "Warning" from the vintage dub-reggae sound of "A' Class Rub-A-Dub" to the classic New Orleans R&B of "My Girl Josephine," 1960 Fats Domino hit reproduced with amazing fidelity by singer Jackadics with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare's Taxi Production crew.ackling topics from race to romance to religion to the L.A. riots, thelbum delivers potent messages to a variety of crunching beats. "It's goteggae; it's got R&B reggae; it's got rock 'n' roll reggae; it's got hip-hopeggae, and I would say pop reggae, too," says Super Cat. "While I was outhere tourin', I attracted different audiences, so I realised I have totart thinkin' on a broader scale, entertainin' all the fans that I haveollected over the years."The Struggle Continues begins on a oulsating power note with "Dance," whereuper Cat chants over rhythms laid down at the H.C.&F. studios in Freeportew York, bu Norris Webb and Paul Sutton, the keyboardist and drummer ofat's regular live back-up group, the City Heat Band. "I see the whole worlds dancin'," he says,"so I'm gonna start my album dancin'." The partyontinues with "Girls Town," produced by Erick Sermon at The Music Palace inempstead, New York. "Girls Town" is not a message song," says Cat. "Girlsown" is about a guy findin' himself in a sophisticated place and tryin' toick up a girl."Produced by Super Cat at Kingston's Mixing Lab studios, the love song "Turn"isplays Super Cat's gentler side. But then comes "Warning", a ferociousnti-gun song, recorded at L.A.'s Amercayan Studio, that throws down aetaphorical threat to rival deejays over a hammering hip-hop beat suppliedy Muggs of the rap group Cypress Hill. The mood swings abruptly, this timeo penitence, on "Forgive Me Jah." "No man is perfect on the face of thearth," says Cat, "so I could never complete this album without givin'raises to the most high God, Jah Rastafari.""My Girl Josephine," the album's most surprising track, also appears on theoundtrack of the movie Ready To Wear. "Growin' up in Jamaica, Fats Dominoas a popular guy," says Super Cat. "So when I siad to Jack Radics, 'What doou think about this song?,' Jack said, ' Yo, right now, this is the thing.'hile Radics sings the original lyrics in pure New Orleans style, Super Catmprovises his own mocking commentary. "He's singin' about a girl he kneway back when," Cat explains, "and we get to realise that both of us iseein' this girl." "'A Class Rub-Dub," recorded by Philip Smart and producedy Super Cat in New York, features two new reggae legends, singer Stuartinott and Deejay U-Roy. "Daddy U-Roy is the icon of dance hall reggae,"ays Super Cat,"so I said, why shouldn't I bring the manto the rostrum, tohow the world that this where it's comin' from ?" Over the echoing,ub-style rhythm track, Minott croons to teh melody of the TemptationsAin't Too Proud To Beg," while U-Roy and Super Cat scatter barbed taunts,e-creating the explosive atmosphere of a sound system clash."Too Greedy" is Super Cat's bitter reflection on the crack epidemic. "I seet roamin' all over the four corners of the earth as agent of destruction,"e says. The song was recorded at H.C.& F studios over a new version oftudio's One's classic "Real Rock" rhthm, the instrumental backbone ofozens of reggae hits. "South Central, Super Cat's mordant take on the L.A.iots, is the original unadulterated reggae version. "I'm just sendin' aessage that it is we who are destroyon' our own dream," says Cat.On "Ready Back," Super Cat freestyles the lyrics over an original rhythmrack by the City Heat Band. "In Jamaica," he says,"the culture come back,nd the people who lost dem faith find it again. All the people who used toeejay about guns just a couple of months ago, they are now turnin' aroundack to positiveness.""Every Nigger Is A Star" is a ringing affirmation of pan-African pride. "Itas sterotypin' in the early days to call a black man a nigger," saysat,"but now it has become accepted by the youth. So we just turn it aroundnd make it positive, to show them that no weapon that rise against us shallarm us." The album concludes with "Settlement," an anguished cry of theeart. "There's a lot of people who will give you encouragement while youake your way up the ladder," Cat says,"but as you take your eye off them,hey are tryin' to flip you on your back. So "Settlement" is just a guyettin' off his wrath."From the flash of the dancehall to the grit of teh mean ghetto streets, Thetruggle Continues cuts to the throbbing heart of the groove. Super Cat'seep, powerful voice lasers through pulsating layers of rythm, flippinguick-witted rhymes with the nimble ease of an acrobat. For those who can'tollow his lilting patois, he's provided a complete transcription of theyrics, an unprecedented innovation in dancehall reggae. "I have to take it step higher," he says,"because a lot of people really want to get into theusic but hav eprobelm's gettin' the words."Of mixed African and East Indian descent, Super Cat wa born William MaraghnKingston's tough Sevright Gardens neighbourhood, then known as Cockburnen. "Super Cat was born home delivery," as he tells it, " and he never,ver reached the lowspital (sic)." Cockburn Pen was also the home ofioneering deejays like U-Roy and Prince Jazzbo, and at the age of seven oright, Super Cat began hanging around a local club called Bamboo Lawn,ssisting the crew of the Soul Imperial sound system and soaking up theancehall rhymes of artists like Early 'B', Ramknign Trevor, Dillinger andan Thomas. Soon he was deejaying himslef and joined up wit ht eSuper Posse.ed by his late mentor, Early 'B'; other members included his brother,unior Cat, Delton Screechie, German, Iron Man, the late Audie Murphy, Daddyayne, Sister Nancy, Bruk Back Marlon Branko and Ugly Man, later known asinja Man.Moving up rhtough the sound systems like King Majesty, Crystal Blue,ilimanjaro and Stur Mars, Super Cat became a recrding artist, beginningith the single "Mr Walker" in 1982 with Bruk Back. He scored a huge hitith "Boops" in 1986, followed by "Wild Apache," "Permit Fe Gun," "Mud Up"nd the number-one smash "Sweets For My Sweet." Taking full charge of hisareer, he formed his own Wild Apache Productions and represents sucholleagues as Nicodemus, destruction, Junior Cat, Bunk-l, Buro Banton,unior Demus as well as himself. He negotiated a deal with Columbia, and hisingle "Nuff A Man Dead" appeared on the label's 1991 compilation Dancehalleggaespanl. Then came Don Dada, and Super Cat's career kicked intoverdrive, with apperance's at Jamaica's Summerfest , Sting festivals andours of the U.S., Europe and Japan.Now, with The Strugglle Continues, Super Cat has made his strongest effortet, a milestone of dancehall reggae that will, to quote "Dance"," keepeople moving - keep people dancing" and stimulate your mind as in "Southentral"'s "Come mek we deal with some education." But though the rhythmsre contemporary, the message is timeless. "The root is always there," heays. "Time changes things, but it's the people who demand what they want.nd I would say the people just gainin' back their faith, 'cause roots-rockeggae never go nowhere. Reggae is African music; it's the only real protestusic. It's the only music in teh world that's got something to teach aation that was scattered abroad, lost sheep that is scattered. You see,very other music sing about love, love, love, but what is the real love?ho is lookin' at the progress of life, especially for the people who areivin' in bondage, the underprivileged? And while there is life, there istruggle."