The words of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, from his autobiography, My Life and Ethiopia's Progress Vol. Two.

The "Gang War" riddim achieves the sought-after American/Jamaican hybrid, as heard on Damien Marley's "One Loaf of Bread" and others on the Gang War compilation. New releases from Al Campbell, Queen Ifrica, Peter Spence, Chezidek, Mark Wonder, Jahmel, Natural Black, Alton Ellis and Lee "Scratch" Perry; reissues from Dennis Alcapone, Lone Ranger, Jah Stitch, the Techniques, the Slickers, Scorcher, Capt. Sinbad; plus a heaping helping of local lights, compilations, a fistful of dub and ska albums and much more.

Producer/composer Gaudi remixes qawwali master Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to a classic reggae beat, creating one of the best dub discs ever. Habib Koite captivates acoustically, Oliver Mtukudzi has a small jazz combo thing going on, Extra Golden merges your favorite local bar band with Kenyan benga; plus far-flung music from Sones de Mexico Ensemble Chicago, Bob Brozman, Ojos de Brujo, topped off by psychedelic Peruvian cumbias from the '60s called chicha.

Issac Delgado, arguably the single most popular Cuban singer of the past 30 years, has relocated to Florida and has come out with a Sergio George-produced album, En Primera Plana. Colombiafrica- the Mystic Orchestra throws soukous into the champeta pot for a tasty tour de force. Hundreds of Fania reissues of '60s salsa classics heat up the night.

Barry Eisenberg heads to West Africa to revel in Authenticité, the double-disc set of the great Guinean orchestras of the '60s and '70s, African Virtuoses: The Classic Guinean Guitar Group, Mali's Bassekou Kouyate, Super Rail Band and Moussa Doumbia; then detours to East Africa for Ujamaa: The 1960s Sound of Tanzania, Kenge Kenge and Musa Juma.

Martin Sinnock pays tribute to the late, dearly beloved Congolese singer, Madilu System. New albums from King Kester Emeneya and Shiko Mawatu, and Ujamaa: The 1960s Sound of Tanzania, are reviewed.

England's waterlogged summer produced mud and madness, but Mr. Music kept dry with Estrellas de Envidia: Homenaje A Fania, Cubanismo, Voodoo Love Inna Champeta-Land, The Roots of Chicha, and live performances by Bassekou Kouyate and Rokia Traore.

Summer Records Anthology, by Jason Carter

The Helsinki Project, by Ted Boothroyd

Dancehall artist Craig Dennis 1973-2007.

Steve Heilig takes a whirlwind tour of recent reggae, Brazilian, African, Latin and Asian releases, and beyond.

"Musical Murder--Riddim Roundup" by The Ramerman and Laura Gardner highlights the latest dancehall riddims. Laura Gardner reviews Sizzla, I-Space; Jah Cure, True Reflections

A quick trip to Montreal's Festival Internationale Nuits d'Afrique for entertainment by various Francophone Caribbean and African artists, a chat with Dominica's cadence-lypso pioneer Gordon Henderson, and new Haitian group Do-La briefly noted.

Roger Steffens brings us up to date on his recent runnings.