Collie Buddz

With Umojah alongside DJ Tommy Fox. Friday, August 17, at the Grog Shop, Cleveland Heights.

Collie Buddz (born Colin Harper) is a white dancehall artist signed to Sony. He sounds like a quick answer to the question "Why is the record industry in trouble?" I mean, it's bad enough being a white dancehall artist, but one named after pot? Choosing a weed reference for a stage name screams, "I'm an asshole with nothing valuable to contribute."

However, the dude's self-titled debut, which just dropped, is pretty good. Harper's voice is decent and racially vague. He raps and croons in a pitch higher and cleaner than that of Sean Paul. What's more, his melodies are intriguing enough that the songs about ganja are less annoying than they could have been.

The production owes as much to classic reggae as it does to dancehall, which means his shows could attract stinky white dreads and girls of every race, stuffed inside skimpy clothes.