The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record, no dispute found — a foundational early-dancehall vocal cut of the “Real Rock” riddim, already in this catalog alongside Armagideon Time and Cool Out Son.
Quick Facts
Released1979
AlbumNice Up the Dance
GenreReggae, Dancehall
LabelStudio One
ProducerClement “Coxsone” Dodd
Recorded atStudio One, Kingston
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Michigan & Smiley
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Studio One / Coxsone Dodd’s estate — not confirmed for present day
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
A foundational early-dancehall vocal cut of the “Real Rock” riddim (already in this catalog) — “endlessly sampled and versioned for a quarter of a century.”
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
The Studio One riddim this is built on (already in this catalog)
Another vocal cut of the same “Real Rock” riddim (already in this catalog)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Michigan & Smiley (Papa Michigan / Anthony Fairclough & General Smiley / Erroll Bennett)
The recording (current administrator)Studio One / Coxsone Dodd’s estate
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A foundational record of early dancehall
Widely credited as one of the foundational records of dancehall itself — a “Rub-a-Dub” dancehall treatment of “Real Rock” that was “endlessly sampled and versioned for a quarter of a century”; phrases from it and the duo’s “Rub a Dub Style” entered the broader dancehall lexicon.
Reggae Roast · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
A foundational dancehall cut of the “Real Rock” riddim
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
ND
Michigan & Smiley / Studio One
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 6)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass