I think because of the nature of Caribbean music, given it’s very fractured, yet consistent, state, that there are certain artists who may or may not necessarily be of the TOP notch, who simply make the music exactly what it is at a given time. These artists are almost ALWAYS of a certain degree of SKILL, RESPECT and LONGEVITY, and even though they are sometimes part of the top class, they tend to retain much, if not all, of the ‘charm’ for which they initially drew attention. However, for the most part, I think these artists may be just a step or maybe even two outside of the brightest lights shone on the genre for the most part. For example, the PRIME example in Dancehall music specifically would DEFINITELY be Ninja Man. It’s been more than a decade since the Ninja has seen the lion’s share of his prime days in the business but can you imagine ANY kind of Dancehall without Ninja Man? Me neither and I wouldn’t want to. Of course, his staying out of the studio, for the most part, would be a good thing, as Ninja’s talents are some which are only able to be fully appreciated live and in person. And the big time example in Dancehall would be, also of course, Beenie Man. The ‘Doctor’s’ career is one which has spanned the better part of three decades now, with the latter half being spent at the highest levels that exist in Dancehall music, churning out more hits than anyone in the game in that same time period, pre-prime, during or post. EVENTUALLY one would have to assume that Beenie Man (who turns thirty-six this year) would have to abdicate his throne as King of the Dancehall, but whoever takes it up next (and I’m predicting Assassin) will have might large shoes to fill to say the least and I just cannot see Beenie Man fading away after that still. When he is an old ass man, Beenie Man will STILL be a Dancehall artist, trust me. In the arena of Roots Reggae music, things are similar still. In my opinion, Luciano’s days as THE dominant Roots Reggae singer are probably coming to an end (with either Jah Cure or I Wayne to take his place in my opinion), but can you imagine the singer not singing AT ALL? The world’s level of CLASS would immediately dwindle down a couple of levels and ESPECIALLY that of the of the Reggae world. Luciano’s silky baritone vocals singing tunes for His Majesty has become every bit the part of the Reggae landscape as Beenie Man’s gal tunes in the Dancehall and it just wouldn’t be the same without him. I think the same could be said for the likes of Anthony B, Cocoa Tea and maybe even Midnite band. Not all of them are THE top names in all of their respective genres, some are, but can you imagine a Reggae world without them? Maybe, but you probably don’t want to.Of course Reggae isn’t the only form of Caribbean music out there as, virtually across the board when it comes to music, we just do things better down here. There’s also Zouk and Compas, and Reggaeton and a whole heap of others which I’m nowhere near as well versed on (although in regards to Zouk, I’m fairly comfortably saying Kassav and Tanya St. Val right now). And then there’s Soca! While I may not be well versed enough to speak on Soca either, I’m going to anyway! Looking at the hierarchy in Soca music, there is a number of very solid veterans who have earned respect over the years, whether they be absolute top notch in the game or not. With that undeniable top level, as much as it pains me to admit it, you have to foresee a time when the likes of Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, Alison Hinds, Edwin Yearwood, Iwer George, my beloved Destra, and even Faye-Ann Lyons simply will not be able to JUMP as high and WAVE as fast (which just isn’t a concern in the Dancehall unless your name is Elephant Man, and you’ll go back and notice you don’t see that name anywhere else in this review), due to age. Therefore we have to look at other artists who may not fit within that group, or they actually may. Such an artist would DEFINITELY be Ken Marlon Charles, bka KMC. KMC has been one of the most SOLID and VERSATILE Soca artists that you’ll find anywhere over the last fifteen years or so and he has been absolutely EVERYWHERE in terms of success and failures. In that time he has also managed to endear himself to audiences worldwide and while you can definitely argue about his status, or lack thereof, when compared to some of his peers, you can’t argue that he has been more CONSISTENT than just about any of them, and he has worked with and alongside many of them (even as a very well respected producer) and earning their respect as well. KMC hit his peak internationally a few years back when his MASSIVE Soul On Fire which would lead to an album (of the same name) for US based Sequence Records which has, reportedly gone on to sale more than a quarter million copies worldwide to date. Thus, you can somewhat consider him a bit of a pioneer, striking out around the same time as (if I recall correctly) both Rupee and Kevin Lyttle. KMC has always kept active on the album side; pretty much releasing albums consistently since the late 1990’s. Last year he brought forth one of the season’s best and most underrated projects, Born As A Winner. That album featured both reigning and former kings of the Dancehall Beenie Man and Shabba Ranking as KMC continued what I first found as a WONDERFUL asset to his vibes, a rather obvious, yet nice, infatuation with literally being the Soca answer to Dancehall’s Elephant Man as seemingly an artist stuck somewhere between and trying to combine both closely related genres. Now, a year on, KMC returns with what is arguably an even bigger project than Born As A Winner, I Am Who I Am for the 2009 Trinidad & Tobago Carnival Season. KMC is one of the early entrants (alongside Destra) as most of the aforementioned names who also reach with albums virtually in each and every season (Machel, Bunji, Shurwayne Winchester etc.) are either coming later or not at all. Regardless in their own each individual cases, they’ll have to make a HELLUVA lot of noise to top what Destra did with Hott and what KMC now does with the WICKED I Am Who I Am.
I think KMC had in 2009 what can be best described as an underrated season. He definitely had some very crazy tunes and even early own it appeared that he had an early Road March contender, which is also present on this album. Also, he and his good friend Beenie Man put on their typically not to be missed show, post Soca Monarch, which was as RIDICULOUS (and long winded) as usual, but definitely a good time. Another good time and one of KMC’s biggest tunes this year, the HILARIOUS and hype and addictive I’m Not Drunk gets things going on KMC’s brand new album I Am Who I Am. This tune is a crazy one but its not exactly a jump up, its more of a smooth one, but with the vocals is definitely headed towards the jump up style (which just goes to show KMC’s overall style, more on that in a bit). However you get it, you’ll definitely find it to be a big tune! Nice opener. The next tune, Cyah Tape Meh falls into the now well tired ‘daggering’ trap. Maybe its just being a Jamaican, but I’m SO DAMN tired of hearing about dagger this and dagger that, but, if it has to be done, perhaps this is the way to do it. This is one STRICTLY for the dance floor (lyrics-wise it reminds me A LITTLE of the first KMC tune I recall REALLY paying attention to, the HUGE Doh Want To Know) and should you take it there (and only there) you won’t be complaining. Completing the opening of KMC’s I Am Who I Am is what was, in my opinion, his biggest tune of the season and subsequently the biggest tune on the album, the MADNESS that is Living Water! This was one of the more melodic and just well done power jump up Soca tunes I heard all season long and it played quite consistently and everywhere with every audience I remember vibing to it reacted greatly to it. Love Soca music? Then you will to, excellent beginning to a big album with it’s finest tune right there.
As I mentioned, as an artist KMC is noted just as much for his VERSATILITY as much as anything else in his repertoire and after not too long you start seeing just how deep his creativity runs. The first sign of that comes in with Weh Meh Lover Gone, which is, for the most part, a jump up Soca tune initially but then ascends BRILLIANTLY into a wild Chutney vibe alongside group JMC Triveni. You just have to hear what’s going on with this one, I literally hear about five different tunes in one. But I love all of them. The tune Yeast was a pretty big hit for KMC on the very popular Fix Up riddim from Madmen Productions from out Port of Spain. Yeast slows things down just a bit and also, more importantly, it is also a pretty conscious tune and everyone forgetting that Soca could do that also, well pay attention to Yeast. Both Good Love and Touch Down are pretty standard and COOL groovy Soca type of songs which are a very FAR cry from a song like Living Water. Both tunes are very good, however, I give the nod to the very catchy Touch Down, sounding like something from Shurwayne Winchester’s catalogue. Similarly vibed is the even BETTER tune Cool You Down which is one of the few tunes here (maybe only one of two as I look at it) which is a holdover from the Born As A Winner album. Cool You Down is big business on the album, definitely a standout and one of my own personal favourite tunes on I Am Who I Am altogether. I Know is another laid back master class on the album which, in this case, is about the most SIMPLE tune on the album. SERIOUSLY you have to start to wonder just how the same artist can make these songs and the other ones which I’m about to talk about in a minute. There are also two Dancehall tunes (actually the second is more of a Hip-Hop vibes) on I Am Who I Am. First is the better of the two, the LARGE Get Badda which finds KMC going Beenie Man-esque on the POUNDING riddim taking a literal slap at his critics and certain situations he has been involved in the past year. KMC began as a Dancehall artist in his native Rio Clara in southern Trinidad and it always finds some kind of way to surface itself throughout if you REALLY pay attention to his music (besides Beenie and Shabba, he has also recorded tunes alongside Bounty Killer, Wayne Marshall and even Sizzla as well as touring a few years back opening for Beenie Man). Get Badda would be one of the finer of such tunes. MADNESS. Going back to some Grade A PURE JUMP UP Soca, I have to mention the MAMMOTH tune I Will. This tune was thought to be one of the early contenders to take Road March (it was better than Wild Antz). To my ears, this one, like Destra’s Bacchanal (of course) just so clearly encompass everything Carnival is supposed to be about and are amongst my own personal favourites of the season from two veteran artists long overdue to take Road March (although I’m already predicting Destra shall take the crown in 2010 should she even so much as try). HUGE tune, one for the Road and one for the ages. As I Am Who I Am winds down you get the Party Animal remix alongside Beenie Man again which was on the Born As A Winner album. You simply can’t listen to such a tune and not move in some way, shape or form. KMC has DEFINITELY, yet far away from the Jamaican spotlight, proven himself to be one of Beenie Man’s greatest partners on a tune and I’d LOVE to see him get the opportunity to bring it back to JA and voice a pure Dancehall track alongside the Doctor. All of that stuff makes the ending here, a guitar mix of the tune Get Badda, WHOLLY acceptable and forgivable as it is the only misstep on the album which I found.
Overall, DEFINITELY I’m recommending KMC’s I Am Who I Am to new and older fans of Soca music alike. With all of KMC’s vibes (I also do the same with Bunji Garlin actually) I tend to say that this would be a VERY nice opportunity for Dancehall heads to come to at least TRY some Soca on a more regular basis and I do know some predominately Dancehall heads who do listen KMC regularly. This album, of course, is bolstered by the excellent season KMC had as he usually does, although the last two have been very good for him (I read a recent interview with him where the artist said he “has hits for the next four seasons” ) and that is reflected with the overall CONSISTENCY of the vibes and material. I would also say that, again, if you know NOT A DAMN THING about Soca, this would be one of the ones you should pick up also because, due to its varied nature of being all over the place, it never dwells too much in the jump to overwhelm new fans and it never stays too long in the groovy to ‘underwhelm’ them either, away from the big sound. I Am Who I Am is one of the best Soca projects of the season from one of the staples in the Soca industry. Check the album out for just a complete introduction to or refinement of Ken Marlon Charles one of the real LIGHTS in the game. And it just wouldn’t be the same without him.
Rated 4.25/5stars
KMC Music
2009
http://www.myspace.com/kenmarloncharles
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