The Vault Reviews: Queen Omega by Queen Omega

There is definitely something to be said for TRUE TALENT, especially within the category of music as it is a quality which, unfortunately, seems to be rare, even at the highest level of the game. How many times have you heard a gimmicky and/or downright BAD tune, within any genre grow and become a certified hit? Don’t you hate that shit! When you know the artist doesn’t have much of a future (in terms of being an artist, not in life in general of course) and they still get a hit not even reaching the standard of becoming a ‘one hit wonder’, but becoming more like the answer to a trivia question only. Well, the same phenomenon exists within the scope of Reggae music. We don’t necessarily see too many Reggae one hit wonders because of the somewhat ‘fractured’ nature of the genre which will see a particular artist attract a great deal of attention, maybe on the strength of just a song or two, but that artist will ALWAYS have fans SOMEWHERE in the Caribbean, or the Reggae listening community by extension, to some degree. However, what we will see, and unfortunately this happens quite often is the ‘whatever happened to’ type of situation and, also unfortunately (because it has happened (and is STILL happening) with some of my favourite artists in the past), a lot of times that comes because of a simple lack of talent in my opinion. An artist can be able to come up with a song or two, or even string together a few years of successes and then all but fade away while not exactly aging to a point of becoming past their prime and not having their own audiences abandon them: Simply because they couldn’t do it anymore. Case and point - I hate to do it but I have to bring up the name Determine. The once WICKED chanter from out of St. Mary was once on the same road as peers Sizzla, Capleton and Anthony B and was, arguably, comparably talented. He even appeared on Sizzla’s classic album Black Woman & Child (wicked tune name Mi Lord) and had done work with the likes of Anthony B, Norris Man and even Beenie Man as well and had toured the world performing as well. However, now he doesn’t role in those circles at all and I believe he has even left the island (to live in Florida if I’m not mistaken). While I hear about him having new tunes almost constantly on little riddims, he has without a doubt faded away from the class of artists he once potentially belonged in and I would venture to say that many of the younger fans of Sizzla, Capleton and Anthony B, if they know the name Determine as an artist, would be hard pressed to tell you anything about him. There are others like, most notably, Lexxus and DEFINITELY Predator in the Dancehall who just seem to have run out of whatever it is that they once undeniably had, even though the people who they were giving it to, US, haven’t changed very much as far as what we will support and there are examples in their peers to prove it.

Which makes it all the more important to REALLY celebrate our BIGGEST talents doesn’t it? That’s why you’ll notice me giving constant praise and support to young and up and coming artists like Lutan Fyah, Natty King and Bramma De Bomba in the Dancehall because they are talents who I feel can have a LONG running career and end it (if they ever do) because they wanted to begin to focus on other things and not because people just weren’t feeling their vibes anymore (and I‘m hesitating in calling Lutan Fyah up and coming these days). Now, that being said, as much as I LOVE Lutan Fyah’s music and his overall ability and likewise for Natty King and Bramma and young artists like Saïk from out of Guadeloupe, I can fully and confidently say that NONE of them have managed to leave an everlasting impression on me like the artist in question here has, the simply DIVINE Queen Omega. I don’t believe that, in the scope of Roots Reggae, that there are even five more talented vocal artists in the game, period, than Queen Omega. To my ears, she is every bit the female equivalent of artists like Sizzla and Anthony B (Capleton having, of course, more of an intense edge and Dancehall background that these artists). The singjay has CONTINUOUSLY impressed me over the years and, now, going on a decade deep into her career at the highest stage she has REMAINED one of the most quietly consistent names in the business: I often say about Lutan Fyah that its been a few years since I’ve heard a substandard VERSE from him, but Queen Omega would also have such a claim and I don’t think I’ve EVER heard a bad tune from her. For me, personally, she also has a bit of a pioneering role which is difficult for someone 25-26 years old: Firstly, I believe the Queen would have been the very first Reggae artist from out of Trinidad that I REALLY paid attention to (and I’m half Trini, on my Father’s side), leading me to Marlon Asher, Khari Kill and the likes. Also, when she came on the scene, there was no Queen Ifrica, there was no Etana, sitting here off the top of my head trying to think of SOMEONE, some female around at the same time of her emergence and the ONLY name coming to my head would be Cruzan Empress Dezarie whose rise to prominence almost mirrored that of Queen Omega, in terms of time. I had originally took an interest in the young Trini artist through an interview I heard her do online (biggup Ireggae.com) and she was promoting an album, her self titled BEAUTIFUL debut, courtesy of (the now defunct I believe) Greenhouse Family, which was UK based but was helmed by individuals also from out of Trinidad (namely one Micky D). Queen Omega’s debut album is EASILY one of the hardest to find CERTIFIED GEMS EVER MADE! The album has gained somewhat of an underground following, even in spite of the fact that she has since gone on to release multiple albums with now five in total (by comparison, between Queen Ifrica, Etana and Dezarie, they ALL together have released five albums (although Ifrica has a next coming this summer)) and has been one of the most in demand female talents in the game. It all started on her debut which began to show off this RIDICULOUS talent, definitely one for the ages.

If I recall correctly Queen Omega, the album, originally released on the aforementioned Greenhouse label (which is the copy I have in front of me) but was ultimately re-released by JetStar who would also release her second and third albums (Pure Love and the MAGIC Away From Babylon, respectively). This album WONDERFULLY features, for the most part, the Queen delivering over some classic old time riddims Getting this classic in its own right started is my own choice as the album’s finest tune overall, the MAJESTIC Uprising (on a side note, the interview I had originally heard her on, was a show called The Uprising also). This tune is so POWERFUL and has remained so in the seven or so years I have been spinning it. It’s a song like this which has definitely gone under the radar for the most part which shows off nearly the Queen’s full arsenal as it features her both singing and djaying as well, it also shows off the might of her pen as she makes Babylon aware that a mighty change is coming with downright IMPECCABLE lyrical ability on the MASSIVE beginning (over the old Revolution riddim). Queen Omega tackles a very familiar subject for Roots Reggae next on the very well done Hypocrites and Parasites. This tune, like all of them on the album, definitely goes to make its point and do so very well but the REAL attraction here is that this song SOUNDS SO GOOD! Bouncing through on a Soul Rebel riddim which I believe original belonged to The Upsetter and she makes it work to damn near perfection. Arguably sounding even better is the very uplifting Living In Zion which completes the opening to Queen Omega the album. This song is a DAZZLING praising tune to His Imperial Majesty which may still be the best such tune the Queen has made to date. It just makes you feel so good, definitely struck a chord in me and I’m sure many more across the global likewise. Big opening definitely.

An interesting quality Queen Omega has shown in her career which started on this album is her accessibility to combinations. Just in the last year she’s appeared on tunes with the likes of Cali P and Messenjah Selah (for their albums Lyrical Faya and Breaking Babylon Curse, respectively) and she’s also worked with Gentleman, Buju Banton and even Ninja Man (of all people) as well. Here she brings in the heavy ammunition also. First, however, I’ll mention two nice tunes with former Greenhouse label mates Vylmark and Archie Wonder, Coming Back Home and I Will Never Bow. Both tunes are more than just SOLID and Coming Back Home is arguably one of the album’s finest altogether with it’s SWEET, yet a little unusual, sound; where the UPSTANDING I Will Never Bow proves just how well the Queen can work with anyone as she makes a real winner with the ‘loud’ voiced Archie Wonder (who has a new album out, the serviceable What About Love). Those, however, are topped with two EXTREMELY high profile combinations, Warning and I Realize. Warning was a big tune as it featured Queen Omega plying her trade alongside none other than Sizzla and Capleton themselves! The tune has a winding vibes to it which just BUILD to a boiling point. Queen Omega steals the show from her more well known peers and they don’t just GIVE her the spotlight either, she demands it, as they all call for the coming fire and brimstone judgment against all things dirty and corrupt! BLAZING! That being said, I Realize is even better! This one close the album and features the Queen alongside the third artist in that ‘trinity’ Anthony B. This tune is LOVELY! I’m probably the only one who favoured it over Warning, but this one just really works, without ostensibly trying anything out of the ordinary. Queen Omega sounds like she’s just singing outside and walking around maybe and Anthony B sounds like a freestyle on his verses and it just has the beautiful ‘rough around the edges’ vibes to it. Wonderful track. If she NEEDED all that help to succeed I wouldn’t be that high on her so you know she keeps the quality up. Check the tune Babylon Pressure which is a tune about going through and surviving in the hardships of the system over Burning Spear’s timeless Marcus Garvey riddim. Very mature vibe on that one. After Pride Comes Shame is one of the best written and sang (and just best in general) tunes on Queen Omega altogether. You HAVE TO listen the first verse on this tune! She throws together big words just like mono-syllabic pieces so EFFORTLESSLY and definitely doing so in the name of His Imperial Majesty. You can’t go wrong there. Damn! Take A Chance is another nice one which, unfortunately, is marred by poor recording apparently, but is still a nice vibes. It serves well to lead into the tune which follows it, the obligatory herbalist anthem (which she has proven to be so good at writing) It’s The Healing, fittingly over a lick of the same riddim which spawned Jacob Miller’s LEGENDARY Tired Fe Lick Weed Inna Bush. This one will have to grow on you but trust me, it will, and it says something, perhaps, that earlier in 2009 Queen Omega made Trini headlines for being arrested for possession of marijuana, practicing what she preaches. Can’t hate her for that (just be more careful next time!). She had to step in the presence of the King sooner or later and that comes on track twelve Highest High a downright DIVINE tune praising the King Of Kings using a riddim supplied by the King of Reggae, Bob Marley, the Rat Race riddim. Marley (and The Emperor) would definitely be proud with the song as she takes a scaled back style sprinkled with bits and pieces of intensity to get the NECESSARY point across of Black redemption in full! Huge tune, one of the album’s strongest. Power, like Warning and Uprising and I Realize is one of the signature tunes for the album for me, with its very familiar bounce and speaking of familiar bounce, you’ll also notice that the following tune, Tell Me, rides the I’m Still In Love With You riddim on a nice social commentary. Between the final two combinations we also get two more nice tunes sending the album out, Redemption and Never Ending. Both are VERY STRONG. Never Ending, with its different sound, is probably the better of the two as it has the upward sloping sound to it which will have you downright captivated by tune’s end. And by album’s end, you’ll be just as hooked with Queen Omega.

Overall, for me personally, this one is one of the classics in my collection and should you be able to track it down, I’m sure it will serve the same purpose in yours. Since the Queen Omega album, Queen Omega the artist has gone onto SERIOUS successes and has since released four more albums with one more apparently loaded and set to go. In retrospect, this one could definitely be a 5 star album, however, she did top it twice in both the Destiny and, of course, the MASTERCLASS which was Away From Babylon, so by her standards, it comes just a hair short, fortunately me (and you) don’t have such lofty standards. Queen Omega’s debut album was the functional introduction of the Reggae world to a talent which it would be wise to push even higher even all these years later as, from a talent standpoint, we simply don’t have too many (if any at all) more well acquitted and STRUCTURED individuals around, period. This album, all whopping eighteen tracks of it, convinced me of that seven years ago. If you still need convincing, you’ll track it down too.

Rated 4.25/5 stars

Greenhouse Family

2001