Since he made his transition, I've been thinking about two related things in regard to the late Determine. The first is the fact that virtually every single article/tribute/mention that I've seen on the occasion has, in one way or another, noted that the chanter was "underrated" and/or "underappreciated". Typically, I find myself trying to drift away from such ideology because I think we as Reggae fans and people who write about the music cling to such things in the 'global' sense. The entire genre is underrated and underappreciated. We get it. In Determine's case, however, I think it is a fair and accurate distinction. There was a level of fame and stardom and recognition reserved for his peers such as Buju Banton, Sizzla Kalonji, Capleton, Luciano and Anthony B that he never reached and, you could even make the case that if you were to go to the likes of Jah Mason, Norris Man, Turbulence, Lutan Fyah, Chezidek and others, that Determine spent long stretches of his career releasing music that didn't even go to their levels in terms of notoriety due in no part to his own (more on that in a second). The other thing that I've been thinking about Determine that goes hand-in-hand with him being underappreciated is just how sad that is. I've been stuck on the notion lately of just how IMPORTANT it is to show people how much they mean to you in the moment and what they do for you. Sizzla knows it. He enjoys it, I'm sure. He'll live out the rest of his days with the knowledge that, long after he's gone, SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE will be singing songs that he scribbled in his notebook decades/centuries before. Buju knows the same as does Capleton. I don't know if Determine knew that and I don't know if he got the opportunity to enjoy it while he was with us and, if he did not, that is such a shame!
Determine was clearly inspired by early 1990's Dancehall and he would, largely, bring that style into his brand of Roots music (sometimes, he would just make actual early 90's vibed Dancehall, as well). Furthermore, along with that characteristic delivery, Determine's glaring talent was his lyrical ability. The man could ride absolutely any riddim and do it with SENSE. He didn't chat rubbish on anything, there was a point or a message. HE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY and the way he went about saying it would place him in the absolute highest lyrical class of his era. He was every bit as naturally gifted with words as ANYONE who I've mentioned thus far. In honour of Determine, today we go back into our Signatures series and take a look at someone whose contributions we all should have done better at recognizing over the years. Signatures: Determine.
1. 'Kette Drum' featuring Beenie Man
Hear it sound. We start, like we always do, with what is likely the most well known of all of Determine's music, the now three decades old 'Kette Drum'. On the surface, it's relatively simple to see what might have attracted fans to the tune.... it just so happened to feature Beenie Man and did so in an atypical style given the nature of the song. That would be a big deal now, it was a big deal in 1995. The two had a beautiful level of musical chemistry, unsurprisingly, given the level of talent on both sides and the Bobby Digital produced 'Kette Drum' has become a bona fide, undeniable classic in the catalogues of both - all these years later.
2. 'Freedom Chant'
Hey. Hey. Hey. Hey! One of the crowning jewels on the 1999 album named for it, the impeccable 'Freedom Chant' EASILY sits here and you could well make the case that it is THE single finest piece of work the St. Mary native ever made. A social commentary at its core, the George Miller steered track touched every base from the tangible, to the spiritual, to the mental and everywhere in between and did so across a very oddly paced riddim, which Determine was very quick, as you would expect him to be, to make his own.
"Man ah fight for repatriation cause mi know seh dat mi Black
Everyting weh dem did take inna di first, mi want it back
All those days and all the lashing and the beating up on mi back
Nah go caught inna fi dem boobytrap"
3. 'Shaka Zulu'
Iron. Lion. "Signatures" is the name of this list/series but, in this case, it is a literal Signature in the catalogue of Determine as he also establish his own label as Zulu Productions. The actual song 'Shaka Zulu' would be carried by his debut set, "Rock The World", which would release in 1996 for VP Records (seemingly having attracted their attention with 'Kette Drum' from the year prior). 'Shaka Zulu' was equal parts education and entertainment as, on one end, Determine mentions the greats such as Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey, while just breaking out and celebrating Reggae music, in a very basic way, on the other. Existing somewhere in the middle was an incredibly infectious vibe; one which, CLEARLY, I have yet to shake.
4. 'Science'
Friendship. A good friend of mine who I've literally known since I was like.... six or so will tell you that 'Science' is simply one of the best Dancehall tunes ever created by anyone, EVER. Biggup Youstice. Determine utilizes a cut of the Mud Up to go over some of the controversies (and, at times, not even) surrounding some of his most famous musical peers at the time. Beenie Man, Ele, Anthony B, Sizzla, Merciless, Kippo, Vegas all get a mention in what is one of the most searingly creative (and, at times, HILARIOUS) rides that you will take in the Dancehall.
5. 'Perilous Time'
Godly inclined. Because it worked so fine the first time, Determine made another go on the Kette Drum Riddim the following year, this time with the helping hands of Richard 'Bello' Bell and Star Trail (the same cut that Anthony B would put to the sword with 'Fire Pon Rome') for 'Perilous Time'; and, again, with giant, lasting results. Determine wanted to make it known that a major change of the times was forthcoming and the way he put the message out was most impressive across that beautifully POUNDING riddim.
"Deaf man start to hear
Sight give back to blind
All evil people get Godly inclined"
{Note: There was a remix to this song with Lukie D and Determine had another tune on the riddim, 'Beat The Kette Drum' w/Frankie Paul]
6. 'Nuh Member Love'
Let's come together and live. This wonderful unity anthem has gone onto become, arguably, one of Determine's most recognizable pieces and with good and obvious reason. Another highlight from the "Freedom Chant" set, 'Nuh Member Love' was as powerful of a song of its type that you will have encountered. What stood out was the kind of local way Determine presented it. 'Nuh Member Love' was very much a song for Jamaica but it applied to everywhere where you'd find people with ears who may've lost their way. In the absence of love, you run into all types of ridiculous problems; but when you recall love and you SHOW it, maybe some of those issues go look for somewhere else to hang out.
7. 'Bun Dem Up' featuring Capleton
A must. Grrrr! While it was carried by a couple of different albums that I recall, this woefully underheard tune across the woefully undervalued and gorgeously chaotic Block Buster Riddim (tune named 'Hold Fi Get It' by Agent Sasco, was GENIUS on the Block Buster) never got the attention its quality levels would seem to warrant. 'Bun Dem Up' was good, early 2000's overblazing goodness! In arose in the era where literally EVERYTHING was subject to be scorched and the keeper of the biggest flames of them all, Capleton, ignited all over this one alongside Determine tossing fire at corruption wherever it may be.
8. 'Time Like This'
Never give it up. You may be more familiar with the Barry O'Hare licked MX-6 Riddim that underpins 'Time Like This' for Sizzla's MASSIVE 'Clean Up Your Heart' but if 'Time Like This' is completely new to your ears and eyes then it's well time you two became acquainted. Probably one of the most poignant (and just, generally well done) social commentaries of its time, Determine put nary a TOE wrong on this song, lyrically on top of a masterful delivery.
"This a one ya coulda reach all bout, to di hangman rope around di throat
Still ah fight fi human rights and justice, that's what it's all about
POISON DEM A SUPPORT - DI BINGHIMAN COME AS DEM ANTIDOTE"
And something else that HAS to be mentioned in regards to 'Time Like This' is its chorus. It may be the finest Determine ever did on any tune and you will find it INSTANTLY glued to your brain from the very first time you hear it.
9. 'Fake Badman'
Madman. Once upon a time, about twenty ridiculously short years ago, a man by the name of Steven 'Lenky' Marsden laid a significant claim to the kingdom of Dancehall when, as he still basked in the glow of the pillaring and plundering monster that was the Diwali Riddim, he was still dropping big riddims. His music was in the clouds somewhere as nearly every tune would feature some type of distinguishing mix from the one before it and it was, at least in my opinion, one of the most FUN eras in the entire history of Dancehall. One such a track was the Time Travel and though names like Bounty Killer, Ele and, most notably, Vybz Kartel (whose 'Send On' remains the riddim's most well known selection), would steer most of the attention, there was also 'Fake Badman' from Determine which, in terms of PURE QUALITY, rivaled the almost anything else the Time Travel had to offer ('Send On' was SPECIAL) as Determine told all to be careful with whom you spend your time as not everyone is everything they appear to be and did so with a damaging delivery.
10. 'Look Weh Tings Come To'
So much mess. When I started putting this list together, I had in mine this relatively obscure and downright SCATHING GEM from over a decade ago on Train Line's Swag Valley Riddim, 'Look Weh Tings Come To'. The song was a social commentary that.... bordered on being vicious at times as Determine, basically, just emptied his brain on a number of topics, particularly when it came to the music and its business side.
"Look weh tings come to
Unuh look weh tings reach
You caan be di top man if unuh bombaclaat bleach"
Not entirely dissimilar from another tune you'll find here, the difference between 'Look Weh Tings Come To' and that song is the vibe behind it. While the other can come across as some comical at times, 'Look Weh Tings Come To' is no laughing matter at all.
11. 'Israelites' featuring Terry Ganzie
Glorious things. In 2003, Brickwall Records released a combination album by the name of "Unity". "Unity" featured twelve songs in full, the first six were from Determine while the latter half featured music by Norris Man. These days, you're probably pretty unlikely to run into it but I do own a copy (looking at it now, still has that smooth new feel to its case) and have enjoyed some of the more difficult tunes that it contains over the years. At its head, without a doubt, was 'Israelites', this damn thrilling combination alongside talented grizzled veteran, Terry Ganzie across a classic Meditations BOUNCE of a riddim redone for Spragga Roots. 'Israelites' was almost an overkill in some respects, particularly during its first verse which featured a powerful back-and-forth type of delivery between Determine & Ganzie. As it settled (it did not settle) the knowledge crammed wordplay remained at a premium. You don't hear much about this song, you never have, but it's always been a favourite of mine and it is infinitely better than history, so far, has treated it. Let's do something about that.
12. 'Live Wire'
Full charged. Another one from the catalogue of Determine that fans are most likely familiar with, 'Live Wire' did some serious damage once upon a time and has aged quite well. The song was pure revolution message music and it was HEAVY! Everyone has a 'breaking point' where you cannot push them past before they react and, here, the chanter was suggesting that he (and many others) were just about there and it was time for some things to change in the world. It wasn't a WILD piece at all but what you heard on 'Live Wire' was a kind of an agitated warning, suggested that far worse was to come. Before that, however, Determine preached things like education, awareness and DETERMINATION in order to see change occur on more immediate terms.
13. 'Mi Lord' featuring Sizzla Kalonji
Chant Jah Rastafari. Unsurprisingly, my favourite Determine song ever is this absolutely BRILLIANT combination brought together by Bobby Digital, 'Mi Lord' with Sizzla. If you still doubt Determine's lyrical capabilities (you are not bright), definitely give several spins through this masterclass of a social commentary. The song actually appeared on Sizzla's all-conquering "Black Woman & Child" and if you are at all familiar with the quality on that album (and you are), you know full well just how height that thing goes. Very few songs there went above 'Mi Lord'. Sizzla's my favourite artist, it is the best album he's ever done in my opinion and 'Mi Lord' was not only the finest we've ever heard from Determine, but it was also WAYYYYYYYY up there for Kalonji as the two came together not necessarily to burn everything, everywhere, but to INFORM and to keep everyone, everywhere on top of what was really going on and what we could do about it.
14. 'Mi Go Through That'
Without food to eat. For everyone who has ever found themselves going through trying times in life (so pretty much everyone), you found an empathetic voice in Determine on the HEAVY 'Mi Go Through That', from Builders. The track was Determine talking about many of the things he'd experienced during his life that had helped to make him into who had become ["System rise up and mi slew dat!"] as a man, as the title suggests and it was a powerfully detailed and THOROUGH effort. Something very subtle that I think really stands out for 'Mi Go Through That' is the nearly ever-running CONVERSATION that existed behind the music. Determine (or someone else) was also going through their own experiences and though it never threatens to overtake anything, when you do notice it, it is such an impactful touch and something which definitely helped to make this one truly unique.
Something I just wanted to mention quickly, the list is over. In reading through some of the news in regards to Determine's death, it named his "long-time partner", one Paula Francis. In the liner notes for the "Freedom Chant" album, he thanks her. That album released in late 1999! He may've spent the last 30ISH years of his life with that woman. Rest easy, Determine. Thank you for all of the wonderful music and all positivity to Paula Francis and all of his loved ones.
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