Okay so, May's turning out to be a pretty big month. Along with our first review, we also have releases from Mikey General (review already done, coming soon) and Marlon Asher; and even Shaggy is back later this month with a brand new album and we're working on a few other things as well. Before we move on, however, I wanted to get back and take another look at the album we most recently covered, the beautiful "World Tap In" by Akae Beka, a week later. I'm still working with it (I always will be) and I wanted to kind of focus on one thing that I said during it and give you an actual example of what I meant by one thing in particular and how the wonderful music that this man has left us with sends me down these BEAUTIFUL rabbit holes.
I tend not to try to take in too many opinions of others before I review an album because if I feel one way about something but the prevailing thought is the complete opposite, I don't want to be swayed. i want to be on that island. Akae Beka's music is a bit different though because you don't see much in the way of negative responses so my interest in a situation like this would be to see which songs people are gravitating towards. While there hasn't been much yet in the way of a critical response that I've noticed (I haven't seen another review besides mine but I would expect more to be on the way), I have seen fans discussing the album, here and there, and what has come my way from our old readers (who still have my email address) has been that one of the biggest winners from "World Tap In" is 'Sycamore Tree'. That very same tune took top honours from me and I've been working on it and have all sorts of fun doing so. [Now you watch where this is going] When I first heard it, one of the things that went through my mind was how unique that it was and I immediately started to think of other songs Vaughn Benjamin had done that it reminded me of. The one I mentioned was 'Sha-tee', which probably isn't a very good comparison (and I likely just mentioned it because I absolutely love that song) but I had another one in my mind that I was thinking of but couldn't quite get out. You know I searched high & low for that song and I THINK that I found it in a very curious place.
A dozen years ago, a label by the name of Iaahden Sounds released a Midnite album by the name of "Stand The Test". The song was 'King Ring' and I was completely wrong, it sounds nothing like 'Sycamore Tree' at all, however, LISTEN TO THIS DAMN SONG!
"Dem seh dem ahgo abandon dem ship then ah feel fi go down wid it
Mediterranean children to all the world metropolis-
Is rhetorical vitriol that naïveté omit
World know the region is the world hand pocket
It all seem insurmountable to politician tactic
News state featuring hold-up language
Just to find a stable medium between the poor and the rich
TOWNHALL MEETING INNA DI SCREECHIEST PITCH
INDEPENDENCE BECOMES DI BIGGEST SLICE PERCENTAGE
Political position dem no waan fi be associated with
World cities of a changing demographic
Lack of technology cah dem see it as limited
Merchant marinas find a store weh wi deal
The manners of our guest - observation fi is
THE MANNERS OF THE HOUSE MAY BE INCLINE-ED
These are the roadsigns from the time weh wi live
Di warrior bust from ancient was explicit
Bible seh nothing new, under the sun, exist"
I remember "Stand The Test" (it was kind of a Hip-Hoppy sounding album) but I do not remember it sounding like THAT! There is a further connection in here as the press release (that no one bothered to send to me) mentions that one of the players of instrument on "World Tap In" is a Jordan 'Iaahden' Jones who, of course, is also the Iaahden behind Iaahden Sounds and produced "Stand The Test" in its entirety. THIS would also take me on another journey through Benjamin's catalogue because, of course, I was also certain that I remembered another tune which reminded me a lot of 'King Ring' and this was easier to find because I had actual words in my head and that was 'Ithiopia Millenium Deliverance', from the album "Ina Now".
"And the Genesis of the age is Selassie I, Jah
And the Genius of the age is Selassie I, Jah"
I hadn't listened to "Ina Now" in quite awhile so what I do with things like that is that I'll go back and read through my own review, curious as to what I said about the album generally and, particularly, which song I said was my favourite at the time and in this case I was really happy because I actually did choose 'Ithiopia Millenium Deliverance'; and I even referenced that lyric as well.
Okay, that "one thing" that I mentioned from my review that kind of started me to actually writing this was this:
"Benjamin's work is truly the gift that keeps on giving."
Do you see what I mean? This isn't a random occurrence either. It's surely more often happening these days given the new album release but, even without it and not to exaggerate anything, but I'll have episodes like this... maybe once or twice a month even without new material pointing me in a certain direction (the "Kings Bell" album usually does it for me. If you REALLY get into that one, there're so many lines you can draw to other work) and whether I find what I'm looking for (if I'm even looking for anything) does not matter. It is the journey to comprehension that matters most and Vaughn Benjamin left us with a, literally, endless musical itinerary. That is not death. I don't know what that is but that is not death.
Appreciation. As I get older (and older and older), I find that the importance to appreciate the moment that you're in is something that is increasing in value. From something as simple as the current calm to an inevitable storm; to something as crucial as my daughter, who I once held in one hand, now being damn near as tall as I am - if you enjoy something right now ENJOY it! If you appreciate someone right now, TELL THEM! Things change very quickly and, even if they change for the better, you will never have it exactly as you have it RIGHT NOW. When we bridge that gap and head towards the reason that we're hear today, things are certainly no different. Not too long ago, I can remember an era where Greensleeves Records (annoying, I thought at the time) released riddim albums at a rate of... maybe 10:1 to those from actual artists that they had signed. Who would have known that, just a few short years later, the practice would be gone (so would Greensleeves, basically) due to the fact that actual riddims are of a dwindling concept and what has replaced them, particularly on the Dancehall side is something other than Dancehall. Similarly, while we may've complained about struggling to keep up with the personal release schedules of certain individuals on the album side, I'd give up a bit to go back to those times. Sizzla, who I've been writing about quite a bit as of late, presents all type of fitting examples in this space. The once hyper-active legend of August Town can go an entire year without releasing a single album (and while, REALLY, such a thing doesn't come as a big surprise (everyone gets older and slows down - the blog you are currently reading is a perfect example of that) it is still noteworthy) and when he does come up with something, it sounds NOTHING as it did in his most devastating of halcyon days [years]. The same line of thought would apply to just a few others in some aspects (I do struggle, and do so MIGHTILY, however, to think of someone whose work has deviated as much as Sizzla's has) with the prevailing line of thinking being that, things have changed SO much and will never go back to the way they are and DAMN! I MISS IT! Although, with that being said, there're still somewhat healthy lines to the past that we stumble across occasionally and, just as it is of a supreme level of significance to acknowledge and appreciate the current moment, it's just as crucial as we ENJOY and celebrate times like these.
We were presented with such a "time" just a couple of years ago in the form of an album by the name of "Living Testament". That set came courtesy of the very active (and interesting) Trinity Farm Music (with Go A Chant Productions) and was dubbed the final recorded album from the great Vaughn Benjamin and Akae Beka. It was fantastic and would even go on to take our top honours in 2024 as the Album of The Year. Despite the fact that it was called the final complete work of Benjamin (and I'm not suggesting that it isn't, the album we're talking about today could have very well been recorded after "Living Testament"), there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that today's situation was on the horizon but, as I said, I made the most of that release and I still am (currently POUNDING 'Holding the Amen Key') ["Among the ministers of The King's High Court"]. I think that we got spoiled by Akae Beka. Even when the pacing of others slowed down a bit, they were still quite active and would go on to reach a point where, despite making a brand of music that would probably be incapable of being any further from "mainstream", their music had begun to attract a wider level of attention and deservedly so. Some of the later Akae Beka sets have been SCALDING.
Akae Beka & Higher Bound Productions
So the prospects of getting my paws on a new one, regardless of when it was recorded, were damn appetizing and they always will be. Vaughn Benjamin -- PHYSICALLY (and only physically) -- left us in late 2019 but because of the type of work that he left behind, it hasn't seemed so. Not only have there been more releases but the older material remains just as enjoyable to listen to and to work through in order to find the true meaning and inspiration of one of the very few undeniable geniuses I have ever come across. It's still as challenging and rewarding as ever from songs that're... decades old at this point. Benjamin's work is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Along with missing certain sounds and situations that have faded away over the years, I also miss the delightfully infrequently frequent way we ran into certain entities. If you look at Midnite and then Akae Beka, in particular, Benjamin would record with certain labels that you either wouldn't see AT ALL without him or others that you would run into they got more of the spotlight on their output via their releases with him. You think of outfits such as Rastar, Fifth Son Records (a personal favourite of mine). Iaahden, Natural Vibes.... and. of course, Afrikan Roots Lab and Rastafaria. Without the physical presence of Vaughn Benjamin, you worried about some of these labels and some of them, CLEARLY, have exited the business, while others have DELIGHTFULLY stuck around (and this is, of course, without mentioning the likes of the Zion I Kings). Another body that would have been in that lot would definitely be Higher Bound Productions. I'm going to be a bit circular here but I will bring myself back and do so quickly: Headed by one Ishence, whether you realize it or not, HBP has been very productive in their time and even without Akae Beka. The US based imprint has worked with the likes of Ancient King ["Ethiopie"], Danny I, Ras Abja ["Songs Fa Jah"] and even the reclusive Army (whose "Dredlocks Time" may just be the single finest album Higher Bound has ever done) through the years so, if you pay any attention at all to Virgins Islands Roots music, chances are pretty decent that you've ran into their work somewhere along the way. Even if you're not, the fact that they've also released FOUR full Akae Beka/Midnite sets, should have popped up on your radar at some point during the last twenty years or so. There was the FUN "Bless Go Roun" ["Rinse out the dirty cup!"] (always fondly remember that album and then I go back and have a listen and it's even better than I recall) from 2007, which preceded "Ark A Law" by three years. Solid and impressive they both were, Benjamin & Higher Bound hit higher heights three more years on when they sent out the GORGEOUS "Free Indeed" (simply one of the best albums Benjamin has ever done for anyone in my opinion) and kept the quality high with the most recent entry, 2019's 'Hail The King".
And let's talk about "Free Indeed" & "Hail The King" for just a second. We started a new series called "Signatures". It's most recent entry, #14, was for Bushman; but the very first was for Akae Beka. If you are unfamiliar, Signatures is just a compiling of my favourite songs from a given artist and, apparently, my favourite Akae Beka songs include one song each from "Free Indeed" & "Hail The King", respectively. Those two songs, 'Hemp Scroll' & 'New Race' were NECESSITIES for that list. It would have been incomplete without either! So, when you take ALLLLL of that and add on top their most recent history, if/when the new Akae Beka album, that I presumed but didn't know was on its way, were to come from Higher Bound, not only would I have no problem with that at all, I'd also be pretty damn excited about it... even more than usual. LUCKY ME! The early part of the second third of 2026 now delivers to us an Akae Beka album of full music that I've never heard [!], "World Tap In"! BOOM! The feeling going into these records, for me, is always an interesting one. You may not think that Akae Beka makes a brand of Roots music that is necessarily exciting but that's where I'm at! I am downright THRILLED to be diving into a new album and, again, when it comes aligned with such a proven source, it magnifies it even more. Even the album cover (biggup Marcus Wilson) gives me that wonderful nostalgic feeling! LET'S GET INTO IT!
Along with, obviously, that of of Vaughn Benjamin (who also serves as producer along with HBP), "World Tap" also features the work of a lineup of venerable players of instrument such as Ras L, Kenyatta Itola and the great Tuff Lion, all of whom have a long line of working with Akae Beka/Midnite throughout the years. So, at least on paper, if you were coming to this album expecting something of a deviation, you most certainly will not get what you're looking for. For the rest of us, however, we get precisely what we want out of "World Tap In" which gets up and going courtesy of what, kinda/sorta, would be its initial single (it's the only song present here that I heard a tiny bit of before it launched), the wholly destructive 'Kingdom'. The way this song comes in... it makes me tingle! The hair on my arm stands up when I hear that damn pulse because I can only imagine what is to come atop it in a second. The song sits as a table-setter. It sets the stage for what is to follow in direction and I don't have to go too far to tell you what direction that is (you know exactly what this song is about) and does so with a very OPEN and inviting style. Let's stick with that for just a second: You'll find, literally, thousands of Roots songs that are more suitable for people who may not be typical fans of the genre than 'Kingdom' ["Kingdom of Jah remain"] and are maybe easing their way into it but this is the litmus test for what is to follow. If you like 'Kingdom', I think there's a pretty good chance that "World Tap In" is for you. FORTUNATELY FOR ME, I absolutely love it. I hear so much natural emotion in this tune with this man singing about his King that it proved to be a downright HUMBLING start to this release. The responsibility for keeping the quality up following the opener goes to a song which, RIDICULOUSLY, threatens to outpace 'Kingdom', the multi-multi-faceted 'World Volatile'. On one hand, you've heard Benjamin do something like this before. He will get into topics centered around financial matters and such themes (the one that immediately came to my mind was "All I's On You' from "Beauty For Ashes") and though they typically aren't (they never are) CLOSED off and straight-forward), I don't know if he's ever done one as all-encompassing as this stunner.
"World volatile just to make decision
Leaders with constituencies of millions
For the wellness of the land and who have dominion
Changes at a rate beyond human comprehension
To ease the vibes and cool the tension
Mass-media inna the world must make distractions-
To prevent unrest inna the nation central
A leader to face the stiff faceness of the situation-
At the market of ideas, where they making their mention
Market stumble, fall down and stock prices regression
It's like to where to seek in the world for stable vision
The ideal human-commercial interaction
Where, just fairness appeals to the participants
World volatile just to make decisions
Leaders with constituencies of millions"
Now you take that and leave it there and you have a song that is sort of a financial commentary but, later, Benjamin, on the same damn track, comes in with:
"Of augmentation and it's about diminution
It's who get reduce-ed and who get augmentation, addition
THIS IS INTENSE, WORLD COMMERCIAL COMPETITION
Nations has never before gone on a mission to secure their place on the world platform
SPORTSMAN DEXTERITY, POWER, SPEED AND FORM
IN THE SCIENCES IS WHERE IT GOES ON
THE ROYALTIES REGARDING THE PATENT AND THE LAWS
THE REWARD FOR DILIGENCE - THE CAUSE FOR APPLAUSE [!]
Then in come the generation of the mystic radiant
The same racist concepts can't hold dem yah stagnant
WHERE LOVE IS NOT STOLEN
WHERE IS RECIPROCAL-
HAILE CIVIC DUTY, LOVE OF COUNTRY, LOVE OF WOMAN AND MAN, BOY AND GIRL
THIS LOVE WOULD MAKE THE ONE LOVE TOTAL"
I mean... what do you even do with that?? Where do we go from here after he goes and does something like that? Maybe we should all just pack it in and go and find something else to do! Until we figure it out: 'World Volatile' is one of my favourite songs on this album (with respect to the 'Kingdom' and a certain plant that I'm going to tell you about in a second) as it is this TOTAL battering ram of ideology that challenges you as a listener in ways that only Akae Beka's music can (go from analyzing stocks to talking about the power of appreciation....). I should also mention the riddim which is on the VERY simple side but is GORGEOUS! Next in is the delightful bounce of 'Asking Some More'. I'm predicting that this one will get lost. It will be heard and enjoyed on a superficial level but if you grind it down, even a little your gift is brilliance. It just is. Where I am currently with 'Asking Some More' is that it is a track on the importance of education and awareness. Of course, I'm not strictly speaking about the type of knowledge attained in a classroom (although there's nothing wrong with that); this is a more experience based - instantly applicable - type of insight. Benjamin approaches this one from all angles including, wonderfully, a historical one.
"Nameless Ethiopians, remotest men of all-
Came to the west inna handcuff, inna chain and ball
Inna modern contemporary, standing tall
BECAUSE OF AMNESIA, WE DON'T RECALL"
And then there's the "plant" I alluded to before, the MAMMOTH 'Sycamore Tree'. There is a certain FORCE behind Benjamin's vocals here that I'm struggling to recall hearing previously on this level. There're points during 'Sycamore Tree' where his voice gets a little raspy and it almost seems like he's a little pissed off (maybe 'Sha-tee') ["Deputy & legacy"] but when you check it out, 'Sycamore Tree' is a biblical tune, almost entirely. I make this case for other artists but so rarely for Akae Beka because he doesn't change it much; but, at least here, the delivery adds so much to the vibes here and it absolutely TRAPPED me as a punchline/headliner for "World Tap In"...
"FROM THE OLD LION LAND, WHERE THE VIBE FIERY"
I have found 'Hemp Scroll'. I have located 'New Race'. 'Sycamore Tree' THRILLS as the single finest moment on the album. By comparison, the vocals of the tune behind it, 'As We Will', are much lighter than 'Sycamore Tree' but they also work in its case. It almost reminds me a little of the title track from "Free Indeed" ["Work of light and word of truth that King Selassie I reveal"] as far as its sound. 'As We Will', in its direction is a fairly broad life observation. It's about the balance of all things -- good & evil, heavy & light --and how they play a role in the things we do and the decisions we make. It comes from a spiritual source, obviously, but you could well apply facets of the song into tangible, everyday life. I thought I had a pretty solid idea of what 'Across The Eons' could be about and I was fairly close (for a change) as it sits as both a praising piece and one which attempts to link the present with the past ["Reaching across the eons to hold hands, to break bread and give thanks"]. It does have a more directly biblical heart, particularly later on but, again, you could just as easily take it to mean that the foundation and teachings set by our ancestors can be helpful to us all these years later. So, if you do take the effort, you could also give it a more grounded significance. Oh and 'Across The Eons' is also kinda beautiful but I'll talk about that more in a minute. I'll also mention 'Cover InI' right here because I've been stuck on it for the better part of an hour now. 'Cover InI' is a pure praise and nothing else and it is simply glorious. I want to emphasize the "simply" part of that statement because it doesn't even attempt much else (which is rare for Vaughn Benjamin) and he says a couple of things during the song which definitely caught my attention and did so in a very, again, plain and uncomplicated way. "I keep The King in front I face continually", he says and the goes on to talk about both the rewards of doing so and the struggle to maintain that type of FOCUS. Speaking of "focus", that is the secondary thought I have regarding 'Cover InI'. He also says, "Higher man over material sensibility"; essentially saying that there are many things (and people) that can distract you from The Source but the greatest joy is not straying and not falling for them. BOOM!
As always, you go into an album and you're very curious about the title track and 'World Tap In' is no exception. This one took me a minute... and then another minute and then another one and that is largely due to its sound. Maybe its just me but I hear a lot of things going on in the background on 'World Tap In'. There's a certain GRUMBLE behind it (it sounds like someone is doing something, physically, in the background but doing it in a way while trying to stay on the melody) that can be a bit distracting and, for as aggressive as the song comes off, for his part Benjamin doesn't match it. He just goes about his business. His business in this instance is awareness. It is the idea that if we TRULY cut through a lot of the bullshit that we are served that our successes can soar. He goes SO FAR as to even get biological ["Pure water, clean air and all that thing"] in his image of upliftment so, if you dare to get through the sonics here (and maybe (probably) that was only an issue for me), a diamond awaits. Like You, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect from 'In Your Hands' and it did give me that but it also delivered something more unanticipated. There's something very VINTAGE about it. It's that beautiful, old school, disheveled and kind of messy Midnite sound and I mean that in a good way. It's what I used to run away from when I was younger and what became addictive for me when I was finally able to appreciate this work. I LOVED finding a song like this one "World Tap In".
Going back, I was also pretty happy to find the downright hypnotic 'Your Needs' as well. If you've ever seen an Akae Beka performance, perhaps you've seen Benjamin in some type of rapture, lost in his sound and, presumably, some type of JOY. I get that when I listen to 'Your Needs'. Just the sound of it and how his delivery hardly changes (WHAT he says changes, obviously, but not much in HOW he says it) signals to me that he was REALLY feeling the vibe here. What he does with it is to speak about how everyone has a role to play in building prosperity ["The people that hold things to together. Make systems work, run efficiency; and training and order. What are your needs?"]. 'Your Needs' is RIPE with ideology and I think it'll end up being one of the songs I listen to most from "World Tap In". Finally, the album goes out on a very high note, with one of its legitimate champions, the mystical and curious 'Freedom Route'.
"The long march is on
Sounds like boots are on the move
The displaced people seeking rest and food and mood
Pace yourself
The journey's long
Take your palce among the strong
Pray that goodness lead in front
Greater numbers from month-to-month
Politicians who are rude and flaunt-
Take your hopes and dash dem down
Turn your smile into a frown
Turn their thorns into a crown
Jah be with who makes it out
All about the freedom route
All along the freedom route
Jah be with who makes it out"
I won't go into it too much (because I'm about to right now) but the closer has such a LOVELY sound to it. It is so nice to hear! Its 'route', in my opinion, is about how we all need to be willing to help one another and to also be able to receive and ASK for help when we need it, ourselves. There is a journey that we must all make and MAYBE you can make by yourself but your chances improve greatly when you have someone standing next to you and in front of you and behind you...
Okay! I do want to very briefly elabourate on what I just mentioned and refrained from mentioning several times throughout this review. Musically, "World Tap In" is exquisite. It is REALLY good but, because of its subtleties and simplicities, I don't think that this album will ultimately be appreciated for just how pleasing of a listen (on the most casual of levels) that it actually is. I go back to the "Bless Go Roun" set and it's seriously approaching those levels and, it's a better album than "BGR" was in my opinion. Credit goes to Higher Bound Productions there because they made them both.
Overall, because we don't know when or even if we'll get another opportunity like this (although I think we will and I'm REALLY hoping that someone out there is working on putting together a 'greatest hits' type of release for Akae Beka) (but I doubt it), I'm definitely making the most of "World Tap In" and, outside of this review, I'm looking forward to enjoying and digging into all of these songs for years to come. That is a gift that is most unique to the music of Akae Beka. Sure, it can be pleasing and fulfilling and gratifying at once but the way Vaughn Benjamin made music... it almost came with a time-delayed function. Much of his work will carry even more value years on from now. "World Tap In" is not only another winner from Akae Beka and Higher Bound Productions, it's also another VERY healthy collection of music to add to a catalogue that is truly immortal and I got EXACTLY what I was hoping for and DAMN I'M HAPPY!
Okay so, I had tons & tons of fun putting together the Sizzla 50, a list of fifty random songs in celebration of Kalonji completing his fiftieth year on the planet. Putting that together fairly quickly (I don't know if it took more than two or three hours) was a BEAUTIFUL dosage of nostalgia and, despite the fact that I had so much room to work with, I still left out quite a few tunes that I had originally planned to put on the list (such as the entire "Ghetto Youth-ology" album, for example). It was a fun journey back through the classics and, on one hand, it made me miss them, while on the other it made SO appreciative of how well we had it back then.
Typically, when we talk about Sizzla Kalonji at his absolute best, the discussion centers around the work that went into a pair of albums, "Praise Ye Jah" and "Black Woman & Child", which is completely fair. Those two releases have reached a legendary status and that's fine. They're deserving. The latter is the single greatest album I have ever heard in my life to this very day and, all these years later, I still find myself running into new things that I hear on "PYJ". I wanted to take a little look at some of Sizzla's earlier work that didn't/doesn't get as much attention, in retrospect, as "Black Woman & Child" and "Praise Ye Jah" but definitely are big demonstrations of a supreme level of skill.
The biggest example of this is probably "Royal Son Of Ethiopia" for Greensleeves, from way back in 1999. There used to be a fairly strong contingent of individuals who maintained that "Royal Son" was every bit as strong as "BW&C" & "PYJ" and although I do not agree... the album lays a serious claim to being the solidified #3 out of his catalogue. The very first song on the album, 'As in the Beginning', was literally PERFECT (probably in the top ten of my favourite Sizzla songs altogether) and although it was the highlight of the album, it was the brightest of stars in a sky FULL of them. That set was absolutely LOADED and other standouts included the likes of 'Eastern Mountain' with Luciano, the intoxicating 'Burn Dem Turf', the blistering 'Ripe Leaf' ('Ripe Leaf' was PROBLEMS!), 'A Wah Dat', 'Break Free', 'Babylon Homework' ["Who dem go fool seh Black man a monkey? Black man, Black woman a di first monarchy!"], 'Break Free' and I could go on and on.
As I said, "Royal Son Of Ethiopia" was Sizzla's Greensleeves album for 1999, if you go and look at what he was doing for VP Records around the same time, you don't see anything quite impressive, singularly, but you see a group of albums whose best represent some of the finest work of the entire genre at the time. Lumping together the three VP albums of 98-00 -- "Freedom Cry", "Be I Strong" & "Words Of Truth" -- when you take THE best that they had to offer, in full... BOOM! For its part, "Freedom Cry" was FUN. It leads into a point that I'll probably end this post on so I'll save it for a minute but it was a really good time of a Roots Reggae album of its time. It's very melodic in tunes such as 'Saturated', 'Long Journey', the kind of funky 'Rain Shower', 'Ancient Memories', 'Lovely Morning' and even 'Till It Some More' to a degree. Take that and combine it with the class of the album, 'Real', 'Love Amongst Me Brethren' ["To Sizzla, that is heaven"] and 'Dem Ah Try Ah Thing' and you have an album which may not represent the chanter at his absolute zenith but PAINFULLY close to it. While 1999's "Be I Strong" wasn't as fit as "Freedom Cry" it, too, also served up some unforgettable material on its highest side and it had a certain 'levelling' quality to it (which makes no sense at all but I'm going to explain it). The two signature tunes, at least on paper, from "Be I Strong" were the title track and "The Vibes" which featured Capleton. Neither one of those songs are amazing. They're pretty good and there's nothing wrong with them but there was far better material to be found there and most of it is gone. You don't remember damn near BRILLIANT Dancehallish Roots tracks like 'Powerfull', 'Men & People', 'No Chance', 'Stop Violate' and 'Love Is All' very often. And that's what I meant by "levelling". "Be I Strong" hit a certain level of quality and, for the most part, it just STUCK there. It never went too far up or down and, if you enjoyed that sound, listening back to it today shows a different side of what came before it in sound but one still honouring the downright monstrous talent behind it. Then there was "Words Of Truth" which kind of sits out on an island of its own because of the fact that the album came accompanied by a second disc which was a live performance of Sizzla's (which was and remains a VERY cool addition by VP). That fact will probably always keep this album not too far forgotten but, perhaps, we do tend to overlook what was going on with disc #1 a quarter of a century later. 'Enemies Are Confounded' ["Babylon! You're a dirty bastard!"], 'Them No Good', 'Attack' [BOOM!], 'Love Ah Di Way', 'Step Up' and the GORGEOUS opener that was 'Lift Mine Eyes' were EXCELLENT tracks present on "Words Of Truth". Again, they weren't his best but they weren't galaxies away either and they represented fine, collective, next steps and expansions on his sound in my opinion.
What Kalonji would do with VP in the next two years isn't worth discussing because it's been talked about ad nauseum (and if you do need more, check HERE and HERE) and deservingly so; both albums were fantastic (and I just thought of a cool conclusion to this, so I'll bring up one in a minute). But let's go back and see what the next two years had in store for Sizzla on the Greensleeves side. In the year 2000, they'd push out the absolutely FANTASTIC "Bobo Ashanti" which, for me, is a top ten level Sizzla album (and it isn't eighth, ninth or tenth) and would've been a Modern Classic were it not for the fact that it missed the cutoff by a year. "Bobo Ashanti" is headlined by a tune, 'The World', which is one of a very few in the conversation for being THE single greatest song I've ever heard from Sizzla altogether and what followed were SUPREME winners such as 'Strength and Hope', 'Wicked Naw Go Prosper', 'Grow U Locks' ["....and wear yuh turban. Pon di disobedient di fire burn pon!"], 'Attack', 'Courage', 'Do Good' and others still. Charged with following "Bobo Ashanti" was an album which, although it didn't reach those levels, admittedly, has WELL become a personal favourite of mine, 2001's "Rastafari Teach I Everything". Highlighted by a downright GLORIOUS ode to Mother Africa, 'Beautiful', I think "Rastafari Teach I Everything" is, arguably, THE most underrated release of Sizzla's entire career (I'm REALLY biased if you haven't figured that out) as it is STOCKED with excellent tracks and no one remembers! 'Better Make Sure', the THUMPING 'Stay Clean', 'Energy', even 'Give Her The Loving' was solid, 'Escape From Prison', the title track, 'Revenge' and, of course, the all sorts of fun ganja tune, 'Yes, I Get High' ["Rastafari a who we are. Identify me now - BY MI SKIN COLOUR, YOU KNOW THAT I'M A STAR!"]. Always at least solid, over the course of the past decade or so, "Rastafari Teach I Everything" has become special to me and, again, it fits so wonderfully into the type and the QUALITY level of work that Sizzla was doing at the time. The Sizzla & Greensleeves releases would lose their way shortly thereafter with albums such as "Rise To The Occasion", "Soul Deep" and that other one whose name I can never remember and don't feel like looking up (Street or Ghetto SOMETHING) ranging somewhere between awkward and awful; before righting the ship somewhat with "Life" and COMPLETELY with fine albums "Waterhouse Redemption" and "Ghetto Youth-ology", making way for the MAMMOTH "I-Space" in 2007.
And, before we do end, I'd also be doing you a disservice if I didn't mention another pair of albums from the time, "Good Ways" & "Liberate Yourself". The former is the followup to "BW&C". Produced by the brilliant Bobby Digital, "Good Ways" featured a very loose but old school type of vibes and it carried some serious HAMMERS such as 'Bless Me'... I was about to go down and list a heap of tunes like I've been doing thus far but fuck it.... pretty much the entire album was a HAMMER! I would point to one song, specifically, that was an excellent dose of what was to come on the Dancehall end: Sizzla's cut of Jazzwad's WICKED Riott Riddim. It was aggressive, POSITIVE and uplifting music which would soon become a giant staple of his output. Like "Words Of Truth", "Liberate Yourself" came with a wildcard. It also came alongside a second disc; this one a straight compilation with the likes of Bushman, Kulcha Knox, Terry Ganzie, Prezident Brown and even the legendary aforementioned Garnet Silk and Luciano, amongst others. As for the actual album, while it most certainly was NOT great (and that opener... probably turned more than a few people off from listening to all that came after it) ('Inna Africa' may just be Sizzla's WORST time from the period altogether), it was saved from total quality oblivion by 'Forever Be Strong', the striking 'Waan Go Home' (probably the best song on that album), 'Fire Fi Bun', 'By Your Words' and maybe one or two others. While "Liberate Yourself" may lack (it does) in overall strength and levels, it does give you glimpses CONSTANTLY of the brightness of its source. Generally speaking, LISTEN to the work Sizzla was doing. I point out in certain individuals -- whose music I absolutely LOVE -- such as Vaughn Benjamin and Lutan Fyah, who I regard as being bona fide masters of the spoken word with some of the things they're capable of doing, lyrically; but aren't necessarily the most gifted at making melodies. Benjamin, for his part, often doesn't even seem to give a damn about the riddim behind him, while Lutan Fyah (although he's better than he was earlier in his career) can come off as being somewhat rigid and less malleable). Sizzla was positively BRILLIANT with his words AND he made a brand of modern Roots which was WHOLLY ENTERTAINING and gratifying to the ears. He could glue himself to a riddim of several different types and do so with a poignancy virtually without equal. Also, he had a way of writing which combined both the spiritual and tangible worlds effectively. You did not have to seek His Majesty to find clarity in his words and, at his absolute best, he spoke to EVERYONE willing to take the time to listen and, again, listening wasn't labourious. You did so willingly!
There is an elephant in this room which I alluded to but did not mention outright when it comes the "vintage" level or "PRIME" of Sizzla Kalonji and that is "Da Real Thing". Despite coming years following "Praise Ye Jah" and "Black Woman & Child", "Da Real Thing", arguably, has had even more influence on the genre and played a greater role in bringing new ears to the flock (given just how outwardly popular it became) (and remains). The title of that album is significant because, if I recall correctly, its maestro, the aforementioned Bobby Digital, insisted on it. The story was that Sizzla, himself wanted to name it "Thank U Mamma", after its best (in my opinion) track but he relented and it became "Da Real Thing". There's an obvious connection here but I think that, given the fact that someone SO DAMN responsible for supplying much of the ammunition which we recognize as Sizzla's finest output wanted to, ESSENTIALLY, declare another album to BE part of that. It was just three words but they included an album into a certain level and also excluded it from one (<that being more of the Dancehall oriented and controversial material that Sizzla was doing around the time). That is VERY POWERFUL coming from who it's coming from. It sounds like something You and I would do, as fans. So, while we look at two very large pillars as being THE examples of a level that remains Sizzla's finest after all these years (and do so fairly enough), perhaps that thought is INCOMPLETE; because when we examine the entire general era, in full, what we find is that the genius seeped into other areas, whether we realized it or not. Combine that with a level of [over]activity that may be unmatched and where you end is at an EXTREMELY robust catalogue - particularly LOADED with diamonds at the front.
Okay so, absolutely FANTASTIC news today as a long standing rumour is, apparently, on its way to becoming a fact as there is A BRAND NEW CAPLETON ALBUM loaded and ready to go via Evidence Music. SURELY you remember The Prophet's EPIC run of albums "More Fire", "Still Blazin" & "Reign Of Fire" and now he revives the theme with "Heights Of Fire"! It was... maybe Novemberish when I first heard that Capleton was coming back with a brand new album which would be his first in over fifteen years. It didn't have a title and it didn't have a tracklist and now we have BOTH! BOOM! BREAK SOMETHING! KICK SOMEONE NEAR YOU (and then immediately apologize).
Looking through the tracks, there're a few noticeable shots such as 'Get Up and Fight', 'Burn Dem Down' and 'Jah Is My Leader' and, very recently, they've given us another in the form of the album opening 'Red Again'.
If you remember back in da day, Capleton was one of the very few artists who could drop an ALBUM which would actually be a big deal in the entire genre. Surely those days are gone... RIGHT? On the 26th of June you'll join me in finding out when we soar to the "Heights Of Fire" with Capleton & Evidence Music.... just thought you'd like to know.
