Inheritance. As I continue my drift further and further into old-age and senility and I look around at things, musically speaking, I find that I have a lot more things to be happy for than I would have imagined at this point. Although I will continue to mourn the death of my beloved Dancehall (it isn't dead, but the style that I love is.... yeah it's on life-support at best), other things not only remain, but remain largely unchanged and even certain others which have changed have done so, arguably, for the better. Soca music, for example, sounds almost exactly the same to my ears as it did a couple of decades ago when I really began to dig into the music. If anything I've noticed a bit more in the way of aggression which is probably my single favourite aspect of the music (and a large chunk of that surely has to do with the rise of one Skinny Fabulous). Roots Reggae has also remained largely untouched, but still has evolved in an entirely organic direction; meaning that the changes that we have noticed have been, for the most part, due to the arrival of incredible talents who have been free (just as several generations before them) to mold the music in the manner that they see fit, by simply being themselves. Speaking on that further, one of the things currently around music that makes me smile is the talent level of so many of the up and coming youths, happily keeping me away from fully becoming that "back in my day" extremely judgmental, arrogant and annoying old bastard that I will surely become one day. I mean some of these youths are just unusually gifted not only for their respective ages but just in general. The pride in me says that it has a lot to do with the fact that they were privileged to have been able to have gone through their formative years listening to some of my personal favourites from an era or two ago, but a credit must be paid to the artists themselves as well. One particular facet of the music that has seen wide-reaching development in my opinion has been song-writing: Lyrics. These kids are not only writing amazing verses continuously that would have been of that quality in any era, but they're seemingly taking a level of PRIDE in doing so, which I do not know that we have ever seen thus far. People like Jah9, Kabaka Pyramid, more recently Koffee have demonstrated themselves to be potential future pillars in Reggae music and have done so, in great part, due to the sharpness of their words (again, my pride wants to say that they've grown listening to a lot of Sizzla Kalonji, Capleton and Vybz Kartel, but some of these individuals are so utterly naturally gifted that they could have grown listening to Dub or Jazz, unknowing that music even had words, and still been of a certain quality) (and I also want to say that I love how much development we've seen as far as personal freedom. Reggae has always been a music with characters in it, but more recently we've seen a level of diversity, both globally and locally, that has not existed until now). When it comes to those at or approaching a certain level of prominence, within the last few years it almost seems as if not being at least better than proficient lyrically means that they are incomplete as artists (it always has meant that, actually, but we're seeing a level of attention paid to it, specifically, that we have not previously. It was that way in the ultra-competitive and highly self-criticizing Dancehall to a degree, but now it's virtually everywhere). And if (it does) being excellent lyrically means that you are at least on the road to being a complete artist, today I'm going to tell you about someone who had seemingly PURCHASED LAND somewhere along that road.
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| 2019 |
Meet Jahmiel. When the name Jahmiel first popped up on many radars a few years back it did so largely as a 'battle-bot'. The Portmore native didn't mind if you didn't have the nicest things to say about him, he kind of seemed to enjoy it at times and he had no problem in engaging in (and winning for the most part in my opinion) very public back-and-forths with several of his peers, most notably Tommy Lee Sparta. Things like that, for all the attention they can get you, can be problematic because artists can quickly become labelled as 'specialists' and I won't name any names, but you know several individuals who I could name and the very first (and second and third) thing that you think of in regards to them is a clash they once had with a variety of different people and, with very few exceptions (literally one or two), it isn't something that has legs. You won't get very far if the only thing you can do is slay someone lyrically, no matter how good at it you may be and, at least in my opinion, young Jahmiel was damn good at it. Fortunately, clashing seemed to be a hobby of his and he was still hard at work on his 'day job' of being a predominately conscious and impressive young Reggae artist. On that surface -- despite moonlighting as a grim reaper for some -- he was even better.
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| 2020 |
With a history like his and a penchant as he has had in the early portions of his career, Jahmiel has seen an incredible rise in his profile and he's enjoyed a spell as one of Jamaica's most discussed artists (aided by a short lived alliance with Mavado and Alkaline) and has made an impact internationally as well. However, these days, at least as far as I know, Jahmiel has retired from seeing souls into the afterlife, hung up his scythe and, instead, has focused on building his "Legend". Back in 2019, Jahmiel would deliver his much anticipated debut album, "Great Man". The DJ Frass/Chimney Records produced set went pretty well-received in its time and it has not taken very much time at all to put forth its successor. Between the two full releases several important things have occurred for Jahmiel personally and proffesionally. On the professional side of things was definitely "Revamp" from 2020, a five-track EP, a first from Jahmiel I believe. Personally things have been even more eventful. Along with, seemingly, leaving behind the clash years of his career, he's mended fences with several of the individuals with whom had previously feuded (more on that later) and he's also undergone a spiritual journey of a great importance. A year ago around this same time, Jahmiel was baptized and it was public to a degree, you can find pictures and probably a video of the entire moment. Fast-forward a year on and the artist who once sang 'Rastafari Stand Tall' ["Waan si man fall. Waan si man fall. Rastafari stand tall. Emperor stand tall!"].... has returned to His Majesty's Kingdom. Just a day or two ago as of this writing (the day is the seventeenth of April, the time is 7:46PM) I listened to an interview where Jahmiel spoke about going through several things that he was looking for in the church, but did not end up finding. The way he presented it (and I will go into this more, in general, in just a second) was from a humble aspect. He was disrespectful and he almost seemed to blame himself at times for putting himself through the stress of leaving something that was right for him.... only to go on to return to it in short order. Furthermore, from what I've seen and heard from Jahmiel has been pretty damn impressive if I do say so (and I just did). I've heard him talk about some of the mistakes that he's made in his life and how he has let his ego get out of control at times. I LOVE to hear people say and do things like that. It makes them seem very sincere and, as someone who has spent a lifetime in which I have constructed a MOUNTAIN of mistakes (growing larger in structure by the second), it also makes them more relatable. I hardly ever say things like this and it doesn't apply to everyone of whom I count myself a fan (even some I hold in greater musical distinction than Jahmiel): Jahmiel just seems like a very nice person. He comes across as a very normal guy who you could hang out with and never have a problem with and if you were to, it could be settled peacefully like grow ass men. That's how he seems and it as because of that, in part, that I REALLY wanted to write about "Legend". That was even before getting into the fact that, as I alluded to (or at least attempted to), "Legend" has an air of something damn near special around it. Jahmiel has a level of talent placing him in the company of the aforementioned likes of Kabaka Pyramid, Jah9, Koffee and others, but he is a lyricist on a slightly different terrain - a trait well present throughout "Legend". Let's talk about it.
While, as I said, the first album came via DJ Frass & Chimney Records, "Legend" comes to us through Sweet Music Production, which is Jahmiel's homebase. I believe they're in charge of managing his career and are completely invested in both the artist and this project. As for the artist and his clearest of gifts, Jahmiel is a very interesting writer. You won't hear much in the way of clever analogies and comparisons. He is a bit more 'grounded' to my ear. Jahmiel's style is much more a matter of 'what you see is what you get' (I'm going to make the very loose comparison to someone like a Lutan Fyah). It's totally matter-of-fact and hardworking which is what helps him convey his message. So when I hear him at his best, I walk away feeling like I just had a really productive conversation with someone. A really good example of this would be the MAMMOTH opener for Jahmiel's sophomore album release, "Legend", 'Worthy To Be Praised'. It is a spiritual song, giving thanks and praise to The Almighty, but it doesn't have its head in the clouds. The song's 'feet' are planted firmly on earth and, regardless of what path in life you walk, you can listen to this and get something TANGIBLE from it in my opinion.
"Father praises belong to you, so mi seh glory be to God
Some things mi think did hard, You mek it possible mi Lord
Overcome all mi trials
Know weh true and si wah false
THOU PREPARETH A TABLE WHEN DEM WAAN SI MI STARVE
But di same ones mi share wid, bruk mi bread and give dem all
FATHER YOU DEH DEH FI MI WHEN ALL FRIENDS ARE LOST
MI STILL DEH PON DI PATH FI PUT DI WORDS INNA DEM HEART
Yes, I will fi slow di wrath
SHOW DEM LOVE INSTEAD OF WAR"
I do not care what is the center of your existence. If it is a higher power. If it is you, yourself, or someone else or even a cat [!], you can take something from this song and enact it in your life and be a better person because of it. This stanza is the first full verse you'll hear on "Legend" and as soon as my ears tuned it in, I knew I was listening to something truly special and 'Worthy To Be Praised' remains as one of the finest selections here. 'Burdened' (not really though) with keeping the vibes high is (technically the rest of the album, if you really think about it) is the autobiographical 'Story of My Life' and it does not fail. The artist alluded to this tune in the interview I mentioned previously when he spoke about how he found his way back to Rastafari and in it he manages several of the very same subjects, including having a physical illness and searching for a way out of it ["Dem couldn't survive di road weh mi walk pon. Close friend try poison mi organ. 'Revamp coulda be some a mi last songs', dem ah seh to demself, so mi last long"] and ultimately making a decision that was right for his life. Again, this is an extremely relatable and entirely 'HUMAN' song. We change our minds, constantly, and because of that, no matter how big or small the situation may've been, I'm sure you've found yourself back on some road going in the same direction after deviating for however long of a period. It happens and, in Jahmiel's case, he deals with it on a tune which is downright BRILLIANT. The title track and first of three combinations is up next, this one featuring the work of Masicka. I had an idea of what I would hope such a lofty named selection might be about coming from someone seemingly so humble as Jahmiel, though I was still greatly curious in hearing the direction he would actually take it in. I now take the song's title as an abstract one as nothing here speaks to me as establishing a "legend" here, but it is certainly not devoid of direction, however. 'Legend' is really just two people sitting around talking about things they've gone through in their lives and how they've overcome/dealt with them; and I'm going to say that and say this right here in direct contrast to what I just said: IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE MORE CREATIVE SONGS THAT I'VE HEARD IN A LITTLE WHILE. In its simplicity, 'Legend' finds a high level of originality (particularly as a combination) and class which is not to be missed. In fact, I would call it the second strongest tune on the album named for it as it is only topped by the next one up (preceded by an interlude, CLEARLY showing that Jahmiel and co. realized they had something special on their hands with this one), 'Mind Games'.
TEARS! BOOM! Despite the fact that I REALLY want to, I am going to attempt to not be a 'prisoner of the moment' and limit my historical look at the single which reached just late last year, but what is said on 'Mind Games' represents some of the most impressive lyrics that I've heard in a long ass time. Jahmiel talks about the true intentions of certain people who you may find yourself around ["Nuff a dem have di realest talk and di duttiest heart. Mind games dem ah play"] and does so in a way that isn't judgmental at all -- he isn't saying that you're a fool for falling for it, some of these people are just really good at it ["Thing dem woulda teach mi when mi never know. Dem only come fi reap when dem neva sow"] -- but is, instead just trying to warn you of what may come. It's done at such in such an incredibly high level of skill and it actually made me notice something else about "Legend" which I'll come back to in closing, but 'Mind Games' is a devastating offering. It is the single best song I've ever heard from Jahmiel.
The 'torso' of "Legend" (there's a head, a torso and legs), contains two pairs of songs which I felt work together so well interrelated. Check, for example, 'Day to Day' and the very curiously titled 'Viva La Vida'. The very brief former (it's literally two minutes and nine seconds long) is somewhat Hip-Hoppish to my ears sets the stage for the latter as Jahmiel talks about many of the things he's gone through in reaching where he's gotten to in life thus far. On 'Viva La Vida' (the stronger of the two), we find him enjoying the fruits of his labour more
"Leader man a leader, nah go give up neither
Been through a lot, Jah Jah a mi redeemer
Life is good, viva la vida
Mi find mi happiness within di speaker
Though Germaine, back then I was just a dreamer
But now mi cop di Benz and cop di Bimma
Sold out shows in large arenas
But mi not Messi, Argentina
Si wi ah win, mi know dem no like it, oh no
DI MAN A KING, NO SIMILAR THING, MY STYLE IS UNKNOWN
Livin di dream
And mi and mi queen, rough times wi been through
Now mi Rolex look like it reside in the snow
I was born as a fighter
Seh I was born a king
So I'm a survivor, been through a lot of things
Was betrayed before, still love within
Cause I was born a fighter
I was born a king
Yow Ramone, undefeated, caan defeat wi
Wi ah di realest
Know si dem, blurry vision, diabetes [life sweet]
Hungry days - mi know di feeling [fi real]
Now a cash ah stack up to mi ceiling [wealthy]
Caan go broke again cah mi no tree limb
Now dem up inna dem feelings [jealousy]
And it's just di damn beginning
Wait til dem si di Lamborghini"
If you take these two as a duo and not just singles (and together they're barely four and a half minutes in length, I wouldn't be surprised if they were placed consecutively on the album intentionally to help solidify both points) you definitely get more of an appreciation for what Jahmiel has gone through if you're not very familiar with his story (and even if you are) and how he so wonderfully is able to transmit it musically. On the other side of that (literally) are 'Beautiful' and 'Irreplaceable'. The 'inescapable' Stonebwoy guests on 'Beautiful' (probably the fifth project we've looked at since our hiatus that he's been on!) (and it's at least the third tune between Jahmiel and Stonebwoy that I could find. One of their previous efforts, 'Mama' from 2019, was produced by Riga from Hemp Higher) (Riga also produced one of Jahmiel's earliest tunes, I believe, 'Fly Again' ["My wings won't be broken for too long, I'm too strong. The life I lead is like a revolution"]), which he spices up in his signature style. I distinctly looked at 'Beautiful', without knowing how it would turn out, to be a very impressive lyrical effort from Jahmiel because although you wouldn't expect it from its type --a fairly basic love song-- it is the kind of song virtually everyone makes and your ears and mind have adjusted to it and pretty much know what to expect... and, in flashes, he dazzles (like pretty much the entire first verse) ["Yow mi African Princess, haffi show interest. So dem ah hype, mi nuh impressed. All mi time mi ah invest. Ring go mi put pon yuh finga, neva index"]. 'Irreplaceable' (a nearly GREAT song), on the other hand, finds the artist in the unfortunately too familiar position of being lovesick having lost out on his current flame. He says something here which stuck with me in, again, an unfortunate way (because I know the feeling):
"It's easier said than done -
I STILL CAN'T FIND YOU IN ANYONE"
... you know that feeling! You're trying to move on with your life, but you're continuously comparing the potential next person to the one who you cannot get over and that new person will NEVER look favourably in that comparison until you truly do get over the previous one! Sandwiched in between those two pairs is another excellent one, centered around maturing and coming up, 'Grown Ups'. This track looks at the struggle one faces in the transition between childhood and adulthood and the mistakes and failures we make in finding our way, for better or for worse ["I gotta get my thing together, being a kid won't last forever"]. Jahmiel gets stuck (and I mean that in a good way) on the word "LONELY" which is all kinds of interesting because you don't often see it used in explaining that process. You hear about more tangible things (like the realization that, out on your own for the first time, you're probably kinda broke), but there can be that lonesome vibe to it as well, especially if you find yourself far from home, so you can't go and see Mama even if you wanted to. As if you needed more of a reason to be impressed by Jahmiel, if you do not overlook it (and I suspect 'Grown Ups' might go overlooked and underrated by some), 'Grown Ups' will give it to you. 'Set Me Free' might do that for you as well, but in a completely different way. This one seems to be a 'progress report' of Jahmiel's spiritual journey (and I say it like that because I am sure that the man himself would agree that it is a journey which he is still on) and I would think that, as someone who seems to be set to be with us for a very long time, he's going to provide us with several more such updates along the way.
The final quintet of selections off "Legend" features some of the most high-profile material to be found here. Within the five, there's a single and a couple of sizable combinations as well with a pair of names you'll be well familiar with if you've followed Jahmiel (or just Reggae in particular, actually). With that being said, arguably one of the tunes that doesn't fit into either of those categories is the biggest of them all because 'Empty Promises' is a MAGICAL piece of social critique.
"Di system no care for di poor and mi seet
Then mi si di strong dem ah prey pon di weak
HOW COULD I TURN DI OTHER CHEEK WHEN PEOPLE STILL CAAN FIND FOOD FI EAT?
Government no care fi si people ah lose
But have you ever think stepping inna dem shoes?
Imagine caan provide nuttin fi yuh youth - these days
Start how wid di truth
Seh di system all fi demself, yeah
Poor man nah get no help, yeah
They talk but there is no action
Strictly empty promises
OUR LEADERS NEED TO BE LED, YEAH
Hungry need to be fed, yeah
They talk but there is no action
Strictly empty promises
A nuh like seh mi waan depend pon nobody
Mi try look a work, but there's none for mi
Mi nah grow wid a rich mommy or daddy
And mi have mi own family weh ah depend pon mi
DEPRESSION START EFFECT MI MENTALLY
SOMETIME MI FEEL FI HURT MISELF PHYSICALLY-
HAVE THOUGHTS OF KILLING, THOUGHTS OF ROBBERY
But mi no waan do dat or end up sorry
Cah mi have more fi lose than fi gain
What about mi son weh carry mi last name?
AND IF MI NAH DEAD FI DI WORLD CHANGE-
THAT MEAN SEH MI AH DEAD IN VAIN
Cah dis is for generations to come:
DEM CAAN ENSLAVE YOU WHEN YOU HAVE WISDOM
Bun dem indoctrination
Dem waan fi si people go down"
BOOM! DAMN JAHMIEL! TELL ME HOW YOU REALLY FEEL ABOUT IT! Like I said, you won't come away from 'Empty Promises' thinking that you've just received an education, but that you just came across someone who told you what was on his mind and you walked away from that meeting a more 'in-tuned' individual. He put something on your mind and gave you something to consider with the message behind 'Empty Promises'. Previous single, the Zouk-ish 'Too Far So Close' comes through on a lighter, but no less relevant topic as, once again, we find Jahmiel thinking about a love that has gotten away from him. This one may be a bit darker than 'Irreplaceable' but it also may be a slightly better song. There is no happy ending for 'Too Far So Close', there's no chance at all for reconciliation, but it doesn't at all knock the quality down - just, as usual, be sure that you pay attention to what is being said ["Girl mi can testify - love is like the alphabet: You mek fi I"]. Akin to 'Too Far So Close' is the solid 'Good Times'. Take it on its own merits, 'Good Times' is also damn profound but it also leads me into a critique of the album which I'll go into more in just a second now. But to its credit, 'Good Times' CLEARLY features some of the most skilled wordplay that you will find on the whole of "Legend" ["Mi have di power fi have woman by di dozen too. Still mi willing fi tek di L and gi yuh di W"]. It is another one about a relationship struggling and/or coming to its end and.... yeah I'll save what I'm thinking for a moment. Then we get into '7even Time Rise' and 'Africa'. Both tunes find Jahmiel linking with other artists as Vershon and Bugle join him, respectively. The well gifted Vershon is an interesting union because, way back in 'da day, Vershon was amongst the group of artists with whom Jahmiel had some issues, publicly and musically (you look up a tune named 'Too Dumb' by Jahmiel). Fast forward a few years on and everyone is grown up now and everything is water under the bridge and the two are making music together, specifically about the confidence and comfort found in living for The Almighty. This one is also very lyrical, but it is also one of the few drops on "Legend" that just has an all-around good vibes to it. Just hearing it can definitely make you feel a nice way and lift you up which, coincidentally, is the nature of the song itself. And good friend and previous collaborator with Jahmiel, Bugle, OF COURSE, does a heavy damage on 'Africa' and returns the favour Jahmiel paid to him just last year via 'Connected', a tune which was carried on Bugle's album, "Toxicity" (I probably need to review that one) (and 'Connected' wasn't the first combination between the two - it was preceded by the sublime 'Sign of The Times'). Obviously, 'Africa' is a song centered around embracing the pride instilled in all the children of The Motherland.
"From north, to di south, to di west
Africa a di best
Is not a racial song dis
Dis a just one a dem weh alla like mi Blackness
Jahmiel, mi haffi keep it genuine
Oh yeah, mi proud of mi melanin
Wi know di truth, wi a di root because -
FROM BLACK COMES EVERYTHING
Some of di mysteries of di world, like di Pyramids
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Selassie
'Every Black man is a king' a mi philosophy
Knock wi down, wi bounce back, dem caan get rid a wi
Biiggup evey African, it no matter weh you live
Mi ah hail up all mi distant relatives
So mi gi thanks fi The Father fi di blessing
WI GI DEM MATHS, GI DEM ASTRONOMY AND MEDICINE
Yes, I'm a Black man!
I'm an African!
Jahmiel wi a Negro, wherever wi go!"
These two are scintillating together. This will not be their last song, I am sure and we'll all be better off when the next one drops (and the one after that and the one after that and the one....).
I have a few criticisms of "Legend" yet, as you can see by the score I'm giving it (and whatever it is, I haven't decided just yet), they are far outweighed by the preponderance of positives that the album features. One of them I alluded to way back in reference to 'Mind Games': "Legend" may just be one of the very few releases that I've come across where the music is actually overwhelmed by the artist. As a Vaughn Benjamin fan, I'm well accustomed (and prepared to listen to) situations where the opposite is true and I'm sure you've encountered several situations where the music makes it difficult to either hear at all what is being said or just too active, in general, to the point of being distracting. That doesn't happen here, at least not for me. The music surely isn't bad, but if you come to "Legend" expecting stereotypical and traditional Roots Reggae, even in the more modern sense, you'll walk away disappointed. The sounds register somewhere between R&B and Hip-Hop (although very little I would say of the latter, in my opinion), but for his part, Jahmiel largely deals with subjects which're native to Reggae music (and he always has). As for our star, Jahmiel isn't necessarily the greatest 'conductor' of emotion. He doesn't scream or change his tone much at all really and, because of that, I would have maybe enjoyed to hear him with a wider range of guests. It'd be interesting to see how he might sound alongside someone with a completely different style at some point. Also, and I fought off pointing this out just a second ago, if you look at several of the tunes here such as 'Good Times', 'Irreplaceable' and 'Too Far So Close': They're very similar. I found myself wanting him to just.... cheer up! Because of that, if you wanted to describe "Legend" as a SAD album (strictly in terms of the vibes), I couldn't put up a giant fight against that. Also, despite carrying sixteen tracks and fifteen actual songs, "Legend" checks in at only forty-three minutes in length. That's an average well below three minutes a song and the only ones more than three minutes are the four combinations (which well makes sense - if you have another person, you need more room for him). It features nothing in the way of 'filler' but I kind of wish the album was.... fluffier?? This man has uncapped (and probably untapped) abilities and though, typically, I'm against twenty and twenty-plus songs on an album, in this case I would have happily made an exception. Keep everything here and just give me a few more.
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