Sativa D Black 1's Bittaz The Journey

"Bittaz The Journey" by Sativa D Black 1 [18 Karat Reggae & CharmB Production]

Okay so, I wanted to take a look at a recently released project that I found myself just kind of listening to randomly while working on something else (or while working towards something else) and was very impressed by, the brand new EP from Sativa D Black 1, "Bittaz The Journey". I have come across Sativa's name over the years but a quick search reveals that we've never actually written anything about his work (you will find the word "sativa" in reference to.... other things -- it is a Reggae blog after all -- but never once yet for him) and he's now given us a very solid reason to mention him via this well SOLID set. What initially attracted me to the seven tracks on "Bittaz" was that the final four of them just so happened to be combinations featuring some extremely talented and big named artists and, if nothing else, I was just quite curious to hear new music from them.  I was, however, delighted when I heard that, despite being in such rich company the native of St. Catherine was more than capable of holding his own. So, as we do around here, I thought that we would give the typical full EP, track-by-track, treatment to an impressive set that I feel well worth your listening time - the latest from Sativa D Black 1 & CharmB Productions in association with 18 Karat Reggae (digitally brought to you by our old friends at Zojak Worldwide), "Bittaz The Journey".

'Can't Stop A VIP'

When I first saw the name of the opening selection from "Bittaz The Journey", I didn't really know what to make of it. I didn't like the title (and I still don't), it was just kind of bizarre. The actual song, however, was a different matter. 'Can't Stop A VIP' is excellent. It is really good and it deals with subjects such as jealousy and just generally counting people out ["Ya quick fi put up 'RIP' "]. The track also features some mightily impressive wordplay ["Mi nah Esco but di ting dem neva left side"]  and is definitely one of the finest pieces on the project that it heads and a very wise choice as an opener (and a single, apparently, as well) in my opinion. 

"Di door wi used to step through, pon it dem put a lock pon

Out inna di street, I si seh love get wash and-

Yuh owna friend would tun yuh inna dust like ash and-

Kick yuh offa yuh feet, some left you pon yuh bottom

Jealousy get badmind up wid a passion

WAAN SI YUH FAIL BECAUSE DEM WAAN COME CLAP HAND"

'Board House and Zinc Fence'

While I found the first title on "Bittaz The Journey" to be quite odd, the second struck me as a little familiar, actually and when I did listen to the tune, I caught myself humming along with the chorus. 'Board House and Zinc Fence' may be the oldest selection you will find on this project and, at least as far as I know, it's also of Sativa D Black 1's most well known (if not his MOST popular). Just a few years ago, the tune would do a nice bit of damage for the artist and, to this day, the social commentary still carries a nice weight to it. What I take it from it is that is this wonderful examination of GROWTH and DEVELOPMENT. How those things can be disrupted ["contaminate"] (and supported) on so many different levels. What results, at times, is STUNNING. 'Board House and Zinc Fence' was that type of piece which should get people interested here and several of them, like me, will come to quickly associate that great song with this burgeoning artist. 

'Bare Lie'

Although it is VERY simple, the first thing that caught my attention about 'Bare Lie' was the lovely track which it sits down in. On top of it, Sativa delivers a rather broad, but actually pretty solid which registers highly from a purely sonic point of view. He does end up taking things in several different directions with the unifying theme being the dishonesty and other disturbing practices employed by oppressive society. As I said, for me one of the biggest highlights of 'Bare Lie' is the riddim and, apparently, I wasn't the only one to feel that way as the composition is given the final twenty seconds or so to shine on its own and that is exactly what it does.

'I'll Follow You' featuring Turbulence

The first of the big guesting names on "Bittaz The Journey", Turbulence, rolls in on 'I'll Follow You'. This one required a few spins to grow on me as I've looooooong grown weary of Turbulence singing a preponderance of love songs, but when I finally did actually give it a shot, 'I'll Follow You' showed itself to not even really be a love song at all. It's much closer to being a praising piece.

"My religion is love

Get rid of the grudge

Consider The Man that live up above

Love is my only way, no matter what the pagans want to say

Yes, mankind fi unite and live it up right

Yeah, never you fuss and never you fight

Tell dem love is di only way!"

"Badmind ah envy mi, I tell yuh mi nah know dem

From yuh nah clean and pure, mi throw dem overboard then

Pass mi di dagger Turbulence, hand mi di sword dem

Love yuh fi show dem"

I probably still wouldn't rank it as a favourite here (and I'm not even taking off for Sativa using the same lyrics from the opener), but if you find yourself also struggling a little with 'I'll Follow You', I suggest you do what I did and give just a little more time. It may be better than you're thinking initially.

 

'Hard Dung a Rome' featuring Lutan Fyah

If the fact that Turbulence was on board "Bittaz The Journey" didn't do anything for you, then maybe Lutan Fyah just might? When I saw that the Spanish Town wizard was involved here, I was damn looking forward to hearing what the pair would come up with. What did happen with 'Hard Dung a Rome' was a MAMMOTH social commentary combination. The song has a harder edge than I would have thought it might before laying my ears on it (did you see what I did there??) but as it turns out, that isn't a bad thing in this instance. Unsurprisingly, 'Hard Dung a Rome' does prove to be the single strongest offering that I hear on "Bittaz The Journey". I should also mention this riddim: Again, it isn't what you would call 'spectacular' to any degree and it isn't even close, but it works nearly perfectly here as there're a couple of moments, particularly during the middle portions, where everything syncs up so wonderfully, making for some of the most memorable periods during the entire set. It is also given the final half-minute to run sans vocals and throughout you hear effects which're generally more associated with Dub, so clearly the producer knew they had something potentially special on their hands with this track. Hopefully this is only the first combination between the St. Catherine neighbours and Sativa returns the favour on a Lutan Fyah album at some point in the [near] future.

'Black Rain' featuring Teflon Young King

Next up is the always active Teflon who joins Sativa on 'Black Rain'. For some reason, although it is longer than two other songs and just four seconds shorter than 'Can't Stop A VIP', 'Black Rain' comes off as entirely too short for me. However, what it does have going for it despite its brevity, is that it is very solid. Teflon is someone who has always interested me because at times he can come off as over-animated (almost surely because of his voice) so you get this feeling that something outlandish is about to happen and when he keeps his calm it almost seems as if something is missing (and it isn't, that's just you). Outside of MORE, nothing is missing on the stirring 'Black Rain' which speaks on the effect that violence and other negative things have on not only the individuals that they directly impact, but those who it also leaves behind. An interesting link is these two but, again, I could definitely listen to them work together again. 

'On and On' featuring Exco Levi

Finally, it's Exco Levi's turn to make his presence known on the the big vibed 'On and On' and he major way.

"Many rivers crossed, like Jimmy Cliff

Yow, di journey long but wi must finish it

Lots of bad roads and sudden corners

STILL NAH GIVE UP, MAN PUSH ON HARDER

Nuff ah criticize and they don't know wi past

When man used to hungry, could not break no fast

LIFE IS A TEACHER, I'M SITTING IN THE CLASS

Use music as my tool complete the task"

After 'Can't Stop A VIP' and 'Hard Dung a Rome', 'On and On' just may be the next best offering on "Bittaz The Journey". Another rather broad social commentary, the song succeeds, largely, due to kind of preponderance of material. Despite being the shortest selection you'll see here, 'On and On' does A LOT in a short amount of time. It is very DENSE. Levi, in particular does very well and something about this song makes me feel as if these two makes me think that maybe they have a bit of history between them. They sound like two friends working on something together, at least to me. Apart from that, what I also took from 'On and On' is the [not-so] simple passage of time and how, historically, we have all gone through things -- good and bad -- and we continue to do so presently. I don't know how the masses react to this tune, but I do so hope  that it may be afforded its well deserved time in the spotlight as it is sublime.

I read an interview with Sativa (it actually looks like the press release for this project) where he speaks about, amongst other things, just how important he feels that it is for artists to continue to make positive and uplifting conscious music and how he will always make that type of sound. If it continues to sound like this, then he's made a fan out of me. He also mentions how he's been at work on "Bittaz The Journey" for more than three years now and that also shows in the work (I also simply MUST mention how physically Sativa resembles one of my personal favourites, Theo Nyeemiya - formerly Prince Theo). So, should you find yourself in need of some nourishment of the spiritual kind ["Fyah mi ah bun is spiritual. Black Marcus step in and show dem biblical"], do check out "Bittaz The Journey" from Sativa D Black 1, your soul will thank you.