Haile Efficient: A review of Worthy 2 B by Jah Myhrakle

Hola! I like to focus on how songs are worded and written a great deal for several reasons; the least of which is certainly not due to the fact that, as I've said in the past, I don't think we give enough credit to that aspect of music-making enough, particularly when it comes to 'message music' and Reggae, in general. We have bona fide geniuses in the genre who display it to some level of consistency (or at least have in the past) and they deserve recognition and respect and to be celebrated and I will go out of my way to provide all of those things every single chance I get. Now, you may choose to take that with a grain of salt because that's coming from someone who absolutely adores lyrics which center around "jump and wave and misbehave", but I think that my TRULY RIDICULOUSLY LONG record will speak to my fascination with those that are proficient with the spoken word. With that being said, however, music is also about entertainment and making a sound that people can enjoy. In the written sense of things, you can read some... well written technical instructions and you'll come away with a purpose having been served and you will probably feel good about it but you won't have been AMUSED necessarily. It isn't an independently pleasing experience (if you don't give a damn what the instructions are to, they're not going to do anything for you) and music should be that in some manner. With all that being said, when you can combine beautiful wordplay with an enthralling sonic experience, that is where special things occur and throughout the history of Reggae music, we've seen so many powerful examples of that, played out in album form. Personally, the PRIME case would be little release by the name of "Black Woman & Child" by Sizzla Kalonji but we don't even have to go to those loftiest of levels for the sake of comparison (...even though I just did). Take a listen to a number of sets by someone like Perfect Giddimani; as someone who CONSTANTLY provides a most thrilling brand of modern Roots Reggae while not abandoning good lyrics which are fresh takes on the genre's typical fare. Just last year, we talked about the burgeoning Eesah (BEAUTIFUL debut album, "Deep Medz", more than worth your time) and he is definitely another one who is well skilled and specializes in making music which that you can find as entertaining as it is educational and meditational (if that is even a word)... and don't even get me started on someone like Capleton yet. 

I took this direction for this review because I found myself fairly deep into "Worthy 2 B" when it finally struck me that I might actually be listening to something pretty special but when it did, it knocked HARD. There was a dominant quality to the music which kept me at least superficially interested but I was listening on a casual level for the most part (never want that first listen to be too heavy) while doing other things. This went on for awhile but eventually got to the point where I had to take a closer listen, There was a BEAUTIFUL and POWERFUL sonic appeal to "Worthy 2 B" and, coming on the heels of what I had previously dealt with ahead of it, as far as Jah Myhrakle goes, I got REALLY excited to dig into it further.

What was that, exactly? The most recent review that I wrote was for an album by the name of "Heart Of One". It was a lovely compilation from the delightfully active people at Trinity Farms Music. Amongst the impressing vocal artists appearing on that set was Jah Myhrakle with a pair of offerings... and it just so happened that he had recently been at work as, earlier this year, he had released "Worthy 2 B". It wasn't TFM on board who pushed it (although I'd LOVE for artist and label to get together on a full project at some point in the future), however, "Worthy 2 B" comes to us via Phallu Ras Sound and Gold Den Arkc Recordsz (....because people don't have enough of a hard spelling properly on their own. That is BRUTAL!). I believe that Gold Den may be Myhrakle's own imprint as everything that I have come across that they've been involved with has been his releases and, like Jah Myhrakle, the label appears to be based in New York although the artist (and if it is his label, so does it) origins trace back to Belize (biggup Ras Indio). Myhrakle's is a name that I've definitely come across over the years (sometime probably confusing him with Jah Mirikle) (biggup Jah Mirikle) but had never really tuned in, properly, until his work on "Heart Of One", which is such an added bonus in listening to compilations such as that one. They'll introduce and reintroduce you to names that you haven't paid much attention to/paid attention to at all and that is exactly what I did for me in this case (and a few others as well). I'm damn thankful because, when I started to get into the work of Jah Myhrakle, not only did I run into "Worthy 2 B", the man has SEVERAL impressive projects that I am currently working my way through, not the least of which would be "AncienT" from just last year. That album is GORGEOUS, it's full of dubs as well (nineteen tracks in all) and had I come across it last year, I might have had to make room for it in my Albums of The Year choices. Another that really stood out for me was "All 4 U" from a few years back because I found the vibes of that one to be somewhat similar to "Worthy 2 B" (call the new album a new and improved version of "All 4 U") in that they both have this BIG, chanting sound which works so well when spread out in album form. I could talk about "Eyc On Fyah", "He Who Keeps The Seals", "A Rival" and other still as examples of Jah Myhrakle turning in very strong performances. So I think it's time that we all get to know him better, courtesy of the new album. Let's take a closer listen.

There is a "dominant quality" that I alluded to prevalent throughout "Worthy 2 B" that definitely draws you in (and keeps you in). The album just has a very LARGE sound to it and it is VERY intoxicating (but in a more subtle way) and, like I said (or attempted to say), there is weight behind the words  as well - it ends up as very well written material as well. Want an example?? Check the chilly opener, 'Don't Come Plain' (is that not a very Vaughn Benjaminesque way of titling??) (is "titling" an actual word??). Though not my favourite on the album (several songs here have a dash of Hip-Hop, which is not for me, 'Don't Come Plain' has more than a dash), with the level of wordplay on the first track, Myhrakle definitely does not come plain. You can stop and take a snapshot of pretty much any line here and find something seriously impressive: 

"This is not a comedy, neither allegory

Prophecy fill judgment, now dem all ah worry"

The next tune up, 'No Knight Fall' ASCENDS! It is, easily, amongst the very best that "Worthy 2 B" has to offer and if you wanted to make the case that it is THE best altogether, you'd have a fair point in my opinion. I told you there was LARGE sound to the vibes of this album and that sound makes its initial appearance on this stunner as Jah Myhrakle burns oppression and a general negativity straight to ash!

"A who fi turn clown fi go blow dem bubble

A who dem entertain fi go walk and wobble

BABYLON YUH TROUBLE JUST AH TRIPLE-DOUBLE AND IT DOUBLE"

I told myself I wasn't going to POUR lyrics on this one because... the entire damn review would just be lyrics with teeny tiny paragraphs of actual review in between but 'No Knight Fall' is nearly as PERFECTLY worded tune that I've heard in a good amount of time. It is shattering and anchored with this big chanting sound at the chorus which goes up into verses chock-full of both knowledge for the brain and inspiration for the heart. It is a gorgeous selection. NOTHING in terms of quality is lost to the next song up, the MAMMOTH 'Hail The Emperor'. TEARS! I hear this tune and I think that, somewhere, Vaughn Benjamin is listening and he is enjoying what he hears. There is something very Akae Beka-ish level hypnotic about 'Hail The Emperor', which finds Myhrakle taking a most spiraling and winding road in the name of praising His Majesty. Benjamin might find himself a supporter of the whole of "Worthy 2 B" and that includes 'Prepare The Banquet' as well. I'm also giving it my full approval as I hear nothing on the level of 'Prepare The Banquet' on the whole of "Worthy 2 B", it is a SPECIAL tune. It's a praising piece and though they are so incredibly prevalent (and probably BECAUSE they are so prevalent) it makes such a powerful impact on me when I hear one that goes above and beyond.... 'Prepare The Banquet' goes above, beyond AND then it just keeps going!

"Haile Selassie I keeps the high place

Seraphims and cherubims they dance there

Upon the surface of the Earth there is a market

It's Haile Selassie I who prepares the banquet

Incline ya ears unto the ites and hear the words of the wise

Knowledge, intuition and discernment on your heart fi apply

For it's foolishness which is bound up in the heart of a child

Rod of correction remove these inna spiritual drive

For the preservation of good and mercy is within The Lord's eyes

Deliverance of grace and mercy by The Almighty's side

Jah overthrow the word's of the faithless who has no spiritual ites

Total laziness inside fears the lion outside

But a courageous lion inside face the punctuous

Clairvoyance and good attitude is a disciplined mind

MANNERS, DISCIPLINE AND SELF-RESPECT IS THE WAY TO LEAD A CHILD

Proverbs 22, 23, 24 and 25

And properly Proverbs is the selection to testify

He shall take heed unto I word

Lift thy heart - heart and hand unto I word

As earth" 

BOOM! BREAK SOMETHING! CALL SOMEONE YOU KNOW AND HANG UP WHEN THEY ANSWER FOR NO GOOD REASON! 'Prepare The Banquet' is THE class of "Worthy 2 B" and though there is some truly STELLAR material here, it's the clear head. If you need an example of such "stellar material" (I've already told you about some of it), check a couple of numbers on when the downright majestic 'I Behold' rolls through. There is something so damn mystical and.... EARTHLY about 'I Behold' as Myhrakle expresses the emotion behind being in complete AWE of The Almighty. Some of the wordplay on this one, particularly later on, is damn impressive as well and not to be passed over. Similarly steered (and of a similar quality) is the track chasing 'I Behold', 'Thy Gaad'. This one is SPACIOUS! It definitely does handle the business end in terms of the wording but 'Thy Gaad' comes across as being very open and, though the chanter does eventually tighten things up (you'll know what I mean when you hear it) by going Vaughn Benjaminesque, I still come away from this one FEELING just as much I am THINKING on another giant praise. I'll also add 'Rejoyce In His Name' to this lot though I don't love everything about it. The chorus on this song is somewhat strange, a little ponderous and almost overly simple to my opinion but 'Rejoyce In His Name' isn't a bad song at all (no such things exist on "Worthy 2 B") and it really flexes during the verses when Jah Myhrakle shines, in bursts, as he always does. 

Speaking of shining (and in bursts), there's a song here called 'Lion And The Lamb' which was CLEARLY intended to be a highlight (and it is) as it is the album's longest effort by nearly half a minute and, following a somewhat unremarkable start, Jah Myhrakle flips the switch and levels up to a HUGE degree. 

"Extinction ah stink waste, nuff a dem no waan let it go

Pride punctuous and pompous, nuff a dem waan pump up

Air balloon, helium balloon

Loony Tune cartoon watches a boom, boom, boom

TNT explosion, IV in living room

And all spill over right dehso inna di ocean womb

Fox News censor messenger and Google too

Puss and di boots have dem ah trooped up, boot-by-boot

Big recuit tight, tight, tight

Buckle up belt and boot

And fi di Strait of Gibraltar, right ya now dem ah parachute

Fi religious with structure, right yah now dem ah harm and loot

Fi sewage canal dem dun hammer fi drop their nukes

HE'S THE LION AND THE LAMB

RASTAFARI: LION AND THE LAMB

HAILE SELASSIE I: LION AND THE LAMB

ALPHA & OMEGA: LION AND THE LAMB"

If you enjoy -- like I do -- combing through and combing through words and analyzing people who... OVERLY proficient in their usage of words, 'Lion And The Lamb' is divine! Jah Myhrakle's style is to go in as many different directions as he possibly can under one unifying topic (which is almost ALWAYS crystal-clear) and listening to how he arrives there, at times, is thrilling. 'Lion And The Lamb' is one of those times. In a much different way, the title track is also a fine display of Myhrakle's talents. This one is nearly brutally straight-forward. This is right out of the Vaughn Benjamin bag of tricks (I literally hear stuff that I recognize as being from Benjamin ["Inna di world wide open"]). Of course, at its core 'Worthy 2 B' is a tune giving honours to His Imperial Majesty, placing HIM above all. It isn't very melodic or immediately pleasing but if you have an ear for things like this (and You do), you will have all kinds of FUN with this song. 'When We Learn' comes with a bit of a gestation process to fully receive its gifts but IT TELLS YOU EXACTLY THAT:

"CULTIVATE EAR FI HEAR"

You will have to have done some work on yourself before even approaching this one (otherwise, I can't imagine you'll get much, at all, from it) and, now that I think about that. I'll definitely revisit that idea in closing (and I'm almost done now) . There's the swinging closer, 'Pass Dat' which is one of the more sonically enjoyable songs on the whole of "Worthy 2 B" but also [DUH] isn't a lightweight at all, lyrically. I was definitely curious about the direction of this one (title almost seems a ganja tune) and it turns out to be a kind of spiritual grounded (the irony there, I know) social commentary and a BEAUTIFUL one. 

"As the hand on the wall write a language which is clearly spoken

As the compass set the space and point the direction to go

Such as the clock on the wall which alludes the mind of our true existence

There is a spiritual war going on the open, unfolding

And there's eternal war between good and evil inna di to and fro

Which way to go?

Which way have you chose?"

'Pass Dat' ends up being another of the numerous highlights "Worthy 2 B" has to offer and a stellar way to end matters here. 

Quickly, just in case I didn't make it completely clear in all of that stuff ^: "Worthy 2 B" is an EXCEPTIONALLY WELL WRITTEN release. Because of that, it becomes a very specific album to recommend. If you stress being challenged while entertained as a listener, you will LOVE this album. It's detailed as can possibly be and, musically, while you will definitely cross paths with more entertaining listens in Roots Reggae, "Worthy 2 B" is promising for what it is. It isn't dull or lacking musically. 

2025

Overall, to make it even more narrow: Do you like Akae Beka's music?? If you do, I can well suggest you take a deep listen to the work of Jah Myhrakle and why not start with "Worthy 2 B". Personally, if you've hung out here at all, you know how much I revere the work of Vaughn Benjamin and I encountered more than just the one moment that I mentioned where Myhrakle would say things that either indirectly or directly reminded me of the wizard from St. Croix. On top of that, I think I've listened to enough of his work now (from the time I started this review until now has probably been.... the better part of a month by now, if not longer) to be able to place it, in comparison to other work that he has done. Since this one, in fact, Jah Myrhrakle has already released another album, "OF 1". While solid, "OF 1" is not on the level of "Worthy 2 B" and it isn't particularly close. "Worthy 2 B" finds its very high level almost immediately and rarely dips below it and then goes discernably higher on several occasions. What ends up happening is a MOVING education of an album and, unsurprisingly, you can now count me as a fan of Jah Myhrakle from this moment forward. OUTSTANDING. 

Rated: 4.6/5

Gold Den Arkc Records

2025