"The Jamaican Situation" by Protoje [In.Digg.Nation]
First up this week is a loooooong overdue visit to the stomping grounds of our old friend, Protoje, who is back with a brand new EP project, "The Jamaican Situation". Protoje has been rolling out singles from since very early on in the year and they've now been brought together for a the very fun full set. It's always interesting listening to how Protoje works because it's ALWAYS a very natural thing. Maybe you love every single tune, maybe you don't, but you always get the feeling from the man that he has found EXACTLY what he was supposed to be doing with his life (they sound NOTHING alike, but it's similar to what I think of Damian Marley). Standouts here such as '30 Million', 'Where We Come From' (with Jahshii and IzyBeats) and the MASSIVE '80's Wild' showcase that talent at a typically high degree. And I owe Protoje a review! Hopefully can get that out before the end of the year.
'Carry It' by Bunji Garlin [Bad Beagle]
There've already been a number of really solid Soca tunes kicking up for the 2025 season and probably my early favourite, unsurprisingly, comes from the steadily FLAMING Bunji Garlin with 'Carry It'. The man has been on an absolute roll in recent seasons (which is saying a lot in his case, because he's been great for decades at this point) (Garlin's cousin, Patrice Roberts, is also doing very good so far) and it is continuing with a track looking back and at the 'good ole days' of Carnival as, arguably, Soca's Bodyguard continues to defend and UPLIFT the music and the culture like no other. TEARS! DAMN!
The Dutty Showtime Riddim [Dutty Rock Productions/Madhouse Records]
The great Sean Paul and co. from Dutty Rock Productions are back at it with their latest creation, the Dutty Showtime Riddim. An ode to a more vintage era sound, the Dutty Showtime is a fresh take on the late 90's STATUE of a riddim from the great Dave Kelly, the Showtime Riddim (best known for.... Baby Cham's 'Gallang Yah Gal', 'Eagle and Di Hawk' by Bounty Killer, Spragga Benz with 'Wi Nuh Like', and a few others as well), which is now reborn and placed in the capable hands of modern artists. Paul, himself, takes a pair of attempts on his track, the second of which being a VERY strong combination alongside Ward 21 (Sean Paul/Ward 21 on the same tune is NUTS!) with other standouts including Buju Banton, Tarrus Riley and Chi Ching Ching, whose 'Loud' is a sleeper hit of a song in my opinion. Still, all of those talented lights are competing for the second best track on the riddim as Busy Signal ABSOLUTELY BURNS IT TO ASH [!] with his effort, 'All Dem Try'.
'Match' by Jah9 [VP Records]
It's been entirely too damn long since last we crossed paths with the brilliant in every conceivable and inconceivable way Jah9 and she has well caught my attention with her latest single release, 'Match'. We're going to call this tune... ROMANTIC? Maybe SENSUAL?? Call it what you will (it's also kinda dirty, but in an expectedly very subtle and mature way.... like I wan to... It doesn't sound like a bad time the way she puts it) (Let's just say it like that), but 'Match' is more typically CLEVER wording and structuring by one of Reggae's reigning sagest of wizards.
"Phantom War" by Lutan Fyah [Greensleeves Records - 2006]
I'll show you exactly why "Phantom War" is our 'vintage' drop these days probably in the next week or so (it's actually already finished, just wanted to do this one first) -- although you may be able to figure it out -- but out of all the older material from Lutan Fyah that I've been listening to, it's where I normally lay my roots. Going on twenty years old, I still consider it to be his single greatest album and, these days, you could even make the argument that it's done nothing but get stronger. Literally SOAKED with big tunes; from 'Wipe Those Tears' to 'Rasta Still Deh Bout', from 'Bits & Pieces' to the title track and from 'Blood Stain' ["BLOOD STAIN DEH PON YAH SHOULDERS"] to 'Screaming For The Poor': "Phantom War" was Lutan Fyah at his gritty, hard-working best.
Okay so, we look up and the calendar tells us that it is that wonderful time of year again when people like you and me take a look at the news and attempt to make entirely inaccurate predictions about what is coming as, recently, the nominees for the 2023 and 65th Grammy Awards were announced and today we, do what we always do and take a look at the nominees for Best Reggae Album and, again, make predictions which have NO chance of coming true.
Last year, there was a bit of controversy as US band, SOJA, beat out five different Jamaican acts to take the award and many fans (and others) had a problem with them winning. This year, no such thing is even possible as all five nominees are Jamaican based artists. The list also includes three former winners (one of whom has won twice) and a previous nominee as well. I will say that I was somewhat surprised not to see Shenseea given a nod for her debut "ALPHA". I'm also thinking that it's somewhat surprising not to see Horace Andy get a mention for the extremely well received "Midnight Rocker" collaboration with Adrian Sherwood. But,, as for those who DID get the call - let's do it!
"The Kalling" by Kabaka Pyramid [Ghetto Youths International & Bebble Rock Music]
I'm sure it's happened, but it is very rare that the album which I feel is the best of the year is even observed amongst the nominees, much less actually wins the Grammy. Because of that, I was VERY happy to see my current favourite (and likely winner, unless someone does something TRULY stunning in the next six or seven weeks), Kabaka Pyramid's "The Kalling" listed here and, though I feel he has the least chance of winning, getting his name into the mix can be a very good thing going forward. For as talented as the Pyramid is, however, he will struggle mightily to eclipse what he set forth on "The Kalling" which was, in retrospect, probably one of the single greatest displays of a tangible SKILL that Reggae has seen in a very long time..... at LEAST.
"Gifted" by Koffee [Promised Land Recordings]
Meet Koffee. The rapturously delightful artist who took home this award in 2020 with "Rapture" will likely have EVERY SINGLE ALBUM SHE EVER MAKES, EVER, be nominated for a Grammy. Though she's still just twenty-two years old and to say such a thing is truly ridiculous - it is the complete truth and you know it. She made the absolute best of her opportunity to demonstrate that with her EXCELLENT 2022 project, the aptly named "Gifted" which, as it stands (unless I am REALLY forgetting someone) is the second best album that I've heard this year. Koffee is the only woman and the youngest person to have ever taken home the Reggae Grammy and she's really just a breath of proverbial fresh air. Diversity can be such a powerful thing, particularly here as she's become a household name in the genre and one whose style and persona has no bloodline. Truly one of a kind.
"Scorcha" by Sean Paul [Island Records]
When Sean Paul makes an album, it gets nominated for a Grammy: It's just the way of the world. 2023 will find the 2004 winner celebrating not only his SEVENTH honour from the Grammy's, but his second consecutive following "Live N Livin' from this year. "Scorcha" was not quite as potent as its most immediate predecessor, but it would go fairly well received and it's absence from this list would have been a much larger shock than its inclusion. "Scorcha" was fun and, thought it did have more worldly ambitions, somewhere in its midst, fans could piece together a relatively decent Dancehall effort. Looking back now, it may've been just a touch stronger than we gave it credit for being and Sean Paul has, wonderfully, grown to become someone who always seems to have the best interest of the music at heart and "Scorcha" was certainly no exception.
"Third Time's The Charm" by Protoje
In 2019, Protoje's "A Matter Of Time" would be nominated (and lose out to the next entry I'm going to tell you about) and that is a GOOD sign this time around in my opinion. It means that whoever is in charge of voting for these things are likely familiar with his work and, of course, it also helps that the extremely gifted artist has seen a general raise in profile across the last half decade or so, which is saying a lot because I could say the same of the previous five years as well. Also, history suggests that, at least when it comes to Reggae, the winners in this category are artists who were previously nominated more often than not. While I didn't LOVE "Third Time's The Charm", I was well in the minority in that opinion and even I would have to admit that it was quite good. It carried a tune in 'Incient Stepping' which has become one of my favourite songs from anyone this year and, though this year remains a question, I am DAMN confident that, be it in 2023 or beyond, Protoje will win the Best Reggae Album Grammy at some point in his career - no question about it.
"Com Fly Wid Mi" by Shaggy [Mr. Luva Luva Inc]
In terms of sheer firepower, it's harder to get more arsenal than "Com Fly Wid Mi" which is an album featuring two time Best Reggae Album Grammy Award winner, Shaggy, singing Reggaefied versions of legendary singer, Frank Sinatra, with another legend, Sting, serving as producer (coincidentally, it was Sting, himself, linking with Shaggy on "44/876" which took this prize in 2019). Simply because of those circumstances, you shouldn't be at all surprised if "Com Fy Wid Mi" were to win this time around as well. As for the actual music, while it was clearly geared towards a certain type of crowd of which I am not a member, the album was not without its moments as the opener, 'That's Life', 'Witchcraft' and definitely 'Luck Be A Lady' all registered as significant highlights in my opinion with a sound somewhere right between Reggae and Big Band (....should have called Sara Lugo, Sting).
AND THE WINNER IS................
"Gifted" by Koffee
When I first SAW it (meaning before I'd heard it), I was of the mind that "Gifted' was going to win the Grammy (a month and a half before it released, I congratulated Koffee on her win). Of course, I did not know what the competition would look like at the time, (I probably at least knew Sean Paul would be doing something at the time) and though I'm not as confident today as I was then, I'm still giving Koffee the nod. The sleeper pick would go to Protoje. As I said, I see him winning it at some point and maybe 2023 is the year....
Of course with me saying it like that, that means that your likely winner of the 2023 Grammy Award for The Best Reggae Album is Kabaka Pyramid. WHO KNOWS! Find out on the 5th of February, 2023.
#1. Though it may lack in the area of being at least directly competitive, in many ways music can be like sports. This is particularly true, in my opinion, when it comes to examining the career trajectories of its practitioners and just how involved and accessible such a look may be. Depending on the popularity of an athlete, you may right now be able to go on to YouTube and actually find footage of their very first competition and at surely their most recent. Similarly, take your favourite artist and do the research to find out what they're earliest of recordings were and there's a decent chance that, in scouring the internet, you'll probably be able to find that material as well. You can then go on to see all the various twists and turns that their career has taken to get them to the place where they are now and that is ultra interesting and just damn fun to look at it, isn't it?? Sometimes (many times) it's surprising. In Reggae, we can look at a variety of different people and see all of the career shifts that they have enjoyed. For example, when you originally heard the hardships endured by someone like Natural Black in leaving his native Guyana to seek (and actually find to a degree) stardom in Jamaica, you probably would have never been able to foresee what was to come from the former 'Love Rastafari' singer - far from reality indeed. Similarly, and going further back, you probably did not expect such a MASSIVE spiritual shift coming from seemingly 'reformed' Dancehall bad boys, Capleton and Buju Banton. In fact, the fact that they did go through those changes made it easier for us all when the likes of Spragga Benz, Frisco Kid and even Lady Saw, more recently, would also enter different stages of their respective careers. That's on one end, strangely enough, also just as compelling, arguably, is what happens when you latch on to an artist relatively early in their musical journey and what eventuates for them is either exactly what you would have envisioned, or fairly close to it (especially when they're really talented) (if you thought someone was rubbish when you first heard them and, a decade later, you still think that they're rubbish, it probably won't be as fun). I'll draw on two examples that're favourites of mine who have gone onto turn into amazing artists and it has come to absolutely no surprise at all. Wayyyy back in the day, I came across a group of artists from out of St. Thomas by the name of the Star Lion Family. Two of the artists in the group would go on to strike me as being supremely gifted, NiyoRah and Pressure. Years later, while maybe not as active as I would like, the former has become one of Reggae's most reliable acts to my opinion and while I could not have predicted the superstardom enjoyed by the latter (he has become, arguably, the Virgin Islands' most well known Reggae artist.... like ever), the fact that he has become one of the most potent chanters in all of modern Roots music, again, is not shocking at all; and I have thoroughly enjoyed and will continue to thoroughly enjoying listening and following the paths of both.
Today we take a look at another individual who has greatly fulfilled the very specific type of promise that I heard early in their career to a downright scientific level. When I first began to listen to Kabaka Pyramid, the very first thing that came to my mind about him (besides, of course, how cool his name was) was that the Kingston native was extremely SHARP. From listening to his music -- in the way he wrote and presented his messages -- I knew that I had found someone who had a very sharp intellect and had an exciting way of putting things together. Going back, in Pyramid's same 'class' or 'generation', you also had the likes of Chronixx and Jah9, both of whom would also show staggering levels of potential which they would also live up to. What all three would have in common (many things) was a SKILL level only demonstrated by THE most gifted of artists. Specifically, Kabaka Pyramid would TOY with the spoken word. It was a damn joke (and I mean that in a good way) what he was capable of. He'd say things that I'd hear clearly the first time through, but would find myself rewinding back just to hear it again and again and the artist would drop some lyrical GEMS (such as 'Liberal Opposer', for example). These days, I equate what I heard back then to someone like Agent Sasco but in the Agent's formative years, as Assassin, it didn't sound like THAT (if ever you want to go about developing a talent in Dancehall music, you go and find out exactly what happened with Assassin. Whoever or whatever did that is a damn scientist or something) (took a mountain of talent and placed an even larger mountain right on top of it). Kabaka Pyramid's lyrical talent was immense and it put everyone on notice that we had a serious talent forthcoming.
2018
And it forthcame (probably not a word). In 2013 Kabaka Pyramid would give the world its first taste of how transferrable said talent might be to a full length project in the form of an excellent EP by the name of "Lead The Way". That release would go onto become one of the finest EP's of its day (and still is probably one of the best... like ever) and, again, whet the appetite of fans everywhere for an inevitable debut album. That would come half a decade on in the extremely well received "Kontraband". BOOM! Though it released during our hiatus and I never got to sink my reviewer's teeth into it (something which I can surely change at some point), in case you were wondering my take on it: "Kontraband" was awesome. It was a fantastic album and, given the number of times that Pyramid had appeared on one of our 'Most Wanted' lists (a feature listing out the artists I most want to do an album for the new year), it was probably one of the most anticipated debuts in recent times; and it did not disappoint. Tunes like the MAMMOTH 'Well Done', the title track with its guest who we'll talk about more in just a second, 'Make Way' with the aforementioned Pressure Busspipe, 'Reggae Music', 'Everywhere I Go'.... (and I'll stop there because I will literally name every song on the album), all went into making "Kontraband" a mighty fine debut album and a fantastic album, in general. That set would come via Kabaka Pyramid's own Bebble Rock Music in association with the venerable Ghetto Youths International - the label of the first family of Reggae music, the Marleys. Well, apparently everyone who was involved with "Kontraband" was very happy with the way it turned out (they had no reason not to be), because the exact same set of circumstances sit behind Pyramid's brand new and second full length release, "The Kalling". The previously alluded to Damian Marley, once again, acts as executive producer and I'm thinking that it has been quite awhile from the last time I reviewed a new album and FULLY EXPECTED to give it the highest possible rating. I've done it previously, I'm sure (Mark Wonder's "Working Wonders" was one of them, I believe), but it's been a few minutes since the last time. When I initially saw "The Kalling" (great title and very simple, yet interesting, cover) and realized that I had come across some early work form it already, I had a VERY good feeling about it. That, combined with the levels of "Kontraband".... and pretty much everything else he's done... like ever, led me to believe that what was to come on "The Kalling" was going to be something special. There's something so inherently THRILLING (at least for me) to get into an album from such a gifted wordsmith like Kabaka Pyramid and by the time it had release, I absolutely could not wait to hear what he has to say on "The Kalling".
He actually had quite a bit to say and, as it turned out, he had 'kalled' in quite a bit of help to get the message across. The fifteen tracks here clock in at a very healthy fifty-five minutes and twenty seconds (for all of the nerds out there, that's about a three minute and forty second average) (very solid) and ELEVEN of them are combinations, featuring variety of different artists; some were very expected and others, not so much. Typically, I don't enjoy when it is THAT much and I was not overjoyed to see it here either but, after having worked my way through it, I can honestly say that there were no missteps in choosing who came along on this journey and, in most instances -- if not all -- the featured artists helped things along and not, as I may've expected, taken some of the time to shine away from someone who I just wanted to hear more and more of (coincidentally, it also happened on Pressure Busspipe's "Rebel With A Cause", where Kabaka Pyramid guested (as did Jah9, Akae Beka, Sizzla, Reemah, Anthony B and others). The single biggest name of the entire lot to appear on Kabaka Pyramid's brand new album, "The Kalling", is also the first as Pyramid takes on a remake of 'Mystik Man' and does so with the original mystic, himself, the Stepping Razor ["don't you watch my size - I'm dangerous"], Peter Tosh. I listen to this one and I'm kind of jealous because I know that there're a lot of people out there who will have 'Mystik Man' as their introduction to Kabaka Pyramid and what they will find is a damn TORCH who uses this moment to not only introduce himself to newer fans, but it's also somewhat of an intro for what is to follow. However you choose to categorize it, 'Mystik Man' is DEVASTATING!
"Mystic man, new album weh you listening, man
I've been patiently waiting, but a my time fi tek ova di business, man
Mystic man, mystic man Chef KP in di kitchen man
Cooking up ital hit song, mi nuh miss one, mi ahgo fill prescription
Mystic man, mystic man stocks and crypto - risk it man
Passive income, I'm wid dis man
Bank accounts up in Switzerland
Mystic man, mystic man Kingston mi born, mi nuh English man
Locks pon mi head, man a Rastafari
TELL DEM HAILE SELASSIE IS THE MAN
Like Peter Tosh when di beat ah knock through di speaker box
YUH KNOW MI LYRICS DEM CLEAN, DEM NUH NEED FI WASH
NEW ALBUM AH DROP AND DI STREETS AH WATCH"
I mean.... just DAMN! Surely Tosh, himself, would approve of what had become of his work as Pyramid had breathed new life into one of the greatest songs of all time with a very impressive rinse ["I go deeper than di surface. More time I swim wid di urchins"]! Another storied figure appears next as Jr. Gong, blesses "The Kalling" with his first of two vocal contributions with the big pre-release single, 'Red Gold and Green'. I have previously called the PROUD tune "perfect" and I stand by it to the degree of it being -- by the slightest of margins -- the best tune I hear on the whole of "The Kalling", at least for the moment and, just because, should I find myself changing my mind, I'll just say it, I won't even come back and edit this out! 'Red Gold & Green', along with being the downright dominant lyrical display that one would imagine resulting from such a pairing, also has such a simply nice vibes around it. A beautiful but not overdone riddim carries complete and utter genius and one of the best things about this tune is that YOU KNOW that it isn't the last time these two will team up (they literally will do it again in about forty-seven minutes) and the next time it will be amazing as well. 'Make Things Work' is the first of four solo and it IMMEDIATELY has my questioning my choice of favourite songs on "The Kalling". Somewhere during the middle portions of this one I just stopped it and started patting myself on the head (good boy! Good boy!!) because of what I was listening to and at the risk of overloading this review with lyrics (I promised myself that I wouldn't), watch this:
"Man ah hustle fi di paper
Fi di break, I am di baker
Dung inna Jamaica, fi mek it, it nuh easy
Mi rather be a waiter than siddung and wait like a waste man
Fi no man gimme nuttin, mi nuh needy
My determination: Fi richer than Akon and uplift di population cah Rastaman no greedy
A no hesitation inna mi meditation cah man a no nuh slave and mi waan fi move freely
But until then:
Somehow, someway got to make things work
Long life, more pay, that's what I deserve
No time, no day hand-to-mouth caan work
I got to hold my destiny, I know what my life is worth
I was born a King like the Pharaohs of Kemet
I no forward fi yah slave out, so neva you forget
But I'm always on time, mi neva miss a step
Why you treat me unkind?
Through a mi ah buss a sweat
But mi nah go deyah long because mi have some bigger plans
Mi waan fi be mi owna boss and mi ah save up all mi can
Invest inna some stocks, some options and bonds
I'm thinking long term
I hope you overstand"
There is a way to uplift your current lot in life. There is some positive way of bettering yourself, that is the sentiment behind this master class of lyrics and though it may not feature a helping-hand vocally, it does have going for it one of the most beautiful musical tracks on the entire album. BOOM! Third generation Reggae music royalty, Jemere Morgan (a complete TWIN of his father, Gramps Morgan), checks in for the first of a pair of contributions to "The Kalling" on the very interesting 'Grateful'. I like the kind of old school... Jazzy sounding structure behind this one, it actually helps to heighten the periods when Pyramid awakens and decides to lyrically destroy everything he can find, EVERYWHERE. Most remarkable is the fact that, although he does cover a lot of ground ["...look how mi happily travelling, just like a javelin. Nuff a dem babblin"], he never really does stray too far away from the theme of being grateful and thankful to be who he is and where he is. Morgan will later return on what is a definite changeup on "The Kalling", the dance-ish catchy 'Energy'. I was very happy to hear the direction of the track as, after hearing the vibes, I'd kind of assumed it was "energy", meaning just an up tempo song, lacking an actual direction but I was wrong (what else is new?). At the core of 'Energy' is just positivity and having good feelings and outlook on life, while refusing to let others spoil it for you. So many times you hear pieces like this one and they're, effectively, just throwaways. They sound nice and that's what is why they exist and there's nothing wrong with that, but it's always nice when someone takes advantage of every single moment to make a point and that is what happens with 'Energy'. Striking social commentary, 'Stand Up' is made all the more mandatory because it features songstress, Nathalia, with her all sorts of colourful vocals. The specifics on 'Stand Up' are HUGE! You listen to Kabaka Pyramid's final verse on it and tell me different ["You si dem, waan fi muscle mi, but I ah speak out. That's why dem record label dem no try and reach out. Dem know seh dat mi different from dem guys weh bleach out and Rasta nah go sell mi soul fi buy no beach house"]. Nathalia instantly takes things higher, blessing the chorus with her talents and I'm very curious to see if/when my typical listening routes lead me into her path again at some point with that voice.
As far as what stands out, on paper, there is a pair of songs on "The Kalling" which're likely to gather a huge amount of attention (along with the two with Jr. Gong), the title track and 'Faded Away'. 'The Kalling' links Kabaka Pyramid with a trio of big artists in Protoje (new album, "Third Time's The Charm", out now), Jesse Royal and Stephen Marley. The tune is a 'kall' to action, stating that there is a need in the world now for new leaders and soldiers to take up various causes, especially in the name of Rastafari. All four artists SHINE and what I really loved hearing was that, although they do glorify the position and present it with the deserved importance, they don't paint an unnecessarily and unrealistically BRIGHT picture ["When you take up Rasta banner, do not take it fi no joke. IT'S MORE THAN JUST THE LOCKS UPON YUH HEAD AND WHAT YOU SMOKE"]. Normally, when you see a song like this and just how many people are involved, you may get the feeling that there is simply too much going on with it, that is not the case at all with 'The Kalling'. Instead, everyone is afforded their proper time to get their point across, with Marley so wonderfully tying it all together with a stirring chorus. You'll hear three more voices on 'Faded Away' as, along with being joined by the great Buju Banton, the tune stands as a remake of probably the most well known piece of work by the venerable Junior Byles (who has lived one of the most interesting lives in Reggae history) (biggup Junior Byles), 'Fade Away'. 'Faded Away', for me (and maybe only for me) is even stronger than the title track! This thing is gold! Along with the vocal performances, which center around people just having their eyes on the wrong things in life, that PULSING riddim running around it all is a stunner. Again, I have to mention just how skillfully everything is put together. Everyone stays on topic and doesn't deviate and it makes for one powerful package which, just like the opener, hopefully goes on to bring new added attention to a classic. The other combination in this middle portion of "The Kalling", 'Mr. Rastaman', may be destined to go overlooked, but that will be your fuck-up if you find yourself guilty of strolling by it because it is excellent. The versatile (and often funny) back-and-forth between Pyramid and Tifa ["Baby girl just come yah, mek mi tie di knot. Mi show you every style mi got. Mi know you have a tiny slot. Mi have di key fi fly di lock. Gimme all di time you got. Ras no use no Viagra"] is delightful on a tune, again, with some of the other names on board, may not get a major listen, but for everyone who does - ENJOY! 'Mr. Rastaman' is definitely a romantic/love type of song as is the lovely solo number preceding it on "The Kalling", 'Safe Right Here'. I'm going to resist the temptation to write it out because I'm probably about to do it for the next song, but you PAY ATTENTION to what Kabaka Pyramid says on 'Safe Right Here'. You can style it up as a love song and you know no one ever really says anything important on love songs, but this man's attention to detail (more on that in closing I'm thinking) is amazing ["Come close to me. Make yourself comfortable in my upholstery. Yuh getting treated like a Queen is supposed to be. Let's break the monotony. I want you all over me"]. The sonics are also very well done and help to build the mood on a potently sultry type of selection. And then there's the BOOM! The penultimate solo track on "The Kalling" is certainly the best of its kind and is also, arguably, the best of any kind. 'Addiction' is.... just ridiculous.
"Wake up in di morning as I open up my eyes
I see my phone light right next beside
Nah go mek a minute pass before I-
Tek it up fi go pon Instagram and check my timeline
Scrolling and swiping before mi brush meh teeth
Probing and liking before mi cup of tea
Check how much new followers mi get from last week
Then mi post a picture weh mi know di likes ahgo peak"
"Feeling down, need a boost of energy
Go pon Amazon fi buy something mi nuh need
'Same Day Shipping', yow a wah dis mi ah pree?
'Anytime before 10, doorstep delivery'
Every ten minutes Fed Ex start to send di tracking
Then after that, mi click, continue shopping
SCROLL TIL MI WEAK AND YOU KNOW THERE'S NO STOPPING-
DI ALGORITHM WEH DEM GET MI TRAPPED IN IS CALLED ADDICTION"
"Sucrose, fructose, granulated
Up inna di cupboard, weh mi have it waiting
Straight to di sugar weh mi gravitating
PARASITE DEM INNA MI BELLY HAVE A CRAVING
ALL WHEN MI FULL MI STILL NAH STOP
IS A NEXT SLICE OF CAKE MAN AH ASK FAH
Ice cream and di works and that's just fi desert
How mi nah get diabetes or cancer from this addiction?"
Do you remember when I said that one of the first things that I thought about Kabaka Pyramid when I heard his music was that this youth was SHARP?! This man breaks down, geniusly (again, that might not be an actual English word), three different addictions which I would say are relatively commonplace these days, to the point where, if you cannot DIRECTLY relate to any of them, then you surely know someone (probably someone fairly close to you) who can. It's such a POWERFUL tune, particularly in the way it is demonstrated because there's no drama here. Pyramid is fairly laid back and relaxed and never forces things, even slightly. He's speaking like someone well within the mindset of being in these feelings, who has accepted that this just the way it is for them. 'Addiction' came as a pleasant surprise to me. I had no idea what to expect from it but, by its end, what I got was one of the strongest offerings that I have heard from Kabaka Pyramid. I will also mention the album's final solo selection here, the COOL 'EZ Ride'. Although it is the most broad piece you'll find on "The Kalling", 'EZ Ride' still definitely manages to make a point and leave an impact. The final verse dazzles ["Easy ride, mek wi trod a Mount Zion high. Elevate and show dem wi have a higher mind. Selassie I, HIM a di blueprint fi I & I. So wi stay up, wi have whole heap a frequent flyer miles"] but even up until then we find the Pyramid in great form with the unifying theme, to my opinion, being the observation of a moment to be taken to find a clear head and frame of thought. To LISTEN and respect others and, generally, just attempt to treat one another better and with more respect. As I said, it's more on the broad side than you're going to hear from Kabaka Pyramid anywhere else here, but 'EZ Ride' holds its own. I also want to mention the vocals on 'EZ Ride'. Kabaka Pyramid is not a singer, but he does push his voice a little more on this song and it is a nice variation (I would tell you who I think he sounds like, but I'd have to chip away it somewhat to get it across, so I'll keep that to myself) (Iyah) It is a very strong selection. 'Mary Jane' is the obligatory ganja tune for "The Kalling" and he tackles it with another staple of Ghetto Youths International, the very talented Black Am I ["IN THE GHETTOOOOOOOO!"]. These two previously teamed up on the scalding 'Jah In My Corner' from just earlier this year ["Even when babylon buy out di referee, wi face di penalty and still ah win di victory!"] (BOOM!) and, CLEARLY, common sense has won out as someone who heard that first effort decided that the union needed to happen again and HERE IT IS! 'Mary Jane' is a syrupy sweet vibes (credit to the saxophone player, whoever he/she may be) made even more delicious by the vocals. Go ahead and think that you've heard everything that can possibly said on such a song and ignore this one if you like and you'll miss some truly powerful wordplay ["If you drink blood like dracul-er, caan tek a draw of mi chalice, sir"] and just one very nice tun altogether. Another young GYI standout, Answele, joins Kabaka Pyramid on "The Kalling", making his contribution on the outstanding 'Life Is Everything'. Songs like this always hit me personally, because I see a great value in realizing just how well you do have it. You. YOU READING THIS RIGHT NOW, you have problems in your life; maybe you have a lot of them. You are a human being, which means that you are incredibly flawed, but you still have something going for you. There's something or someone in your life that brings you joy and it's important to be thankful for those things, because you don't know how long they will remain. That's what I took from 'Life Is Everything' and, incidentally, should you want to hear more from Answele (and you should), you can check out either his well decent EP from last year, "In Control" from last year or "One Way Mixtape" which just released a few days ago (still working on the latter, but the title track on that one is really good work). Lastly, our producer, Gongzilla, returns for his second vocal piece, a sequel to the title track of the first album, 'Kontraband, Pt. 2'. This is a vibe. I dare not call it a freestyle from Kabaka Pyramid (if it is, it is the greatest of all time), but it comes billed as a "Bonus Track" and it exists -- just in case you needed another example -- of the FLOORING talent that is Kabaka Pyramid. Everyone has a talent. We all have something that we're good at and we're fortunate when we can find out exactly what that is. Music, in general, is fortunate because Kabaka Pyramid found his.
I do want to, briefly, dig into that talent just a bit more because, in listening to the album for the sake of this review (the first time I've reviewed a Kabaka Pyramid album), I feel like I have gotten a fuller experience and am better equipped to explain a few things. You have remarkable lyrcists in Reggae. We're very fortunate. We have loads of them. People like Sizzla Kalonji who is capable of producing these large, anthem like pieces where, seemingly, every single letter has already been given to him and his gift is in bringing them all together on these immortal pieces. We have Vaughn Benjamin who GAVE us all a glimpse into his lifelong affinity with words unlike no one has ever done and there're so many others like such as the brilliant Reemah, who all have what they individually do well. In my opinion, Kabaka Pyramid's greatest strength as a writer and a conveyor of the word is his attention to detail. Not only does he seem to revel in his ability (it's almost as if he enjoys it as much as we do!) (a very Bunji Garlin-ish trait), but he takes pride in grinding it down as finely as he possibly can - like he's just as curious in seeing how far it may spread. What comes through at the end is a sound that is so NATURAL, yet so SCIENTIFIC that, if it has an equal, I do not know it. I brought up Bunji Garlin and I do hear some of that in Pyramid, but I also hear Sizzla, I also hear the teaching style of Reemah and the COMPLETE range of passion from someone like Agent Sasco, all the way to a Capleton, for example. Kabaka Pyramid covers every base and I don't know if any other single individual has EVER done that.
Overall, I am very pleased to say that "The Kalling" is almost EXACTLY what I thought it would be. Both in terms of its sound and quality, the album delivers what I was hoping and it is a GORGEOUS display of the tremendous talents of Kabaka Pyramid. Also, as a complete package, as I mentioned, I love how everything feels around this one. I don't know if they finished everything and thought that they may have had something truly special on their hands (they did) or if came beforehand, but when you look at "The Kalling", your eyes tell you one thing and, later on, your ears will confirmit: It's special. So as I sit here and make my greatest attempt to not become a prisoner of the proverbial moment and give some sort of historical look into this day and half old release, what I will say is that if 2022 were only nine months long, "The Kalling" would take the top prize for me. It is THE best Reggae album I have heard this year so far. Period.
Loaded. I'd like to think that I've made a reputation for myself around these parts. Even years into our break, we would get messages from people asking for reviews for their projects and they wanted them done in the typical way in which we do them - extremely long-winded and detailed album dives. There are hundreds of them on these pages and, before I'm done, I probably have a few dozen or so left in me. It's just my thing. And just as you expect to get groceries when you go to the grocery store, though you'll settle for certain situations (like them temporarily being out of one thing or another from time to time), when someone or something shows you what they do and what they're capable of, you begin to expect that from them and there's nothing wrong with that. I was just about to go into my standard routine of making a general connection to the specific artist in question but now I think I have a nearly perfect example of what I mean. Have you ever heard someone sing a tune in person that you typically LOVE the studio version of and have it not quite be right. Of course it won't ever sound exactly the same (even if they tried to make it so and voiced it in the same studio under the same circumstances), but maybe when you hear it live, the rendition on that time is disappointing. In my opinion that is because you've come to know that tune and expect it to be done in a certain manner so while someone right next to you may be hearing it for the first time and falling in love (and may be on their way to experiencing the same thing you are, but in reverse (i.e. being less than pleased by the studio version), you're thinking that something is missing. Beyond merely style or the choice to do something differently on that specific day (because we're all people and entitled to change things up every once in a while), where this becomes most obvious, in my opinion, is when the discussion becomes one of QUALITY and CONSISTENCY. In music this is very tricky and confusing because of the incredibly strange frequency of anomalies (that is a very fancy way of saying 'one hit wonders'). Someone can show themselves fully capable of righting their proverbial ship, mustering every scintilla of effort that they can and coming up with a significant hit. When they show that they can do it again and then again - to the point where it begins to seem as if they possess a top level type of talent, we then begin to expect it from them on an at least somewhat consistent basis and, in the rare cases, when they can deliver on THAT level, we as fans find ourselves in the presence of something truly special. And this can get as specific as you can possibly think of. There're individuals who we think of excelling, in one particular area or another, but maybe not on the whole (lyrically but not melodically, for example) and we look at them as being special, continuously, in those aspects.
Today, once again, we are in the presence of someone "truly special" as we find ourselves touching bases with one of our favourites and someone who has shown themselves to be amongst the most frequently SPECTACULAR stars in all of modern Reggae music, the great Pressure Busspipe. When last we took a look at the St. Thomas star we were dealing with his most recent full project, the outstanding "Heights Of Greatness" from last year. That body of work represented both a continuation of outstanding material from the artist, in general, as well as the latest addition, specifically, to a catalogue which has been terribly impressive (biggup Chronixx). In short (haha!) (what the hell is short?), in his career Pressure has shown himself to be someone capable of being not only just reliable, but CONSISTENTLY SPECTACULAR and in this current era is rather easily one of the its most gifted lights. As I've said before (or at least I think I have) I am well anticipating the era of up and coming artist, potentially also from the Virgin Islands who will come up saying that they grew up listening to the likes of Pressure and some of his peers as, given both his gifts and his popularity, I'm imagining that there will be many of them and we should begin to hear them shortly, if we haven't already (Revalation, for example, would be someone who I feel has been definitely influenced by Pressure and he is a peer of his (and a very good friend, as far as I know) (biggup Revalation) (make new music this year!!!). That is going to be very interesting when it happens, until then (and even after then), however, what we're going to do is to continue to LOVE the work Pressure, himself, has put in throughout the years and continues to.
And while we were away, the work continued in a significant way. Way back in 2014, Pressure would release an album, his fourth (originally I had written "his fourth at the time".... it's still his fourth), by the name of "The Sound". Even prior to its release, "The Sound" was well noted as it marked the very first time that the Virgin Islands artist -- already a star by that point, having dropped the massive shot that was 'Love & Affection' a few years earlier -- had linked with the VI's biggest label, I Grade Records, as well as the Zion I Kings collective, alongside the Lustre Kings Productions and Zion High Productions. "The Sound" was.... "The Sound" was pretty much a perfect set. It would go on to be our choice as THE single best album of that year and, although I've yet to write it up as so, I can tell you right now that it is a Modern Classic and when I get the courage to rebirth that series, it will definitely be amongst the first few new entries. Both artist and label would continue along with their typical brilliance as you would expect, with Pressure going on to release projects alongside the Baby G ["African Redemption"] and himself and I Grade motoring along with Akae Beka/Midnite, Danny I and even mixing in the great Lutan Fyah; but given not only the general prolificacy of both, but their clear fondness of working with each other (by my surely incorrect count, it's a relationship dating back to at least 2003, when Pressure appeared on 'Jah In Dem', a tune from "Geoman" from Midnite's Branch I) (the following year he would also join Yahadanai on 'Best Thing' from the classic "One Atonement") ["Black woman is the best thing, Jah ever structure upon this earth! Who fight dat tell dem a lightning!"] ["Skin smooth cause no man never beat yah and if him ever try dat, Selassie I will bruk him finga!"], it seemed only a matter of time before Pressure and IGR would get to work on a sequel "The Sound". It would take five years to materialize (a nice amount of time, in retrospect) and late 2019 would bring forth "Rebel With A Cause", Pressure's seventh full album release and the second full pairing between the chanter and IGR (and in association with his very own Buss Pipe Records as well). I always try to make a concerted effort to give credit to labels, producers, artists and whoever-elses when it comes to publicity as, apart from making music, it's probably the next most important element in their business and it, still, is often lacking when it comes to Reggae music, but it has been a very long time since I Grade Records has had a problem in that regard, if they ever have. "Rebel With A Cause" was absolutely no exception as it was definitely one of their highest profiled releases to date and, given the quality of "The Sound" and.... pretty much everything else they've done together and apart, expectations were predictably and deservedly extremely high (as they were for "Heights Of Greatness" and as they will be for whatever comes next) for "Rebel With A Cause". It might make for an interesting review if I could somehow find a way to sit here (actually standing at this very moment) (but why am I standing up???? Hmmmm) and talk about how things changed on this one and maybe it represented some type of 'experimental' phase or just an uncharacteristic outing for everyone involved.
But I can't do that. Nope. Instead, what I am going to do is exactly what you knew I was going to do when you started reading this review and talk about just how DAMN STRONG "Rebel With A Cause" proved to be. If we go back to "The Sound", one of its many qualities and the one which most immediately lept out at you was the fact that it contained a number of big combinations. "The Sound" featured contributions from Volcano, Vaughn Benjamin (more on him later), Lutan Fyah and then there was a single selection, 'Cry For Humanity' which had Ras Batch and fellow Star Lion Family alum Niyorah alongside Pressure (now that I'm saying it specifically, I'm noticing that they were all VI artists with the exception of Lutan Fyah) ["Cause mi dun loosen mi seatbelt, stand pon mi feet. Tell di ticket officer, mi have someone fi meet. Tell di train operator mi nah waan nothing fi eat, whether bitter or sweet"]. Fittingly and not at all surprisingly, "Rebel With A Cause" would follow suit (it would also contain fourteen tunes in total, and is rougly one hour in length), as it features Pressure Busspipe alongside a downright staggering roster of vocal talents on eight of its fourteen offerings. For example??? The very first combination from Pressure's "Rebel With A Cause" for I Grade Records featured a name which most certainly isn't a regular one on these pages, R City. The accomplished duo of brothers, also from out of St. Thomas, have previously collaborated with Pressure, on 'Slow Motion' from "The Artist", his EP from earlier in 2019. That is quickly apparent on the fine 'Streets Keep Calling' with amount of chemistry present here. This song is an excellent one, not only bringing in a proper message dealing with the nature of life on the streets ["Dem yah ghetto youth a no remote fi control. Baby mother ah tell mi seh mi ah deal wid her cold. Seh mi love di street life more than her - whole heap a youth dead for sure dem no cherish dem soul. Neva know seh gangsta life a no acting role. I COME DEFEND DI RED, DI GREEN AND DI GOLD. DISRSPECT DI RASTA IF YUH BOLD"] but it is damn near THRILLING to listen to as well, making for a literal action movie of a song and one of the genuine highlights, in maybe an unusual way, for the entire project. Another somewhat unconventional combination is the title track which features US Hip-Hop veteran Redman. No stranger at all to the genre, Reggae fans may recall Redman's appearance alongside Wyclef Jean and Beenie Man on considerable hit 'Love Me Now', I'm not surprised to see him appearing on such an production, but I was pleasantly stunned to see his name attached to this project. I've never been one for Hip-hop and this tune is more on that side, but, somewhere beneath it is a GRUMBLING Reggae song and we get more than enough flashes of it to make this one a winner for me. I also really enjoyed the FREE-FLOWING nature of 'Rebel With A Cause'. It has a set destination but how the two choose to get their at any particular time delightfully varies throughout.
While you, heavy Reggae fan may or may not be familiar with the work of R. City and/or Redman, the balance of the names that accompany Pressure throughout "Rebel With A Cause" should have brought a giant smile to your face and kept it there. Let's go to the somewhat Jazzy 'JAH Is Real' which featured the ever-present Protoje.
"Talk mi mind, mek it spill up pon di beat
Mek dem still ahgo repeat every syllabel mi speak
Haffi grill up in di evening
Still up when yuh sleeping
FOOD FOR THOUGHT, GO FILL UP WHEN YOU EAT IT
They knowing not di truth, they could not speak it
BREAK A PIECE OF BREAD, BRING SOME PEACE WID IT
MI SIGHT IT PON ORION'S BELT, I BELTING 'OH ZION' WHERE THE LION KNELT
I felt HIM hold my hand, Rome rioted
Those who overstanding what I have said-
Don't you know di plan The Most High has set?
Would you go di distance required-ed?
Again, I go rock back a Bess, or Oracabaessa
The Origin that coulda neva buckle under pressure
But as Jah is my altar
Everything come after
I ah dweet with laughter, gone past yah
One thing that I know -
Jah is real
All the children shall follow -
His lead
And to those who think Jah love will lead into mystery
WHEN THE CONQUERING LION ROAR: VICTORY!
Rastaman I beg yuh keep yah heads up
Never you go astray
Dem seh a revolution and man no sleep fi days, no
Time fi go liberate
Crab inna barrel dem alone ahgo elevate
Unity strengthen di whole a wi, no separate
Emperor Selassie I is ever-great
Emperor Selassie I - never late
THANKS FOR THE BLESSING, I STILL NO LOSE FAITH
Rastaman ah trod up pon Mount Zion Gate
Wicked man could never destroy what Jah create
MI AND DEM COULD NEVER BE FRIENDS LIKE LOVE & HATE
Listen up closely - I tell yuh straight
Wi are di chosen, look in our face
It's in the open
It's sitting all over the place"
BOOM! DAMN! BREAK SOMETHING, FIX IT AND BREAK IT AGAIN! This is NEARLY as exquisite of a lyrical display that "Rebel With A Cause" has to offer (and it should tell you that something special awaits that I'm not saying it takes the crown) as these two link up to produce a piece of wordy dynamite in praise of His Imperial Majesty. The song also did quite a bit of damage in its day and you take a listen to it and you will see why clearly. The legendary Anthony B (I think he's earned the "legendary" tag by now) also joins Pressure on the all kinds of GORGEOUS 'Peace and Love'. Firmly set in the category of one of the easiest listens here, 'Peace and Love', for all of its straight-forwardness (and it has it in abundance. It is very much a case of 'what you see [hear] is what you get'), is such a powerful vibe! It just makes you feel good to listen to as the big artists do their best to lift up morality to a higher level and they do succeed to my opinion. Three years ahead of the release of "Rebel With A Cause", Pressure dropped what is amongst his popular singles to date, 'Lion Is A Lion' and, though it didn't make it to this album in its original form, it is giving a remix and refreshing courtesy of two ridiculously talented artists, Kabaka Pyramid and Jah9. So just so you're still with me: That is Pressure Busspipe, Kabaka Pyramid and Jah9 on the same damn tune! WHAT! Is it my birthday??? Has it been my birthday everyday since the first time I heard it??! Yes! Yes it has been! The original version of 'Lion Is A Lion' is a wonderful song and I rarely think this: The remixed version is even better! Kabaka Pyramid is a torrential lyricist, the man is unrelenting and JAH9 (who we need to crack open the vault for because she was active while we were out) always infuses whatever she touches with a whole heap of COMMON SENSE, her effort here is no different ["Cause she no tolerate no stress - deserving of di best. REAL LION NAH PUT NO CATTY BEFORE DI LIONESS. Yes, she humble like Menen but di youths dem she defend. Dem freaky little predator, she slew di whole a dem"]. This tune is just about carrying and presenting yourself in a certain manner befitting of who you are (or who you should be) - with respect and decency. It's such a simple idea when you put it like that, but the message is the only thing simple about this epic track. The aforementioned Vaughn Benjamin, Akae Beka, also appears with Pressure on the all-encompassing social commentary, 'The System', just as he did on 'Nothing No Wrong' from "The Sound" ["Nothing no wrong fi plant no corn. Nothing no wrong fi chant no psalm!"]. These two loooooong collaborators (and presumably, good friends) have demonstrated several times throughout the years that anytime they directly crossed paths, what resulted was to be something surely worth your time. If you don't have time for 'The System' it is TIME to make it. It was genius.
"T-I-M-E say time
E-M-I-T emit
T-I-D-E say time
E-D-I-T edit
When it was World War II it was the Axis
Upon the other side standing firm it was the Allies
A-L-L-I-E-S SAY SELAH
Word code spy
Dem pon an optimal, minimal scale of realizement"
While 'Nothing No Wrong' took awhile to grow on me, if I recall correctly, 'The System' had no such time-delayed effect. I have thoroughly enjoyed it from the first time I heard it and it's probably the second best tune that I've heard these two do together (which is saying virtually everything consider the best, 'Same I Ah One', is probably one of the best fifty-ish songs I have EVER heard, period). If that weren't enough for you (then your standards are just too damn high), then there's also 'War Is Ugly' which just so happens to feature my favourite artist of all time, Sizzla Kalonji. This one has a different type of vibes to my ears (the best term is probably 'funky', but I kind of hate that word) from the other songs here, but it works for it. On paper, a combination of Pressure is Sizzla is appetizing for me and the two that I recall hearing (the other being 'Blaze It', a ganja tune from a few years back) have no been disappointments. 'War Is Ugly', particularly, is an anti-violence set which kind of reminds me of 'JAH Is Real' in the sense of they both give this very FREE type of vibes. It sounds like a pair or peers/friends went into the studio and decided to just vibe together and see what emerged. What did come out of this union was HUGE and a personal highlight on this project for me. NOW, with all of that being said, the finest combination on the whole of "Rebel With A Cause" is called 'Burn Down' and it is Pressure Busspipe with the wholly incomparable Reemah who is in her typically DEVASTATING form.
"None a dem, they can't escape
Fyah just ah wait
JUDGMENT TIME BABYLON DISINTEGRATE
Why inna di streets, violence it saturate
Neva tek dem billion, they get those fi generate
INSTEAD DEM INVEST INNA SPACE
WHILE DI PEOPLE DEM AH BEG AND LIVE INNA DISGRACE
Well what a waste
It just a race and di rod dem man ah chase
DI WICKED ON DI RISE, BUT A DI YOUTHS DEM ON DI CASE
Babylon city ahgo bun down
The walls of inequity ahgo bun down
Wicked man yah nah go mek this fyah tun down
Policeman no gimme no talk, too much black people ya gun down
Babylon city ahgo bun down
All ya laws and legislation ahgo bun down
Wicked man yah couldn't mek this fyah tun down
Not even di mongrel weh a piss can escape before sun down
All di riches weh ya wrapped up in di east
You no tek no penny fi promote world peace [neva!]
Babylon a tun inna more lies, haffi si it
RASTAMAN SIT PON DI THRONE AND CAAN IMPEACH
Dem kill di Indians before Thanksgiving feast
Mi slew dem by di millions and destroy dem fleet
Mi dash dem on di fyah from di mountain
Cut off babylon heart beat!"
Things need to change on a grand scale and in a hurry is the sentiment behind 'Burn Down' and it is on full and vibrant display in the hands of these two. Let me tell you something: REEMAH IS BRILLIANT. She is a damn genius. Years from now people will be dissecting her lyrics down to a fine dust-like detail and hopefully she spends out her years either continuing to make music or teaching the masses in some sort of other way. As I've said in the past, the way this woman structures her ideas is one of a kind and of the greatest joys I have in music today. 'Burn Down' is MAMMOTH. So let's briefly recap: That's R City, Redman, Protoje, Anthony B, Kabaka Pyramid & Jah9 (on the same song), Sizzla, Akae Beka and Reemah. "Rebel With A Cause" is not a riddim album. It isn't some other sort of compilation or a mixtape at all. It is a single, solo artist's album. I'm sure there must have been one and I'm not as sharp as I used to be now that I am old as hell, but I am struggling MIGHTILY to come up with such a release featuring SO MUCH in the way of vocal talent as "Rebel With A Cause" and a major credit goes to Laurent 'Tippy I' Alfred and company behind the scenes who provide them with consistently TOP NOTCH musical compositions on which to display their monstrous gifts.
NOW! With allllllllll of that being said, the greatest piece I find on the entirety of "Rebel With A Cause" isn't actually a combination at all. Our opener, 'King Selassie First' is MAJESTIC in every way possible! TEARS! Common sense won out in this case as the tune would receive a very nice push and I'm imagining the first time it was completed fully; when they heard it they must have known that what they had on their hands was something else "truly special". I have to give a credit to the players of instrument as well on this one as the riddim, fittingly, is flawless and perfect for what comes out on top of it. What that is, precisely, is the class on this release and probably one of the best songs of its kind that I have ever heard (and I (just like You), have probably heard thousands of praising songs at this point. This is one of the best of them all. On the completely opposite end is another big winner, the closer and similarly vibed 'Seek JAH First'. After I got ALL of my attention off of the hypnotic drum underpinning it, 'Seek JAH First' began to blossom. The last verse has to be somewhere in the discussion for the single finest on "Rebel With A Cause". Not only is it strong and poignant, but it's just EXCITING. It starts to pull all type of emotions from you and, as I tried to outline this review, it something that you expect from such a towering talent like Pressure's because he makes it seem effortless.
"We should be grateful for life, although-
The times rough and the boat nah go
Not knowing what comes tomorrow
Put Jah first before all your problems
I know that's where I have strength!
MOST HIGH JAH, YAH NEVER ABSENT!
I AH PRAISE JAH WITH EVERY ACCENT!
Humiliation is embarrassment!
I still ever forget the past tense!
Mi seh no bad apple in di basket!
Mi seh no bad apple to my basket!
BEFORE SOMETHING DO, YOU DO SOMETHIN
You know you win and you lose some
BUT RASTAFARI NEVER LOSE NOTHIN!
Mi beg yuh keep yah two eye open!
Seek JAH first, everything else will come
Speak of love in live in Thy kingdom
Rise this morning with the rising sun
Songs of praises with the strings and drum"
Following that master class in lyrics, the composition of 'Seek JAH First' is given its time to shine and it does glow, again, making for one of the most remarkable stretches present here. Check the very colourful and infectious 'Wake Up Stay Up', which almost brings in an R&B-ish type of vibes (not totally, but it definitely has leanings in that direction), that Pressure uses to call everyone to paying a little more attention and having more awareness of self and surroundings. This one didn't get as much notice as I suspected that it might or SHOULD (in my opinion) and I think that's probably because it is so easy to listen to that it can kind of 'come and go', but if you're inclined to do it and you dig beneath the surface just slightly, what you find is amongst the very best written pieces on "Rebel With A Cause". I'm tempted to write out the entire first verse because it is spectacular and had I not just done it for the previous... what do I care??? Check this:
"No time fi go slumber, no
Wicked man is going under, yow
Keep yah head above di water
Sweet victory as di battle gets hotter
Education is imperative, oh
Know your culture and yuh heritage, yow
Cuz Jah see and knoweth everything
MOST HIGH IS THE WIND BENEATH EVERY WING
Betta you use your brain as an instrument
Everything is for a reason, no come incident
GONNA BE AN INSPIRATION OR AN INFLUENCE
GONNA LIBERATE MY PEOPLE IN INCREMENTS"
I mean... he just zeroed in on that SO finely. He probably wrote that entire verse on head of a needle! The sublime 'It Red' was Pressure's take on the Perfect Storm Riddim (which we, basically, get to enjoy more than a minute and a half of following Pressure's vocals) (he does chime in from time to time, but it PLAYS!) ["Perfect storm. Selassie bring a perfect storm"] (biggup Lutan Fyah) and IGR made a good move in including it here, giving a sort of 'second-wind' to a tune which well deserved it. The message was an interesting one - that change was brewing and what was to come was DIFFERENT (not necessarily worse, not necessarily better) and what I would ultimately take away from it was the idea that comfort was not something that we should be expecting anytime soon as it was Pressure's thinking that we're all existing in a transitional period. The way he chose to convey that feeling was through this sensational effort which is not to be missed. Lastly, "Rebel With A Cause" would offer 'Can You Feel Love' and 'Forever'. You'll make a mistake if you pass on the former, presuming that its title is saying one thing and leaving it for some sappy love song, it most certainly is not. It is far more encompassing than that, almost bordering on being kind of an inspirational song.... oh and it sounds excellent, especially with those horns. 'Forever', on the other hand, is the album's definitive love song and I don't refer to it as such in passing or in any flimsy way. Pressure has demonstrated on the highest possible level that love songs are well within his capabilities (as is everything else) so you can't pass on it either. 'Forever' is lovely. It is melodic and a joy to listen to - everything you want from a love song.
Overall, I was attempting to make it as obvious as I possibly could at the beginning of the review: "REBEL WITH A CAUSE" IS FANTASTIC! It is one of the best releases that popped up during our break (and if you wanted to call it THEE best, that's fine as well) and all it did, really, was to fulfill on expectations. This talent is one of the greatest we've ever seen in Reggae music, from any era, and expecting Pressure, under the right set of circumstances, isn't too much... because he consistently shows us what he is capable of. Making an album alongside I Grade Records is clearly part of those "circumstances". Following a pair of outstanding full collaborations now, I think that goes without saying (though I would have likely said that even before "The Sound" reached) and I also think it doesn't need to be said that wrapping up this trilogy is inevitable at some point in the future. There is absolutely no reason at all that it should not happen and I am assuming that it will, eventually. Until then, we will continue to enjoy "The Sound" and "Rebel With A Cause". The second time around was just as powerful as the first as Pressure Busspipe, once again, proves himself to be amongst the greatest stars that all of Reggae music has to offer.... but you knew all of that already. FLAWELESS.
