Father Fire: A review of Heights Of Fire by Capleton

Forever. I think that longevity in absolutely anything can be a very tricky thing to understand. It can involve and incorporate an endless amount of factors and this is magnified when you begin speaking about things like entertainment and, specifically, music. On one hand, you can have someone make one song which'll carry them for the rest of their lives. You can make a tune in your twenties and find yourself performing it half a century later to a crowd who still loves it and loves you for it. Maybe most of them couldn't even name another song you've ever made (maybe they could) but you can be sure that they will never forget your name. On the complete opposite end of that would be someone who manages, ridiculously, to stay at or near the TOP of their craft for decades. That's something you cannot do via single hit. I don't give a damn how great that one song was. That is something that requires numerous amounts of hits AND, perhaps most impressively, managing to make your sound in a way that it can cross generations. You'll end up making fans out of fathers and sons (maybe even grandsons in some cases) despite who drastically different their tastes may be. This is special and it requires something greater. Of course, things such as general appeal and maybe even a story or two (controversies included) would help in growing your legend and maintaining it but I like to think that at the source of a legendary level of longevity is a teeny little thing that I like to call TALENT. ABILITY. SKILLZ! When you have actual, world class, capabilities and you combine it with things like appeal (if people like you and are interested in you, they're likely to remember you and history will probably be kind to you as well) and a compelling background, now you are legitimately talking about what has the possibility of becoming legendary. Although people like me are notorious for overrating things and making them seem bigger and more important than they usually are (if only just because it's more fun to write) we are fortunate to currently be in the present era of a number of ACTUAL living legends in my opinion and today, for the first time in a very looooooooong time in this capacity, we get to talk about him. 

Do not be blinded by the fire. When you think about Capleton, you probably think about fire. Like his most noted peers, Sizzla and Anthony B, a chunk of Capleton's career has been greatly and appropriately associated with the tendency of modern Roots Reggae to use fire, lyrically, as a cleansing ingredient for all things wicked. HOWEVER, even more so than Kalonji and 'The Original Fireman', Capleton has embraced it to the next degree. He is the "King Of Fire" and that moniker has not only come via his music (more on that in just a second) but also his... actual fire. Capleton also might just be THE most energetic and FORCEFUL Roots artist that the entire genre has ever seen and he also has a most interesting backstory, complete with a mid-career shift, an international run and a very public spat with one of his biggest peers, once upon a time. So, one could conceivably get caught up into things that aren't DIRECTLY musical when it comes to Capleton and, to some degree (I guess... you can listen how you choose to), that's fine. HOWEVER [!], when you really begin to dig into his work, it becomes crystal clear that this fire has smoke; it is not a pot of boiling water. There is char, there's a few INSTITUTIONS that have been burned down in its wake and none of us are truly safe from the immense gifts that Capleton possesses.

For examples of what he is capable of, I'll point to a trilogy of albums between 2000-2004, "More Fire", "Still Blazin" & "Reign Of Fire". In an era where the line between Roots music and Dancehall became more and more blurred, ALL THREE OF THEM represent some of the finest work we have ever seen. You could very well make the case that "More Fire" is the greatest such complete work of all time and, again, fire alone and even when combined with an endless vat of energy does not earn you that. That won't get you there, no matter who loves you, how many whos love you or how high you can jump on stage (and I THINK I recall that he once fell through a stage while jumping and hurt his ribs, many years ago) (....probably finished the performance too). Such levels require a genuine level of talent and Capleton has that to spare. From his days as a hardcore Dancehall voice to his years of Roots royalty, King Shango has shown himself to be someone not only in great command of melody but also someone who TOYS wth the spoken word. Those three legendary albums were not only well regarded amongst fans but also very popular to the point where the case could be made that, outside of anyone making international strides at the time (think Shaggy, Beenie and eventually Sean Paul) (maybe Buju as well and anyone named Marley, of course), Capleton was dropping the most popular Reggae albums in the world around the turn of the century. In a genre so NOT geared towards album releases, he was doing work unlike anyone else at the time with where his projects were reaching (and you couldn't say that about people like Sizzla, Anthony B or Luciano... probably because of their penchant for releasing multiple albums per year but regardless). "More Fire, "Still Blazin" and "Reign Of Fire" all came via VP Records who would later add "I-Ternal Fire" and, in retrospect, as someone who does love albums as complete, musical bodies of work, it was some of the best times I've ever had as a music fan.

Can we have fun again?? "I-Ternal Flame" sparked in 2010 and... that was it. It has been an absolutely ridiculous SIXTEEN YEARS since the last time Capleton released a full studio album and, though there were several rumours, none of them panned out... until now. A MASSIVE credit goes to Evidence Music who, at some point last year, claimed that they were doing a new Capleton album and HERE IT IS! Collectively we are all returned to the flaming cleanse courtesy of one of the greatest to ever do with "Heights Of Fire"! BOOM! I hope that I've written this review well enough (probably not) to convey just how DAMN HAPPY I was when I heard this one was on its way. Evidence has been very active, releasing works from the likes of Eesah, Derrick Sound (excellent compilation by the name of "Upliftment), Little Lion Sound, Tiwony, Micah Shemaiah, Bugle, Vanzo... they've been very successful in getting projects up and out and when I heard that we were on the precipice of "Heights Of Fire", I BELIEVED THEM and they have not let me down (it also helped that they had been releasing a decent amount of Capleton's work in recent times as well). In a year of releases that is turning out to be star-studded -- Vybz Kartel, Akae Beka, Buju, Gentleman -- Capleton carries one of the heaviest hands of them all and he always will. Let's get into it!

Although they do take a helping hand or two, production duties for this burn are handled by the previously mentioned Derrick Sound & Little Lion Sound, as well as Mixing Finga. The latter of the three goes back decades with Capleton and you'll find one song produced by Mixing Finga on both "Still Blzzin" ['Mi Deh Yah'] and "Reign Of Fire' ['Standing Ovation']. Also, Mixing Finga has been working with Evidence lately in re-releasing some of their older catalogue so, it comes to no surprise at all to see them on board the new release (and I would expect them to be on Capleton's next album as well). Getting things up and moving on the brand new album from the mighty Capleton, "Heights Of Fire" is its most recent [I THINK] single, the scalding 'Red Again'. This one is perfect to lead things because not only is it a really strong selection and it holds up as one of the finest here but it also kind of forecasts what is to come in certain aspects. The flame here burns at an optimum level while also allowing Capleton's complete and utter brilliance to shine.

"Mi circle dem face before dem take off

When dem try fi escape pon a spacecraft

Wi nah listen to dem waste-talk

No corruption - mek dem know wi nah go take part

So dem come fi yuh soul and dem will tek part

Dem no waan di people break free, dem love fi break heart

Wi step up on di battlefield and make a straight walk 

A straight love inna mi, mi nah trod di hate part"

"Well if dem sell out di people dem, mi nah forgive dem

Wi bun di grave and di ting weh dem ah dig then

Wi nah love how di people dem ah live then

That's why mi bun. Up. Di wicked. Dem

Dem sell out di people dem wid di imagine dem

Dem tell di people so cold until dem fridge dem 

Brainwash education, dem sieve dem

Well a one ball a fire man a give dem!"

BOOM! BREAK SOMETHING! I found myself many a time during "Heights Of Fire" thinking that what I was hearing may've been a little more reserved than perhaps what I was expecting but it's in those moments where the fire, literally, burns away any distraction and what remains is just a towering talent. Next up is the chilled 'In The Game' which features the handiwork of veteran Mista Savona from out of Austria. 'In The Game' is a PRIME example of what I just told you: While the vibes of this one are.... somewhere between smoky Blues, Hip-Hop and maybe even a sound from New Delhi  (?) Capleton could not care less and torches it the same way. The second verse on 'In The Game', which finds Shango tactfully destroying deception lays claim to being THE single finest on the whole of "Heights Of Fire" and, hopefully, people can pay attention well given the nature of the tune. 

"Mind-control - dat a dem slogan

Don't get vulnerable through dem program

WI AHGO SEND BACK DI WHOLE A DEM A OCEAN

Cah dem don't care fi no one

Well di truth shall reveal eventually

Well a fulltime now, wi no in folly

'FOR YOU SEND COKE, MI TELL YUH FI SEND COLLIE

YUH NAH GO DESTROY DEM YOUTH DEM MENTALLY" 

The album's first vocal combination 'Deh Pon Mi Mind' features Capleton alongside the also aforementioned Evidence Music favourite, Eesah. The nice tune comes through via Derrick Sound's certifiably gorgeous Fight Again Riddim from a couple of years back but, at least as far as I Know, it is a new song. There're a couple of obvious attractions to this one with Eesah not only being a burgeoning name but a big talent as well, so I was very curious as to what the pair would come up with. That riddim behind them came as a more than welcomed surprise and the duo put on a LOVELY performance to live up to anticipations... and you knew they would. The exquisite 'Jah Shine His Light' is an open praise and the first (not the last) of its kind on "Heights Of Fire". This is another song where Capleton, himself, is allowed to shine with lyrics as he, perhaps understatedly (it is a very SIMPLE song and I mean that in a good way), gives a nearly brilliant honour to His Majesty. Though it throws my math off (sixteen tracks, review it in four sets of four) I'll also add 'Jah Is My Leader' here because it goes in the exact same direction as the tune before it. The thing about it, however, is that even though 'Jah Shine His Light' is quite strong, 'Jah Is My Leader' is even better and better by some distance, in my opinion. This thing is FANTASTIC!

Coming with equal parts flames and a certain smoothness, 'Jah Is My Leader' hits every possible including a thrilling latter stretch where it almost appears as if Capleton freestyles an entire verse, landing as EASILY one the best songs on the entire album. With that being said, however, things go even higher on the very next track in, 'Behave Yourself'. 'Behave Yourself' is absolutely VINTAGE Capleton and it surprised me, honestly. This is my favourite song on "Heights Of Fire" altogether as, when it hits it's peak, there is very little, if anything at all, separating it from any of Capleton's classic work. 

"IN AN ABUNDANCE OF WATER, WEH YUH THIRST FOR?

THEN IF YOU GET THE BLESSINGS, WEH YUH CURSE FOR?"

No matter where you are in life or how well you're doing, you can do better. That is the sentiment behind this EPIC track and I have to say that one of the most attractive things about it is that, despite the fact that it isn't an overly energetic tune, you really get the feeling that Capleton had FUN in making it. 'Behave Yourself' comes off as something that he may've been working on for awhile and, clearly, it turned out how he had hoped. BOOM! 'Babylon So Evil' is a song sure to attract a great deal of attention as it features Capleton alongside longtime friends of his, Damian & Stephen Marley (also, kinda/sorta featuring the immortal Dennis Brown as well). Jr. Gong is another one who has a downright lethal prowess with words and he absolutely DECIMATES this Derrick Sound vibed piece ["More education, more school, more meal. KNOWLEDGE MORE POWERFUL THAN YOUR FORCEFIELD"] [HUH!] [WHAT!] in his portions. HOPEFULLY, 2026-27 also delivers an album from Damian... it's getting time! The second quarter of "Heights Of Fire" concludes with an all kinds of fun remix of 'Burn Dem Down', courtesy of L'Entourloop. I was actually more familiar with this remix than I was the original (which I tracked down and was produced by Derrick Sound) and that's fine because the remix is the better of the two. I don't know a great deal about L'Entourloop but I do know that, pretty much every time I hear their work - it's almost always kind of chaotic and frenetic. In that aspect, 'Burn Dem Down' is probably on the lower side but, again, it's a very good time and biggup L'Entourloop, every single time. 

While the second half of "Heights Of Fire" may lack the full fire power of the first on paper, one could very well make the case that it actually tops its more attention-grabbing slightly younger sibling [HUH!], largely on the strength of several simply sublime songs. Evidence (biggup Evidence too) of this comes immediately in the form of the BRILLIANT 'Prayers Up'. When you're fed up with the way things are going and feel like you have nowhere to turn, throw up a word to The Almighty is what Capleton says here. 

"Prayers up!

Babylon dem too corrupt

Why man to man so unjust

Fired up!

Babylon yuh system a kruff

You only waan di people have it rough

Fired up! 

Well dat system yah it corrupt

Mi tell di ghetto youth fi conscious

Fired up! 

Righteousness a nah no bluff!

Mi tired of di fight and cuss!

Dem nah care about di problem, no attention for the cause

Dem nuh waan yuh fi go forward, babylon dem waan yuh pause

Pure fabrication when dem stipulate dem laws

BUT RASTAFARI NO STOOP TO DEM EVIL CLASS

Dem fraid when dem si di ghetto youth dem a go hard

A LONGTIME MI KNOW SEH DAT DI SYSTEM YAH A FRAUD

While di people dem ah suffer, while di people dem ah starve

And babylon still ah draw card"

'Prayers Up' is SPECIAL to a degree that I am now seriously reconsidering my choice as the album's finest record and it will not be the last time. Check 'Senseless Killing' which caught me by surprise. This tune sounds so familiar to my ears for some reason but I'm now convinced that it's new. I had an idea of where it may be focused and though it didn't take any detours at all from what I was picturing... how it gets there is damn impressive ["You kill without a purpose. Intentional, you really want to hurt us. You couldn't take di Rasta fi no circus but you waan fi drop a bomb inna di World Cup"]. Capleton dazzles in a way that was not on my radars on a song which borders on the serene in terms of the vibes. 'Senseless Killing' might not get the respect that it deserves but it is one of the real stars to be found here in my opinion. The heavy 'Highway Robbers' has an interesting title that had me thinking that we may be getting something 'Jah Jah City'-esque but it doesn't go there at all. It almost heads towards something more from Hip-Hop but in a very... THICK kind of way (if that makes any bit of sense at all) (and it probably doesn't). Hip -Hop doesn't do anything for me and it never really has but 'Highway Robbers' caught me, again, because of what is said. There're songs on "Heights Of Fire" which're considerably better than 'Highway Robbers' in pretty much every aspect, HOWEVER, you simply cannot throw it away because of what Capleton says at times and when you can make this type of an impact on a tune that will rate on the lower end of the album, that's something that denotes a serious level of skill. If this man is talking, we need to be listening. The golden call to action, 'Get Up And Fight' from LLS should be well known to fans from a few years back and you'd have expected it to be featured on a project such as this one. 'Get Up And Fight' is free-flowing genius. It does bring fire and force but it does so EFFORTLESSLY atop the Sound Killer Riddim which, just like its vocalist here, is fairly simple but VERY impressive (same riddim had several big tunes on it by the likes of Chezidek ["My sound will crush yuh like a biscuit!"], Anthony B, Queen Omega, Lutan Fyah and others). This one is incredibly ENTERTAINING modern Roots Reggae music and I am jealous of you if this will mark your very first time hearing it because it's almost giving me nostalgia these days. EXCELLENT song. 

You might recognize the song 'Tired Of The Drama', also from a couple of years ago or so and I've actually been, LOVELY, running into a bit more in the days surrounding the release of the new album. I don't know the name of the riddim on this song or if anyone else voiced it but I've always really enjoyed the instrumentation and I think Capleton did as well and he COMPLETELY throws himself into it and comes emerges with a GEM! Sometimes you just need a break from it all and you get tired (and STRESSED OUT) with the way things are going... lest "dem end up like Jack & Jill" (the second verse on that tune is just BRUTAL!). The final three slices of "Heights Of Fire" come via Mixing Finga and they include another diamond of a tune, a GIANT of a surprise and a very solid changeup to end things. Social commentary, 'New Age', complete with its delightful old school riddim is the first of the trio and I could just listen to this damn thing allllllll day long. 

"Inna di age of information

When babylon ah build skystation

None a dem, di ghetto youth dem nah  go wait pon

Cause dem find out seh dem ah work fi Satan

Keep it real and be careful of di fake one

Cause enough a dem still ah work fi pagan

And dem bring down a pure frustration

Segregation, dem nuh love fi hear liberation

New age, haffi turn a new page

Babylon abuse it

Dem will shoot you like a Cupid

New age, haffi turn a new page

Babylon so stupid

Then why so abuse it

Dem get caught inna di Age of Aquarius

When di whole world started to flare up

And information start clear up

GMO, babylon have a pair of

Ghetto youth well mi seh you haffi care up

NAH FI SIDDUNG PON YUH STAIR AND AH STARE UP

AND YUH HAFFI BUN DEM FAR AND NEAR UP

Pon di battlefield, you must prepare up"

ALL OF IT! The whole day! Doing that would make it harder to get to the next BIG tune, the similarly geared and 'Haffi Know Dem'. I just told you how much I like 'New Age' but you could very well make a good argument (and I might make it) that 'Haffi Know Dem' is the stronger of the two as, in a sweet kind of way with that riddim, Capleton SEARS! I'll say it again (and again and again), you listen to what this man says and virtually every single song he makes when he's in form (and he almost always is) hits a much higher level than it would on a more cursory listen. And finally is the album's clear changeup, 'All Night'. If you take the title in the context of going all night or... DOING SOMETHING all night, you get the point of this one (like I said, changeup). I won't sugar it up: 'All Night' isn't the best song on this album and it may actually be the worst (it just isn't as good as everything else but it isn't a BAD song for what it is) but I'm grateful when they do things like this because it shows that someone is conscious of actually building an album and not having roughly the same sound through all sixteen tracks and almost an hour in length. I have no problem with them throwing a piece like 'All Night' at the end of this one. 

I do want to say something about Capleton, himself, before I close this one because I think it's getting more and more crucial that we do this with someone like him at this stage in his career. As I built this review on his standing and his stature in Reggae music being SO big at this point and with him coming close to turning sixty years old in the next nine months so; I think it is SO DAMN important that we realize exactly who we have in him. Yes, he's been spectacular and we expect to be spectacular still but Capleton has also been that consistent soldier. He's been very steady and I'll resist to comparing him to anyone else but he's been far more dependable than many of his peers - even those who have built comparable careers and longevity of their own. So it's important that we celebrate him. No. He's not an old man and we hope to have him around for many years but he's here now and he deserves to be appreciated!

Overall, with that being said, you can join me and appreciate and celebrate Capleton for what he's just done in "Heights Of Fire". You can also throw a bit of accolades in the direction of Evidence Music as well for bringing it all together. I would guess that there're some very big fans of Capleton's at Evidence and they also came up in an era where his albums were of such a grand importance and they wanted to attempt to recreate it. Well done lads! Mission accomplished! From what I've seen thus far, the response to "Heights Of Fire" has been big and I would hope and predict that it will continue to be big. What we have here is a new release from a bona fide musical LEGEND. Just that alone: We don't get those very often at all and when you combine it with the fact that everything that allowed Capleton to build that legend is not only still intact but, seemingly, as sharp as ever, you have something very special, potentially. "Heights Of Fire" is another log on one of the brightest and most skillfully set fires that has ever burned in Reggae music. MAYBE the best album from the first half of 2026. 

Rated: 4.5/5

Evidence Music

2026

Higher Education by Naya Rockers

"Higher Education" by Naya Rockers [Naya Rockers & Floki Studios - 2025

Okay so, I definitely meant to get around to this one much sooner than I did but because I had  bit of catching up to do (and I'm old as hell), it took me so long that what started out as a preview is now a mini-review. Today we take a look at a very special project, pulled together by the Naya Rockers collective, "Higher Education". The album, which brings together many different artists from varying walks of life and places (like Iceland); and does so in the name of benefitting the famed Alpha School of Music in Kingston. WHAT AN AMAZING IDEA [!] one which certainly is deserving of our support and yours as well. Today we take a look at a beautiful album for an even beautiful[er] cause, "Higher Education" from the Naya Rockers, Floki Studios and Friends. BOOM!

1. 'Come With Us' by Clinton Fearon

BOOM! When I first heard the riddim on 'Come With Us' it made me smile and probably made me tear up a little as well. IT IS STUNNING (and wouldn't it make for a nice instrumental/dub????)! So nice and light and jovial with an old school HEART given to it courtesy of the legendary Clinton Fearon. 'Come With Us' is a musical celebration. It is a standing ALTERNATIVE TO NEGATIVITY ["Leave them guns and bombs outside"] and, REALLY, how can you possibly feel like doing something bad after hearing this tune. It's literally impossible! 

2. 'Higher Education' by Ivan Neville

I do know who Ivan Neville is, by name, but I couldn't name a single piece of work of his until he contributed the title track to the "Higher Education" project. This tune kind of combines a Jazzy feel to Reggae with Neville being from New Orleans in the US and it definitely makes it stands apart from the pack here, because of its sound. It's direction, however, is right in line with balance of the album as Neville puts forth the typical uplifting and inspirational messages that you've come to expect from the genre. A lovely song! 

3. 'Teach The Youths' by Sister Nancy

We all have to come together and do a better job in setting a proper example for the youth of the world is the sentiment behind Sister Nancy's offering to "Higher Education", 'Teach The Youths'. When I first heard this one (and still now) what I initially felt about it is that 'Teach The Youths' is very EASY. What I mean is that, while you will find other tunes here which maybe are more free and 'risky' (not literally, of course), Nancy keeps it very level-headed and consistent. She also introduces ideas such as humility and respect (of oneself and others) 

4. 'Thanks' by Hector Roots Lewis

Impressing St. Catherine native, Hector Roots Lewis, is one of a few here who can lay a significant claim to having the single strongest tune on the whole of "Higher Education" with 'Thanks'. This thing is GORGEOUS! It also fits in quite nicely with the theme, at least in my opinion as, along with the knowledge and education to be found within books, it's also important to be rewarding and fulfilling to YOURSELF on an emotional level and Lewis well wraps that within giving praise. A BEAUTIFUL SONG!

5. 'The Right Path' by Stephen Marley

Definitely the biggest name to leap out at you, on paper, is that of the great Stephen Marley who blesses the album with another of its genuine highlights, 'The Right Path'. Like the song it follows, 'The Right Path' (as its title suggests) is one more concerned with your spiritual health and morals over what you might pick up out of sitting in a more traditional and ACTUAL classroom.

"I say we learn from the past

Make our futures last

CHOOSE THE EARTH FIRST"

Although the vibe here is a SWEET one with an infectious bounce, it is the vocalist who takes the brigihtest of spotlights on 'The Right Path' as Mr. Marley delivers information in heaps and heaps which is not to be ignored.

6. 'Dub With Us' by Mad Professor & Clinton Fearon

What a shock! I mentioned how well the riddim to the opener, Clinton Fearon's 'Come With Us', might translate to an instrumental or a dub and look what we have here! The equally venerable, Mad Professor takes his hands to the tune and comes up with 'Dub With Us'. The Professor, as expected, doesn't take things in a straight course but what the dub lacks in that kind of 'wholesome' simplicity as the original song, it makes up for with a heavier but still fairly LOOSE vibe and it's the first from Mad Professor. He'll be back with us in a minute.

7. 'Long Way Down' by Mike Love

Despite the nature of his song, I'm going to make the assumption that, when he recorded 'Long Way Down', Mike Love was in a pretty good mood! He sounds like he is THOROUGHLY pleased with the material that he's singing and he's feeling the music behind him... and he has no reason not to feel good based on what I'm hearing. He's also trying to simplify things in his life and turn away from not all things modern but things that are contemporary and far from healthy.... downright poisonous at times:

"They'll make you ill then sell you pills

Call it medicine"

'Long Way Down' is a tune whose VIBE threatens to overwhelm its direction -- you can HAPPILY lose yourself in it and not hear a word Mike Love says, but a special gifts awaits those who take the time and do a bit more digging because the writer hits his notes as well. 

8. 'The Brotherhood' by Angelo Moore & The Tamlins

While I am familiar with his band, Fishbone, the name Angelo Moore was one commpletely unknown to me prior to "Higher Education", on which he gives us the delightful 'The Brotherhood', alongside the mighty Tamlins. There's a hint of old[er] school R&B (I guess that's what it's called. You know that song 'YMCA'? This one sounds NOTHING like it but something about it gives me that same genre for some reason... and maybe only me) here, mixed with Reggae, definitively, of a passed era. What results is a very unique vibe in support of theme of a pure unity from Moore and The Tamlins.

9. 'Words of Wisdom' by Queen Omega

LOOK WHO IT IS! Unsurprisingly, the tune that had me THE most excited to hear on "Higher Education" was definitely 'Words of Wisdom' as it is the handiwork of one of my absolute favourites EVER, the incomparable Queen Omega. Sitting as the album's longest track (clearly everyone involved knew with whom they were dealing), the Queen puts on an INFORMED display which builds up to a downright dazzling crescendo in its latter portion.

10. 'Same Lessons to Learn' by Micah Shemaiah

The well gifted Micah Shemaiah doesn't miss a beat following the Queen with his LOVELY effort, 'Same Lessons'. There is a well infectious BOUNCE to the riddim here and Shemaiah makes the most of the track with message of unity - in bringing up oneself, you also turn around and bring along others with you as well. That, INHERENTLY, applies to knowledge as it doesn't do much good taking it to the grave with you . PASS IT ON! 

"No man is an island, no man stands alone

Even the wickedest one will give their dog a bone"

11. 'Thanks Dub' by Mad Professor

The maddest of all mad professors, Mad Professor, returns to send us on our way in closing shop on "Higher Education" with his second creation, a dub of 'Thanks' which Hector Roots Lewis provided the original vocals for. I actually prefer 'Thanks Dub' to the previous 'Dub With Us', probably because it's a bit more straight forward. As I said (or at least I think I did), 'Dub With Us' takes the original sound in several different directions, that isn't the case with 'Thanks Dub', which is far closer to a straight instrumental (it isn't though, don't worry). The Professor's additives are more subtle but are sterling and, for me, delightfully go to accentuate what was already a HUGE creation. 

Run With It: A review of Born For Greatness by Buju Banton

Source. I wonder if, at the highest level of doing just about anything, there comes a point where you more begin to look at what type of legacy it is that you're leaving in an even greater way than the current work that you are doing. Certainly the two could go together as if you're always doing the best that you possibly can, presumably, the greater it will be perceived immediately and later on. As time passes and as a new generation has taken very large steps ahead, there is a class of artist who I've began to think about in a more historical context (even if they aren't doing it themselves for the most part) because I think that not only is it directly interesting, but I also think that we're now seeing and going to continue to see a number of individuals come to prominence who were CLEARLY influenced by them. For example, the last review that I wrote was for an album called "Simma" by Beenie Man and Beenie is DEFINITELY one of those artists who I've began to place in that wider-than-present scope. I don't know just how inspirational Beenie Man has been directly -- if you think about it, how many times have you heard someone and thought, 'now this guy sounds a lot like Beenie Man -- but I think the levels that he has reached and the way in which he did it helped to inspire not only a forthcoming generation, but also many of his peers as well (whether or not they'd want to admit it). Beenie was one of the few people that showed just how powerful Dancehall could be in both its authentic form and with just a bit of additions and, clearly, he continues to do that to this day. You can't have one without the other, so certainly from Beenie you go to Bounty Killer and while the Killer's legacy is less complicated than that of his longtime rival's, it is no less powerful at all. While he has enjoyed success across the world and back, Bounty Killer is and will for the foreseeable future be known as THE most influential artist that the Dancehall has ever produced and one of the most influential that Reggae, as a whole, has ever seen as well (surely he hasn't approached the levels that Bob Marley has, but you name me someone else making Reggae music.... or any type of Caribbean music that has CLEARLY inspired more artists than Bounty Killer). Not only in terms of his HEAVY, kind of villainous, style; but also with the work he's done with actually helping bringing youths to the forefront, there're a lot of people who would not be anywhere near they are these days without the help of the Killer in someway or another. The Vybz Kartels (him being one such individual), Sizzlas, Capletons and Sean Pauls of the world would be others who, although still active and firing well, I've begun to consider just how we'll look back on what they've already done for us and are, most thankfully, continuing to do - as a CREDIT, because they've earned it and many of their peers, many of those who came before and those who are yet to arrive have not and will not. They are our greats.

Someone with both feet firmly planted and both hands gripped within that group would definitely be Mr. Mark Myrie, Buju Banton. When Buju's time is done and we look back on his career, he will DEFINITELY be regarded as one of the most noteworthy (and controversial, in both good and bad ways) figures that we've ever seen and he'll also likely go down as one of the most respected as well by both his contemporaries and fans, alike. I always remember a quote from Tony Rebel from maybe twenty years ago now where he said something to the effect of Buju Banton being the sun around which every other Reggae artist revolved! That is a HUGE compliment, particularly coming from someone as esteemed as Rebel and I would think it wasn't an opinion that he, alone, kept at the time. Throughout the years Buju has maintained a very interesting place in the music as someone whose work, inherently will receive international attention because he had built his name up so highly (through various ways) around the world and also on the local level as well. Though nowhere near as active on 'this riddim or that riddim' (and it's been a very long time since he has done that) as he once was, when Buju does release new music virtually everyone with an eye on Reggae music pays attention.

2020

....especially when he does an entire album. Buju also has the distinction of, like very few others in the music, of being able to generate MASSIVE attention with an album release. Reggae and Dancehall have never been genres geared towards the construction of albums (or mixtapes as you'll see in other forms of 'urban' music), but his output like.... Beenie's, Sean Paul's, Shaggy's and even Capleton's for a short period of time (and Capleton would be an even more different case because, at his peak, he didn't receive the level of international consideration as the others I've just mentioned, but more hardened Reggae heads PAUSED when that man made an album around the early 2000's) (the 'More Fire Years) (MISS THEM NOW, DON'T YOU!) (so do I. Never knew just how good we had it until times were over) has always managed to generate a considerable buzz when Buju decides to make an album. His most recent, "Upside Down", set came just three years ago and not only was that his first release following..... an extended hiatus (that's what we're going to call it today), but it was also his first marking a union between Buju Banton's Gargamel Records, which always handles his work, and US major, Roc Nation. That relationship has now been rekindled (not really but I do so enjoy using that word) as Buju's latest creation, "Born For Greatness" has now been brought forth. The album comes in a curious and fruitful year for Reggae albums, on paper, as it releases very close to other sets from the legendary Burning Spear, the aforementioned Beenie Man & Sizzla Kalonji and is just a week ahead of a forthcoming release from someone we're going to  talk about shortly (that's Beenie, Buju and this other guy in three consecutive weeks (and also mixed in there is an album from Richie Spice) which is fantastic and Beenie and Buju release albums a week apart and both celebrated the completion of their fiftieth years on the planet just a few weeks apart as well). As I said, Buju Banton's albums have always been a very big deal as evidenced by the fact that six of his last seven albums (with "Unchained Spirit" being the only exception) have been nominated for the Reggae Grammy and, in 2010, his "Before The Dawn" would net him the award. I'm virtually certain that "Born For Greatness" will make it seven of eight and, despite a packed year and much competition, I think Buju has a decent shot at picking up his second Grammy (shockingly, his opus, 1995's "'Til Shiloh", was not nominated (although I don't think 'Grammy' knew who Buju was in 1995; but with full respect to the likes of Bunny Wailer (who won that year with "Crucial! Roots Classics" and Dennis Brown, Inner Circle, Black Uhuru and Aswad, all of whom were nominated, Buju's had the best album that year, in retrospect, in my opinion). If you're at all familiar with the artist's last few records then, musically, you're well aware what to expect with "BFG" as it features both sounds more terrestrial to Reggae music as well as a variety of different other vibes as well. Because of that, I wasn't as disappointed to not see much actual Dancehall still, what we do end up getting, because of a relatively large chunk in the middle of the album, comes off as somewhat uneven broadly, but the album does offer two or three moments which're wholly spectacular. Let's talk about it! 

One change that we do get here, however, comes on the production side. You'll usually find a Buju Banton album stuffed with big named maestros but, for "Born For Greatness", things have been streamlined just a bit. One or two of the names in at the helm should be well recognizable but, for the most part, production is handled by Buju, himself, along with longtime collaborator Jermaine J'August Reid. While I definitely have to admit that I would have LOVED to have seen another scorcher from Dave Kelly, what I do end up hearing on the new album does consistently manage to impress, musically, regardless of genre (doesn't mean I like them all, I most certainly do not, but the music is nice during the entire album for the most part) (I also feel inclined to mention (probably because of what happened on "Simma"), that only THREE of the album's SEVENTEEN tunes are collaborations). An example of just how good the sound can be here is to be heard on the opener of "Born For Greatness", the very unusual sounding 'Ageless Time'. With a kind of a spiraling R&B sound, Buju gets things going in a very nice and chilled way with a tune that takes me in a few ways. At its core, I think 'Ageless Time' is about depression and disheartenment. It's about losing one's way and having memories about much better time. I think the goal here was to attempt to vivify the good times but I don't know how successful Buju is at that, so if you come away branding the opener as kind of a SAD tune, I don't think anyone could blame you, but it is a GOOD SAD one, in my opinion. If 'Ageless Time' passes through just a bit too bleak or you, then the second effort, 'Life Choices' , might be a little more your speed as it is more lively. It's also nearly excellent. 

"Life choices, true sacrifices

So many voices, except when there is crisis

The lifestyle, the struggles and the vices

THE ENTIRE CAKE, HOW YOU WANT THE SLICES?

Secret dealings

Major surprises

Slow to the top or meteoric rises"

When I really got into the meat of 'Life Choices' it began to bloom. It's a song about living life (DUH!) and the struggles that we all go through and the decisions that we make, the MISTAKES that we make and how we grow (and shrink) from those experiences. It is somewhat broad on the surface but, again, what you're able to dig out of this one, should you take the time is MIGHTY and I appreciate it more right now than I ever have. The infectious title track follows and while it also has more substance to it, the first thing you'll notice here is its sonic appeal. Good luck in listening to 'Born For Greatness' without moving something. Some part of your anatomy will be tapping or snapping or bobbing in some way or another and with it, Buju takes the opportunity to remind that the easiest way or the road most traveled isn't always the best course for everyone. I was fairly confident as to what my favourite tune on this album would be when I heard it and by its end I was correct (for a change) as the downright MASSIVE 'Coconut Wata' stood up as the peak here for me (by the slightest of margins)."Cool" would be the term dominating the description here: 'Coconut Wata' IS JUST A COOL SONG. Blessed with kind of a neo take on old-school Dancehall (that makes no sense at all, I know it. You don't have to say it), this one grabbed my attention and completely refused to let my ass go and for that, I am thankful! Charged with keeping the vibes high following 'Coconut Wata' is 'Yard And Outta Road' whose title had me thinking that its vibes wouldn't be very far, at all from the tune preceding it, but all was back to normal in that regards because I was completely wrong about that. Though its subject isn't too far out of bounds (although I wouldn't have predicted that either, actually) 'Yard And Outta Road' is much closer to being a ballad than it is to being this kind of dusty piece of Dancehall candy (that you brush off and eat anyway and hope no one saw you do it). Still, while I cannot count it amongst my favourites from "Born For Greatness".... it isn't bad and it fully displays a certain quality of Buju Banton's that I'll get more into in closing, but he has a very potent talent which makes moments like this work more often than not and I would argue that Buju at a level which isn't his greatest is more capable than many of his peers in their non-prime form. 

The first combination off of "Born For Greatness", the woefully named 'Body Touching Body', did come as a pleasant surprise. The track features Victoria Monét, an American Pop/R&B singer whom (is very easy on the eyes) I'm fairly certain that I've never come across prior to earlier this year when she had a song by the name of 'Party Girls'.... with Buju Banton. That tune was odd -- there was a Dancehall song wrapped up in the middle of R&B -- but it wasn't bad and, as far as I can tell, it and the album it appeared on, "Jaguar II" did pretty well. 'Body Touching Body', oddly enough, is more straight-forward R&B than 'Party Girls' and Monét returns the favour on a composition, seemingly, more directly to her specialty. I did not expect at all to enjoy this one as much as I ended up likin git after a few spins. It just has a really nice, easy vibes to it (and there is one SWEET groove somewhere in the middle of it all that is intoxicating) and, despite its brevity, it got to me and maybe we can see these two working together again at some point. Who knows, maybe the musical relationship between Buju and Monét may some day grow to equal that which Buju also has with looooooooongtime collaborator, the afore-alluded to Stephen Marley who not only features here as a vocalist, but also as a producer as it is Marley who stands behind both 'Feel A Way' and the opener, 'Ageless Time'. The relationship here goes back decades between these two as Marley also appeared on the previously mentioned "Unchained Spirit" record way back in 1999 (as did Beres Hammond, Luciano, Morgan Heritage and Wayne Wonder.... just a LOADED album and it may just be Buju's most underrated release to date); and it also carries forth as a week after "Born For Greatness" reaches, Stephen Marley's own full studio album, "Old Soul" is set to go and any guesses who appears on that one??? The relationship-centric 'Feel A Way' is pretty decent. That riddim has all kinds of twists and turns and it's mostly R&B, but I have no problem with this track. These two have been there and done that and gotten the t-shirt for it and they will continue to. You'll probably like 'Feel A Way'. Considerably stronger, however, is the very catchy 'Turn Up Tonight' (remember 'Gal Your Night Tonight'?). With somewhat of a Jazzy type of sound, Buju delivers another one for the couples-effect, but this one is just LOVELY to hear and he does manage to produce on sterling verse in its midst. I didn't hate 'Sweeter' either, but that one, which comes just ahead of 'Feel A Way' is the true beginning of a lull on "Born For Greatness" in my opinion. For its part, 'Sweeter', once again, focuses on relationships, this time specifically dealing with what happens after the fight, the... "making up" process. It's surely relatable (in a good way), but there's nothing really remarkable about it. The [EXACT] same thing could be said of 'Plans' (although I'm going to use it to illustrate a point later on here and give it a bit more credit), which kind of continues the run on mediocre love-like songs on "Born For Greatness". There isn't much to be taken from this one and, with a minimal backing, it doesn't really even try to be much (which ends up working for it in a way) but.... it's here. Okay now, if you take the very next two selections on the album, 'Nuff Love For You' and 'Walked Out' (might as well tack them onto the end of this big ass paragraph) you get yet another pair dealing with the same topic heard on the previous FIVE consecutively but, with the exception of 'Body Touching Body',(and maybe 'Turn Up Tonight') they're better, but still not what you'd call great tunes. The former is the better of the two with its more appealing vibes (and that chorus will have you KILLING it over and over again and have you doing it in short-order) and decent 'backbone' (I know I may you do you wrong sometimes, but they're mistakes and you do me wrong too, but I still love you!). The latter's strength is in Buju, himself. Yes, it also does have a different sound which is likable, but Buju's captivating reigns supreme here and saves 'Walked Out', ultimately. With alllllllllll of that being said, however, at this point of "Born For Greatness" I have to admit: I'm pretty damn tired of love songs.

Relief (in subject only) comes at track #13 'We Find A Way' (and I didn't think it would, I thought the shift would come on the next one) which is basically 'We Shall Overcome' and it isn't terrible but it most certainly isn't a highlight on this release and then there's 'My Microphone' which was NOTHING like I was expecting. I thought this one had the potential to be another Dancehall special (maybe one focusing on skill) but, instead, 'My Microphone' is a very quick return to form of the material coming just ahead of it (sans 'We Find A Way'). It is a slight changeup on the course, however, as it finds Buju with his eye on someone special, looking for the opportunity to get to speak to her and while he waits, his microphone serves as his outlet. The song is on the upper side in regards to quality when it comes to these types on "Born For Greatness" but... yeah, I'm kind of tired of them now.... is this a Turbulence album??? Still, I do give a credit to Buju and Reid for putting it together as such. 'My Microphone' is interesting to say the least but I am in dire need of someone taking a large, blunt object and smacking me in the face with it! I require some FIRE before the end of this album! As my luck would have it, one of the final pieces here is actually called 'Trial By Fire' and though it be largely without the type of flames that I was searching for, it does bring in a nice chunk of passion, oh, and 'Trial By Fire' is sublime. A spiritual piece with more social elements supporting it, this record is GOLDEN and steps near the top of the album IMMEDIATELY. This is the type of vibe that Buju kind of 'wonders off' and brings during many of his albums that completely works. It isn't a preponderance of love songs, it is material exactly like 'Trial By Fire' ["FLAME BURNING INSIDE YOU NEVER CONQUER THE ANCESTRAL PLANE: THAT'S MY FATHER'S PLACE!"] which is a big winner. The end of the album also carries 'High Life' which is, on paper (and in actuality, really), the single biggest combination on "Born For Greatness" altogether as it features Buju alongside Hip-Hop great and longtime fan and supporter of Reggae music, Snoop Dogg. I really like 'High Life' and have from the very first time I laid my ears on it. It won't change lives, I can't imagine that they intended it to, but if you're just looking for a fun selection about exactly what you're thinking it's about, then you will LOVE 'High Life'. Lastly is probably my second favourite tune on the whole of "Born For Greatness" as Buju channels the legendary Paul Robeson on 'Let My People Go'. A ridiculously short TWENTY YEARS ago (I can literally remember getting that album - like the actual moment I received it), Buju released an album by the name of "Friends For Life" which was crowned by a huge tune called 'Up Ye Mighty Race'. 'Let My People Go' isn't THAT good ('Coconut Wata' isn't THAT good) (that thing was perfect) but it reminds me of 'Up Ye Mighty Race' for its theme. 

"Whole world is in bondage

 Let my people go

Tell these tyrants to let go!

 Let my people go

What remains, they will not be able to salvage

 Let my people go

There shall be rioting, rooting, raiding and ravage

 Let my people go

They control the whole world, there's no one to stop them

They fiddle while the world burns-

Creating stress and problems

Chaos on a global scale, were created only by a few

NOTHING  TO DO WITH I & I, BUT INVOLVE I MAN & YOU!

Tribal war created for money

 Let my people go

This blood march you create ain't funny

 Let my people go

What I'mma saying is so real

YOU MIGHT SEE MY FACE, BUT YOU NEVER FEEL WHAT I FEEL NOW!"

I think the song is best described as PASSIONATE! It has tons and tons of heart at its core and such a vibe, just as it did coming from 'Up Ye Mighty Race', resonates immensely on an outstanding way to conclude things. 

I do want to mention a couple of things -- one pro and one con -- in regards to "Born For Greatness" and, perhaps, just Buju Banton, in general. On the positive side is something that I don't know that I've ever mentioned about him previously: BUJU BANTON HAS CLASS! It may not be a quality which comes quickly to mind about someone whose style is so tough and rough around the proverbial edges, but he's able to make things work that aren't necessarily going great. I go back to 'Plans'... not a great record. It isn't great at all, but when you section it up and take it in smaller bites, little blips or brilliance definitely come through. He always has that possibility where something about a particular tune will stay will you and there are not many people at all who the same thing can be said about. On the con side: "Born For Greatness" is too long. There're seventeen tracks (checking in at just shy of an hour) and it probably would have been healthier, at least in my opinion were it closer to twelve or so. That's not an unusual critique, I find myself saying it fairly often and that's fine, but in this in particular, the album definitely could have done with less relationship/love songs. 

Overall, "Born For Greatness" surely isn't the best piece of work Buju Banton has ever released and I don't think that it's even relatively close to it either. However, it isn't entirely bereft or merit either and after taking it in fully I think it fits fairly comfortably in the middle of the pack of Buju's catalogue (and if you wanted to rank it a little higher or lower, I wouldn't have much problem in either case). Buju's position in Reggae music is one which is wholly unique so it's likely that this album will be either overrated or underrated, but I think that when I look back on it, "Born For Greatness" will be an album which, though not without its obvious flaws, is another demonstration of the star power and attraction of one of the brightest burners Reggae music has ever seen. 

Rated: 3.35/5

Gargamel Records + Roc Nation/Def Jam Recordings

2023

The Vault Reviews: Upside Down by Buju Banton

Maybe I'm wrong and I'm about to say something stupid (won't be the first time, most certainly will not be the last), or maybe it's just the state of the times, but it seems to me that the 'state' of Reggae albums might just be changing. In previous times, for the most part, it seemed as if the Reggae album was a bit of an afterthought. In contrast to.... pretty much every other genre (one of the few exceptions being Soca) many albums just kind of seemed to come up and, from what I heard, the actual artist would receive virtually nothing for them (you may remember Tanya Stephens giving away an album for completely free after dropping two incredible sets which, apparently, netted her nothing monetarily) (I think I recall Spragga Benz saying a similar thing) if anything at all really. Perhaps as a result of that, what we would see once upon a time was particular artists who would, almost habitually, release multiple albums annually and maybe one out of every handful or so would truly register, while the rest would be left to thrill their most faithful of followers (like You and I); but like I said, there were instances (and individuals) which (whom) had different circumstances. Apart from individuals who routinely received international attention (more on them in just a second) I'm always reminded by the outstanding run enjoyed by Capleton in the 2000's. The albums "More Fire", "Still Blazin'" and "Reign Of Fire", especially, were so widely well regarded and well-publicized and it helped raise the level of Capleton, in general. I can recall reading an article where the writer rather casually said that he had overtaken Beenie Man in terms of popularity around the time and when you go back to that era, those releases STILL stand out for him. VP Records helmed all three of those sets and their products have consistently been.... pretty much the best presented in all of modern Reggae music, consistently. The label has always seemed to operate exclusively with some of the biggest names in the genre (like Capleton, Lady Saw, Beenie Man, Beres Hammond and others), while also keeping an ear towards who had hits at the time and would, presumably, be profitable (Turbulence has a big hit called 'Notorious', VP makes an album called "Notorious". Jah Mason has 'Princess Gone', VP has "Prince Gone: The Saga Bed". Norris Man had one also with "Persistence") and it's worked out for them. The group of Reggae and Dancehall artists who have received more international attention have also done well with releasing full projects. The likes of Sean Paul, Shaggy, the aforementioned Beenie Man, Wayne Wonder, Baby Cham and Damian Marley have scored and continue to in some respects to this day; and today we celebrate Koffee (for SONY!), Shenseea, Spice (how wonderful is that? Three of the genre's biggest albums of the last year have come from women!) and figure to be doing it again this year for the GRIZZLED Beenie Man, Bounty Killer and Sean Paul shortly. And I love him so I simply have to add the fact here that Sizzla has also signed a distribution deal with US label Def Jam Records (and he is, reportedly, working on a new one for this year as well called "Africa 54"). So, again, maybe I'm just completely wrong, but maybe things are starting to change on some level when it comes to Reggae albums.

If you looked at it from the perspective of Buju Banton, however, you'd likely come away thinking that things were 'business as usual'. While he probably has never received a spotlight on his work as large as that gotten by Sean Paul and Beenie Man at their respective peaks (although "Too Bad", with 'Driver A', definitely would have come close), Buju has always occupied an awfully unique position, particularly when it comes to international appeal. For some strange ass reason, he has well found a home amongst fans who are not typically Reggae fans; and while you can definitely say the same for the aforementioned likes of Beenie, Sean Paul and Shaggy, those artists have at least made an attempt to capitalize on that level of attention. I don't think Buju Banton has. The result has likely put his global popularity between that which Capleton once enjoyed and the likes of Sean Paul etc. and like all of them, it has made the moments when Buju Banton releases albums a very big deal - some of the biggest in the entire genre. 

2010

And that all magnified in the decade long period between 2010 and 2020 when Buju didn't release an album at all. As testament to just how big his albums were, his 2010 release, "Before The Dawn" would net the artist his first Grammy Award for Best Reggae album, after having previously been nominated for the honour on four different occasions (and I'm about to tell you about another album he did which was also nominated for a Grammy). Just days following (ten of them, if my research is correct (I initially misremembered it as being the very next day)) picking up that Grammy in 2011, Buju was convicted of drug charges in the US and sentenced to a long term prison sentence from which he did not emerge until late 2018! Since then, Buju had been on a tear, having IMMEDIATELY returned to form and popularity and though his travel schedule (travel ABILITY) had become limited, what you actually heard from him didn't suggest someone who was 'rusty' and had, instead, spent his time incarcerated STILL working on his craft. It would take two and a half years for Buju and company to put the crowning jewel on his return as, in the summer of 2020, he would deliver "Upside Down", his first album since his release from prison and, as I said, his first release altogether in TEN YEARS. Like virtually all of his projects, in one way or another, "Upside Down" would come via Buju's own Gargamel Records imprint, this time with Roc Nation on board handling distribution (and that has typically been the case for him: Gargamel Records does  the actual musical work, with a big-named label doing the distribution) (he's also worked wiith the likes of Atlantic, the aforementioned VP and Tommy Boy Records in the past). It's always interesting to me the way that Buju's albums tend to be received. He spent the vast majority of the 1990's releasing albums which were widely hailed for their excellence, including 1995's "'Til Shiloh", which is regarded as his opus (because it is) and one of the greatest Reggae albums of all time from anyone (because it's that too), but it's almost as if his status has risen to a certain level where people have FULLY began to digest his work. Because of that (and this is a good thing in my opinion), for reasons strictly relating to music (and OBVIOUSLY for reasons outside of the studio, but that goes without saying at this point (....even though I just said it), Buju may be THE most critiqued Reggae artist that we've seen. You'll find reviews for his albums in some of the most unusual corners of the internet and others which're typically reserved for Hip-Hop (or, "urban music", in general, as it is called). That's where he's found an audience and, apparently they turned out en masse for "Upside Down". What they found when they got their hands on it was, while not his absolute best work and definitely a little 'bloated' --though forgivably so in this instance -- was damn solid and a VERY FUN release from one of Reggae music's greatest champions of all time. Let's talk about it!

Surprisingly, even at this stage of it, leading up to the release of "Upside Down", Buju Banton would score with, arguably, some (two of them, especially) of the bigger hits of his entire career. As if the album needed more flames to help build the anticipation for its arrival, Buju seemed to be on a roll just prior to it and that material definitely went to become some of the featured songs on this project (and when you first heard them, you KNEW something was coming). The first of the twenty tracks which span an hour and twelve minutes found Buju offering a prayer with 'Lamb Of God'. While it is an actual song, 'Lamb Of God' is, essentially, an intro. It sounds exactly how you think it does. You'd hear it at a church service or a funeral and you'd be there singing right along - it serves its purpose. Next, we have another song that also does what it's supposed to do and comes as no surprise in 'Yes Mi Friend'. Most appropriately, this one features Buju alongside one of those "friends", Stephen Marley, who also produces. It was an interesting thought on how Buju would deal with his incarceration and release, musically, and 'Yes Mi Friend' is his first response. He talks about just how HAPPY he is to be a free man and some of the tribulations he faced while in prison (I've never been locked up in any way, but SEVEN YEARS sounds like a really large chunk of life to be missing out on and clearly the artist is excited to re-begin his life and get back to what he does like very few others ever have.

"Yes mi friend!

Mi deh pon street again

Yes mi friend!

Dem set mi free again"

That line of thought continues with the next selection 'Buried Alive', where Buju directly expresses his gratitude for being out of that situation. 'Buried Alive' had this very BIG vibe to it and came courtesy of the wizard Steven 'Lenky' Marsden, who helms several tracks throughout "Upside Down" (including one I've already told you about, 'Lamb Of God'). What stands out for me on this one is how Buju takes his current standing, as a free man, as a sign that he now MUST do something. He must make some grand contribution to the world, almost a sign of saying 'thank you' for his freedom. You and I will be sitting here to see what that turns out to be, exactly, but if he spends the rest of his days making music like this, I'm sure that will be just good enough. If it sounds like.... oh, I don't know, maybe 'Blessed', then it might even be a little extra from the artist - going above an beyond. The Dave Kelly produced single was the initial sign of something truly SPECIAL on "Upside Down". This BEAUTIFULLY grimy and minimal [authentic] Dancehall track backs Buju who uses it to set forth a message which has its roots in social change and revolution, but this brand of revolting is a calmer one. There's a certain level of security and CONFIDENCE behind it as, when you have a SUPREME Protector behind you ["Wi ah try move outta di shack. Dem ah cry and ah spy and ah try stop wi clock, GUESS A WHO HAVE WI BACK"] what problems may arise are, at best, temporary. I don't say this too often about a song, but I really get the feeling about 'Blessed', that Buju ENJOYED creating it. Whatever the circumstances and wherever he was at the time - it just sounds like he was having a really good day. The delivery is vibrant and is about as on-point that would expect from a bona fide master of this sound like himself. The same could well be said about the syrupy sweet 'Memories' which rounds out the first quarter of "Upside Down". The tune features another of Buju Banton's really good friends, US R&B singer, John Legend. 'Memories' (also produced by Lenky) (he produces the next one I'm going to tell you about as well) is an ultra-catchy and infectious love song that has both soft and hard edges (fitting to the artists singing it). Their  musical relationship goes back well over a decade and the chemistry that Buju and Legend have developed becomes crystal clear on this  gem of a lover's set. I'll also jump ahead and mention the similarly situated 'Cherry Pie', as it features Buju alongside the well accomplished Pharrell Williams. I'm not going to spend too much time on it because I almost feel like scrutinizing it too much kind of defeats the purpose of the song, but I will tell you is that, even if you do not LOVE 'Cherry Pie'' (and I do not) (although I am a bigger fan of the song than I am of the actual dessert), this thing will STAY with you. Maybe not so much via a dominant, hard-to-shake chorus, as much as the prevailing vibes of the entire track (steered by long time Buju collaborator, Jermaine Reid) - you will be long done spinning 'Cherry Pie', but still dealing with it in some way, 'trust me'.

Both 'Lovely State of Mind' [Lenky] and 'Appreciated' [Reid] are two more love songs on "Upside Down". Although the latter is solid with its classic vibe, I slightly preferred the extremely CRISP and curious sounding 'Lovely State of Mind'. For its part, however, 'Appreciated' very much has a nice free-flowing and organic sound to it and.... as I sit here listening to it again, it may be better than I'm giving it credit for [note: I previously wrote it as "I definitely preferred" 'Lovely State of Mind' and the edit was to replace "definitely" with "slightly"]. I wouldn't at all be surprised if it turned out that 'Beat Dem Bad' was either a full freestyled type of tune or if it developed from such a level. It goes all over the place and I'm not calling that a bad thing. The multilayered and multifaceted riddim underpinning it (courtesy of Reid) might actually even promote such a tune and, perhaps, just attempted to climb on this thing in a more straight-forward wouldn't have been the best route anyway. 'Beat Dem Bad' was just all kinds of interesting. If you say you disliked it, I wouldn't blame you. If you said it was amongst the album's best, I wouldn't disagree. To my opinion, "Upside Down" truly reached its apex between a pair of early singles released for the album and the first of them to appear in its tracklist is also my absolute favourite, the MASSIVE Dave Kelly guided 'Trust'.

Trust was hypnotic, DELICIOUS and brilliant [authentic] hardcore Dancehall music. There wasn't a drop of any other types of genres or anything else, it was full on modern Dancehall and Buju SHINED! The tune also had some type of bigger relevance as Buju would warn everyone (in an almost comedically overly cautious ["So if you meet a girl and you plan fi freak it. When you go her housem make sure you sweep it. And find di camera dem anywhere she keep it. IF SHE GO BATHROOM, MAKE SURE YOU PEEP!"] and paranoid way) to be fully aware of our surroundings at all time and to be careful how you engage on social media, but that was a gift to be inherited after you got through the FILTHY vibes of 'Trust'. 

There is a solid pair of songs in the next batch on "Upside Down" that I feel have somewhat gone overlooked and underappreciated as both 'Moonlight Love' and 'Cheated' were at least very good with the latter being damn near exceptional, in my opinion. The venerable Steven Stanley cared for 'Moonlight Love' and it turned out to be a subtly DIVERSE love song (really listen to that tune and you'll hear just how much is going on in there. It almost sounds 'Arabian' at  times). I'm not attempting to call it the greatest of anything, but 'Moonlight Love' can just make you feel really good if you give it the opportunity. And then there's 'Cheated' which borders somewhere near brilliant at times. 

"Anna Maria its over!

You really let me down

I thought the love we shared was sincere and profound

The way you told me that you loved me let my love come down

BUT WHEN DI TROUBLE TAKE ME, YOU WERE NOWHERE AROUND

It was all about di money, fancy cars and such

YOU SAID I WAS A BREDDA WID DI MIDAS TOUCH

Sold your life worthwhile fi mi designer style

WHEN PEOPLE SAY YOU SPOILED, I WOULD ANSWER 'NOT ENOUGH!'

Caught up inna world filled wid trivial stuff

And I never took di time to see it was a gold-rush

SHOWED DI REAL YOU WHEN I GOT LOCKED UP

Not even a postcard"

I believe the producer here, Pase Rock (with DJ Ross One), has some type of working relationship with Roc Nation and I might want to look up some more of what he's done as, though clearly Hip-Hop influenced (which is not my thing), the sound of 'Cheated' is incredibly interesting, regardless of what genre it actual falls within. Impressive British export Stefflon Don makes an appearance on "Upside Down" and does more than hold her own with her contribution to the nice R&B-ish 'Call Me'. This was a big spot for Stefflon - it definitely put her in the attentions of a lot of people who'd never come across her prior to appearing on this album and, largely because of her (as Buju does precisely what you would expect from him on such a piece), 'Call Me' was very memorable. Then we have a little song called 'Steppa'. The other GIANT pre-album single that I alluded to in 'Trust', this Reid produced drop was pure genius. The song worked so well, at least for me, because of how ULTRA realistic it was. Buju was talking about the 'steppa', the iconoclast to the much (unfortunately) celebrated 'shotta'. A steppa is positive and progressive and, though certainly not perfect, knows right from wrong and tries to do what is right. The great part was that while Buju definitely isn't celebrating negativity and violence, nor is he even condoning it, but he is acknowledging it. He knows it is there and likely always be ["SAY YOU A BADMAN - FINE!"], but he's hoping that his song will lead more youths to make the choice to "step fi di betta" and he's actually glorifying the positivity here. The refusal to turn an unrealistic (NON-EXISTENT) blind-eye to what is actually going on, put 'Steppa' somewhere in the stratosphere for me. It's one of the best songs on this album and it's one of the best songs Buju has EVER done in my opinion (and I am SERIOUSLY considering changing my vote for album's finest). The playful 'Good Time Girl' rounds out this group and it certainly isn't a bad song (would have a hard time being so, produced by Lenky) and if you need something to make you bob your head and step your feet, it has you! Just a nice vibes about a girl looking for a good time and there's nothing wrong with that.... unless of course that girl looking for a good time is your girl and she's looking for it with someone else! That, on the other hand, is fucked up.

I hear small echoes of a personal classic from Buju Banton's vault when I hear 'The World Is Changing' which was produced by the legendary King Jammy, as it ever so slightly reminds me of the MAMMOTH 'Up Ye Mighty Race' from the "Friends For Life" album (ridiculously almost twenty years old now!). Both tracks feature this unique POUNDING sound to them, at least to my ears and it immediately brought me back to that special place in my memory. Like 'Up Ye Mighty Race', 'The World Is Changing' is a sizable social commentary and one where Buju thrills. '400 Years' is an even stronger selection. Nearly a complete chant, this tune has an AURA surrounding it (supplied by Lenky) which helps send it near the tops of the album in my opinion. Take that and combine it with a Buju, CLEARLY up for the moment (I'm thinking that the first time he heard the instrumental for '400 Years', it probably lit his face up! A credit must also go to veteran Nikki Burt, Carol Dexter and Buju's own sister, Adena Myrie, for providing SUBLIME backing vocals as they all come together to say that oppression, in general, has been in power for entirely too long - and it's time to make some changes. The immortal Bobby Digital gifted to us all (so, SO many wonderful songs. What a life that man lived!) the golden 'Helping Hand', easily one of the biggest moments on the album. Despite Buju's obvious passion on the tune, I like songs like this because what they do is -- at least in my opinion -- is to reassert COMMON SENSE. Of course if there is someone that you can help and you can do something for (with very few exceptions), you do it! None of asked to be here, but helping one another definitely makes the journey easier and that's the heart of 'Helping Hand' and it's one of the central themes in all of Roots Reggae music, if you think about it.

"And it doesn't matter how small, it's  never too little to share

AND WHAT DOES IT TAKE FROM YOUR PRIDE TO SHOW SOMEONE THAT YOU CARE?

A friend is a person or someone who is always there

Who can feel your joy and know your pain and know all the trouble you bare

Don't you know it takes one hand to wash the other?

If you should see your brother falling, help him if you can

The spirit of Jah does not always strive with man

If you should se your brother falling, lend a helping hand"

Have I told you how big of a deal Buju Banton's album tend to be??? Along with the aforementioned Dave Kelly, King Jammy and Bobby Digital (and with respect to Lenky and Jermaine Reid, who're always around when he works), the artist also linked with the great Clevie (of Steely & Clevie fame) (biggup Steely) for the glorious social commentary that was 'Rising Up'. I feel inclined to mention this before I forget to: At the end of 'Rising Up', we get a DELICIOUS seventy seconds or so of the clean riddim and if you read my work to any degree, you know exactly how much I love when producers do that because it shows to me that they REALLY enjoyed their creation and felt that, just like the vocal artists, it, too, deserves its time in the spotlight. The sound of 'Rising Up' rates highly on "Upside Down" altogether and Buju makes the most of it. Though on the short side (as you would expect it to be while carrying seventy seconds of an instrumental), 'Rising Up', a call to change, definitely makes an impact and it did so in what will certainly go down in history as one of the most crucial times, socially, in the history of our species ["The cost of confrontation shall be economic crisis"]. And lastly is the single finest musical display on the whole of "Upside Down", the PILLARING 'Unity'. This thing sounds like something out of Femi Kuti's catalogue, it is a STUNNING piece of music once again from Reid. Buju Banton does have a point to make here which is threatened to be overwhelmed by the spectacular sound here about bringing all children of Africa a little closer together ["I know, among us, there are wolves among the flocks; BUT NO ONE CAN STOP US AND, TO CONQUER, THEY CANNOT!"] and what helps push that message across is just how much FUN he seemed to have in making this song. On more than one occasion during 'Unity', he just breaks out into a laugh and it is a remarkable moment to wrap up this album. I also want to mention, just as there was the case at the end of 'Rising Up', the vibe of 'Unity' also gets its time clear of vocals, but at the head of the song; before Buju says even a single word, the riddim plays on for nearly a minute! That's even more rare to do it at the beginning of the song, but just as beautiful! Altogether I want to make the point that the final five selections of "Upside Down" -- 'The World Is Changing', '400 Years', 'Rising Up', 'Helping Hand' and 'Unity' -- represent what is TRULY some of the strongest material you'll find here. In retrospect, 'Unity' was probably THE biggest hit amongst them, but none of them did the damage that their quality would have suggested that they might to me. So you can do it for yourself: Pay a very high amount of attention at the end of this album.

Overall, yes, the biggest complaint with "Upside Down" would be that it's too big. Again, it's understandable exactly why it was that big, but not everything here was absolutely crucial and they were never going to be at that length. Still, for what was here and what this set was representing at the time (and will represent historically, when we begin looking back on it), "Upside Down" was not only FITTING, but it was solid as well. I did not particularly enjoy "Before The Dawn" when it reached and I still don't (though 'Rasta Can't Go' has always been and will always be a big tune) and because of that, "Upside Down" instantly became Buju Banton's best work since 2009's epic "Rasta Got Soul" (though I still favour "Rasta Got Soul" ahead of "Upside Down" a bit). Assuming that, at not yet fifty years of age, Buju Banton still has quite a lot of music to make, I believe that we'll look back at "Upside Down" as an obvious standing point of the second (or third, actually) portion of his career (first would have been Dancehall star, the "Til Shiloh" began the second) and when we do look back, what we'll hear is someone who, despite having been 'away' in a very unusual manner, was still very near the height of his powers and CLEARLY still capable of capturing the attention of the entire Reggae listening world in the palm of his hand. 

Rated: 4/5

Gargamel Records/Roc Nation

2020

CD, Vinyl + Digital