an old article of mine that never really saw the light of day publication wise, so why not set her free here…
Radio Selassie: rasta on all frequencies
"My Locks a my antenna to Jah"
by Mutabaruka
WELCOME TO JAMROCK. 2006, conscience is once again a stable part of the dancehall diet, after a epic 2005, a year in which Rastafari and consciousness returned full force and full throttle to take stranglehold of the airwaves. Every radio station, every car and every sound system was thumping it out; the new wave or more like tsunami (the 2005 catch phrase) of conscious music that is being churned out by a throng of new and returned Rasta Deejays and Singers; the likes of Chuck Fender, Richie Spice, Junior Kelly, Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, Ras Ghandi, Gyptian, Jah Cure, Fanton Mojah, Norris Man, Bush Man, Natty King, Buju Banton, Turbulence, I-Wayne, Mr. Perfect, Jah Mason, Lutan Fyah, Anthony B and so many more. From grass root radio stations like IRIE FM to the bourgeois ZIP FM, it's a Rasta on all frequencies.
Flashback to summer 2003, Elephant Man and Beenie Man are since a while back had been hussling a frantic wave of dancing songs, so pervasive and ubiquitous were these songs that even Capleton had belted out a few. Then in the midst of the dance craze crept Sizzla's unassuming, retro, retrospective and sober album "Da Real Thing." This album was the rallying cry for the return to roots and culture, after what had been a long and superficial siesta in Elephant Man's "Dancing Gym" or "Dancing School." Yes!!! I am sure you too "logged on" and were there, either "pon the river, or pon the bank." Sizzla's album blindsided the nation and took dancehall fans back to yesteryear and put them into the frame of mind that would be receptive to the coming tide of consciousness that would be soon washing through the streets of Jamaica, in every nook and cranny, in every bar, at every fete, in every street dance, in every car that jams every streetlight, in every stereo and on every station.
Music and Jamaica have always been intertwined. The music and Rastafari however, has had its up and lows. There were periods when it seemed Rastafari had almost been divorced from the music. Especially when Dancehall had emerged full force and had a battalion of sexually charged lyricists. The likes of Yellow Man and Shabba Ranks were pumping in every box. But indomitable and unwavering Rastafari returned to the fore in the early 90's and we saw the likes of Luciano and Garnett Silk. Then with
young and powerful vocalist like Mark Myrie and Clifton Bailey better known as Buju Banton and Capleton adopting the faith of Rastafari and lending their voices to the host of Selassie, and the enigmatic Sizzla Kalonji creating waves in the underground, it seemed that Rasta was back. However, as fate would have it as not so, with unforeseen and tragic events like the death of Garnett Silk, upsurges in crime and the advent of Cable Television in the island the people had acquires new tastes and had acclimatized to rap music, and to a lesser extent the rock and alternatives flavours. Instead of the conscious and social commentary of Rastafari bubbling to the top, those that had incorporated the styles of Cable Television and rap music took precedence, so we saw the Scare Dem Crew and Monster Shock Crew, bombard the airwaves.
Today Reggae and its bastard child Dancehall have become the unequivocal platform for the multifaceted and ever evolving face of Rastafari. This summer has been proof beyond doubt. Damian Jr. Gong Marley has for some time taken vice-like grip of local music stations (REtv, HypeTV, Music Plus, and FiwiTV), radio stations and every component set in every car. Summer was a super semester in "Dancehall 101," with the staging of events such as World Clash, Dancehall Queen, Sumfest, ATI Negril Weekend, and a host of smaller events. At the major Lecture this semester, Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest, an event embroiled in controversy seeing that its promoters opted to axe crucial and prominent dancehall acts owing to the fact that their sponsors (a people –the Irish-- far removed from Jamaican culture) sought to dictate who is and isn't supposed to be on the show. This twist of events led to the rescuing of Sumfest by two of reggae and dancehalls most dynamic Rastafari acts… Sizzla Kalonji and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley.
The new wordsmiths and lyrical assassins in Selassie's army have been hard at work pounding out and forging a barrage of albums that are bombarding the sensibilities of reggae and dancehall listeners everywhere. I-Wayne's album Lavaground has drastically altered the music landscape in Jamaica and acclimatized the ear of many to new vocal techniques with reggae. He runs in the same vein as Fanton Mojah, whose bolder yet new vocal catalogue has spun vocal hits like "Hail Di King," "Hungry" and "Thanks and Praise." Turbulence a one time protégé of Sizzla Kalonji has also risen to become one of Rastafari's premiere acts and has pelted two successful singles with Dancehall diva Sasha.
Sizzla and Damian "Junior Gong" Marley have erupted unto the international scene. Damian Marley has with one single, single-handedly belted himself to a number 7 debut on the Billboard 200 charts creating reggae and dancehall history. The nation and now seemingly the world has been wooed by his old school dancehall chants and techniques. His record is unique in that, even though Dancehall has been doing a lot of retrospect, most of it has been in the more censored and "slack" realms. The Gong's album is reminiscent of late 80's and early 90's songs like those of Supercat, Ninja Man, Shabba and the early Bounty Killer. Lil Kim's "Put your lighters up"
is testament to Damian Marley's international and maybe even universal appeal. Sizzla has had Dancehall's unofficial and street aficionados buzzing with his signing to the Damon Dash owned DDMG label and his chart topper with Foxy Brown "Come Fly with me."
This article would be incomplete without mentioning the contributions of Richie Spice whose sound is without match, not only are his vocals compelling, he carries a humility that is without match in a country and music industry that can sometimes lead the most patient of persons to wrath. This artist tore apart the scene in 2004 after a sabbatical and re-releasing "Earth a Run Red" a telling chant that shows the signs of the times. To date he has had quite a lot of mellow and sombre hits, such as "Sunshine girl," "Ghetto girl," "Upside down," amongst many others.
These days the message of Rastafari is no longer restricted to the hills and ceremonies, but has evolved and like the natural mystic, it creeps into the street dances, those in the country and those in the city, it is in the CD player next door, the bars, the lounges, houses, the car that is beside you in traffic, the little music man selling cassettes and CDs on the street side, the ghetto, the suburbs, the vendors, it is on the lips of the people, in the minds of many, today the message of Rastafari is inescapable, inevitable, indomitable and invincible. It is a sound that will no longer be quelled or relegate and confined t select locales. It is ubiquitous and omni present. Ladies and gentlemen Reggae and Dancehall under the auspices of Rasta has taken over all frequencies.
By Yannick Nesta Pessoa
B.A. in Philosophy, UWI Mona.
© MMV Yannick Nesta Pessoa & Azteka Studios
No comments:
Post a Comment