Emerging during the latter half of the '90s, the enormously prolific Sizzla was one of the leaders of the conscious dancehall movement. Along with Buju Banton and Capleton, he helped lead dancehall back to the musical and spiritual influence of roots reggae, favoring organic productions and heavily Rastafarian subject matter. A member of the militant Bobo Ashanti sect, he sometimes courted controversy with his strict adherence to their views, particularly his aggressive condemnations of homosexuals and white Western oppressors. Yet overall, his music was generally positive, advocating faith, compassion for poor black youth, and respect for women. He remained something of an enigma to the public at large, rarely granting interviews and keeping his concert appearances to a minimum. Nonetheless, he still ranked as arguably the most popular conscious reggae artist of his time, thanks to a normally high standard of quality control -- all the more impressive given the frequency with which he recorded. A versatile singjay-style vocalist with a gruff, gravelly tone, he was capable of both rapid-fire chatting and powerful, melodic singing, and his best backing riddims were among the strongest in contemporary dancehall.
Friday, June 15, 2007
SIZZLA - This Generation's Bob Marley
Emerging during the latter half of the '90s, the enormously prolific Sizzla was one of the leaders of the conscious dancehall movement. Along with Buju Banton and Capleton, he helped lead dancehall back to the musical and spiritual influence of roots reggae, favoring organic productions and heavily Rastafarian subject matter. A member of the militant Bobo Ashanti sect, he sometimes courted controversy with his strict adherence to their views, particularly his aggressive condemnations of homosexuals and white Western oppressors. Yet overall, his music was generally positive, advocating faith, compassion for poor black youth, and respect for women. He remained something of an enigma to the public at large, rarely granting interviews and keeping his concert appearances to a minimum. Nonetheless, he still ranked as arguably the most popular conscious reggae artist of his time, thanks to a normally high standard of quality control -- all the more impressive given the frequency with which he recorded. A versatile singjay-style vocalist with a gruff, gravelly tone, he was capable of both rapid-fire chatting and powerful, melodic singing, and his best backing riddims were among the strongest in contemporary dancehall.
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3 comments:
I see you continue to endorse religious belief system bigots.
The Jamaican stance on gays is not the product of bigotry in it's most common use (prejidice). It's simply love for your community by being against something that is causing a lot of harm to it and killing it. You don't even have to battle this on religious terms. It's simple logic. As Biologist would say, "The most basic purpose of life is to reproduce." Gays are stopping us from reproducing (necessary for survival) and spreading AIDS at ridiculous disproportionate rates, which is killing us and also affecting reproduction. It's not natural (and that's not debatable). The Jamaicans being against gays is not bigotry, it's love, it's survival. Next thing you know, Blacks are going to be on the rage of extinction due to homosexuality and Black men being enslaved in prison. I salute you Jamaica in your stance of staying strong in every since of the word.
how can he be this generation's bob marley if he is against gays...one love one heart....bob marley was about peace and love and this guy isnt anything like him
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