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Rating: Reggae - Boring, slow, and endlessly repetitive music. It is made by black people, mainly those from Jamaica, usually the Rastaman. Rastaman - It's a prototype of a human being who spends his entire day smoking plants (as long as they're not tobacco), preaching peace, love, brotherhood. In short, all friends-friends-friends. By evening, he no longer understands anything, his brain is so (un)melted that it goes off on a tangent, often risking confusing a dictator for a god, and a mass of mucus mixed with hair, for hair (more mucus anyway).
Okay, some of these things are true. But it's also true that Capleton, perhaps the most famous representative of the genre, can be seen at concerts dressed in the uniform of the Ethiopian dictator Haile Selassie (the same as before, ed.), sitting on his flaming red throne, while four guys (more like slaves than sound technicians) cart him around the stage. And that's funny. It's a bit less funny that in July 2004 a team of twelve armed Rastafarian black men organized a sort of punitive expedition, entering a building with banners in favor of gender equality hanging from the windows. Result: two demonstrators in the hospital, and a sensational lawsuit against a certain Buju Banton, one of the most famous voices on the international reggae scene. It seems, therefore, that the new Rasta current is no longer intending to follow the commandments of the great Roberto Marley. So onward with racism, and especially lots and lots of homophobia. Not so friendly then. Fortunately, there are also positive exceptions.
A young white man, without mucus on his head (but also without hair for that matter), a German to boot (?!?!), decides to make Reggae, and he even succeeds. Brilliantly, I would say. His name is Gentleman, the anomaly. It's surprising that he's white, not only because he goes against the stereotype but also because he has (incredibly) the voice of a black man. I won't talk much about the musical aspect because, in reality, the CD in question consists of everything one can expect from the genre. Scanning a bit through "Journey to Jah", a bit of innovation is found in its being balanced between Reggae Roots (the one by Roberto, so to speak) and the new Reggae Muffin, "harder" if you will, syncopated, occasionally close to Hip Hop. But above all, it's his enormous ease in shaping pleasant melodies, enjoyable, even if (always and in any case) typical of Reggae, that is surprising. In fact, out of fifteen tracks, there are at least ten potential singles, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that if at the time (2001) Reggae had been as trendy as Hip Hop is now, Gentleman would have at least ended up at the Festivalbar. Not that this does justice to an artist, mind you. I bring up the Non-senseivalbar to underscore his incredible ability to create immediate music (after all, we're not talking about Metal), that easily imprints itself on your mind and could therefore allow him to appeal to the large masses with dormant ears. "Man of My Own" is touching, and counts on the participation of the illustrious Reggae family, the Morgan Heritage, equipped, in my opinion, with one of the best voices on the scene. "Runaway" does nothing but make you jump, from the first to the last second, just like "Leave Us Alone", the most Dancehall of the lot.
However, the gold medal goes to "Empressed," a love song, endowed with a chorus that I think I've hummed even in dreams. But the immediacy of Gentleman is a double-edged sword. Based on the premise that you can get tired of everything (even masterpieces, why not?), I have always believed that good music, especially that which requires a certain amount of time to assimilate, to understand, is the kind that, once it gets in, is hard to get out. In the "junkies' jargon" (always to stay on theme), the longer it takes to hit you, the more it stays in your blood. This is what Gentleman lacks: people get tired of him a bit too soon.
Conclusion: if you (first) hate Reggae, (second) are looking for technique, preparation, complexity, stay far away: this album is a slap in the face to Dream Theatre and their conservatory, just to be clear. However, if you think that what matters in music is to convey emotions, even if it means simplicity, make it yours immediately.
This, Gentleman knows how to do.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Runaway (03:41)
Why are you so ungrateful
You nuh see that Jah give we life after all
Check yourself before you wreck yourself
Me see that Jah Jah give we life after all
Still none a dem nuh give no thanks at all
Dem think dem a rise me see dem a fall
fall dem a fall - fall dem a fall
Chorus:
How long you want to go run away
Run away from yourself you nuh see that truth ago reveal
and every day you got to pray - well that you fi go do
and make your life one a the real
How you fi expect love and you still a glorifie the gun
How you want clarity if acoke you nuh stop bun
Your dirty lifestyle nuh give you no way to turn
you still nuh realize that you wrong
After you come out of your church you beat your babymother down
and then you tell her you're sorry but your head did full a rum
she couldn't tek your excuse and your flattering tongue
that's why she left you today and still a ask
Chorus:
How long you want to go run away
Run away from yourself you nuh see that truth ago reveal
and every day you got to pray - well that you fi go do
and make your life one a the real
Dem say dem a the dolphin but me see dem a the shark
dem stand ina the spotlight and live in the dark
claim say dem grounded but me see dem a skylark
so to me dem can't talk
In this time and this ages man hafi be smart
think before you talk and watch the road wha' you a walk
from you look ina your conscience you can't miss the mark
And make a joyful sound unto the Lord
Chorus:
How long you want to go run away
Run away from yourself you nuh see that truth ago reveal
and every day you got to pray - well that you fi go do
and make your life one a the real
Nuff a dem me see dem can teach
Dem hufi go back a school so a no me dem can teach
A fi dem dirty talk dem call it freedom of speech
Me wonder who dem try reach
Righteousness uno fi go check it
Golong and do some good ina Your life wickedness uno fileft it
cleanheart always will make it
and from you see a chance ina your life
you better take it nuh reject it
08 Leave Us Alone (03:27)
Some bwoy must be sick ina dem head
Burn down bridges and build walls instead
And a pier badness dem spread
But me know that one day pon Babylon it ago dread
''Chorus:''
Leave us alone
Everything we build up see dem want trample down
Da one without a sin hafi cast the first stone
dem can't do it at all-no-dem ina dread man zone
Da one ya name another riot
Babylon - we spot dem up pon dem slim fast diet
Dem want kill we tune dem want we quit
But we ago slue dem dis time like David slue Goliath
Dem take the maximum and then give we the minor
And Babylon have dis ya world upon a timer
Fi all these guns and all these wars dem a the designer
we brok Berlin down now we brok China
''Chorus''
Fi go diss Jah righteous youths you make a mistake
Now the mark is upon you: you just can't escape
And you seeking now and when and where to my grade
But Jah is wathching you above the high grate
None a your daughters nor your nees could ever be my date
Ina your conference ina your fear you uuh see my face
Can't make no leggo beast come tek my place
You nuh go see me ina no disgrace
''Chorus''
You a do your thing and me a do mine
I a chant and sing you a do crime
chanting pages of reality you a do ryme
you spread me name over the internet but to me that is fine
But still dem can't stop Jah youths from shine
Jah Jah light it shine so bright it can be seen by the blind
We plant the seed and watch it get nutered by time
And put some love ina hearts of mankind
''Chorus''
12 Empress (04:10)
Behold! It is written that a man should leave his mother and cling to the woman him love
''Chorus:''
Give thanks fi dis ya empress ina me life, oh Jah.
She loves ma and she make I satisfie, oh Jah!
To love her I will make a sacrifice, oh Jah!
To keep her in my life
''(Repeat)''
She nuh stiffnecked and listen to me
She seek only truth and reality
and when she come ina me yard it is a blessing to me
and conversation intelligently
She a the water to my root and she can't dilute
She go bear me fruit and there is no dispute7
The jungle my heart she know the route
As night turn to day no substitute
''Chorus''
'Cause you don't see me nuh mean I don't care
'Cause I can not touch you nuh mean I'm not there
Allthough we are appart feelings we share
I'm a man on a mission please be aware
The road it might be ruff but woman don't be afraid
The Journey might be long but don't loose your faith
I'm oceans away but we communicate
And soon I will be home and we gonna have a date
''Chorus''
Love how she kiss how she cares
the passionate way how she put me to the test
when it come to loving dis ya empress a the best
I don't need no witness I confess
every night I pray that she'll never leave me lonely
Always pon the road and me know that it nuh easy
express to her that she a m yone and only
Future will be bright. mother of my baby
''Chorus''
14 Jah Ina Yuh Life (03:47)
Chorus:
From you have Jah Jah in yuh life everything nice/
Behold dis my brother you don´t have to think twice/
Jah ina yuh life everything is bright/ Everything is beautiful and everything is light /
(Repeat)
Some a dem laws is only here to confuse you/
and some a dem class is only here to amuse you/
You got Jah in yuh life and Jah Jah choose you/
Nuh make no evil people come and abuse you/
Bob Marley dun tell the world nuh make dem school you/
Find a way out fi yourself nuh make dem fool you/
in dis ya land of Babylon nuh make dem rule you/
Bun the fire Mr. Man nuh make dem cool You/
Chorus:
From you have Jah Jah in yuh life everything nice/
Behold dis my brother you don´t have to think twice/
Jah ina yuh life everything is bright/ Everything is beautiful and everything is light /
(Repeat)
Light up a spliff and hole higher meditation/
Pon the hills me deh and look down poh creation/
And see what Babylon a do the nation/
Still me ago find a way fi resist dem temptations/
Poor people come make we chant some redemption/
Let us talk about some things waht dem nuh mention/
´Cause dem nuh remember Jah at all in dem invention/
So we know that to destroy is dem intention/
Chorus:
From you have Jah Jah in yuh life everything nice/
Behold dis my brother you don´t have to think twice/
Jah ina yuh life everything is bright/ Everything is beautiful and everything is light /
(Repeat)
Is like we dun check dem levels and we dun check dem class/
Nuff a dem see dem a snake under grass/
Wolf ina sheep clothing remove the mask/
Nuff a dem bride from the boss/
But I will believing what is right and I will stand for the cause/
You think me forget how Christ died on the cross/
Still nuh reminisce and nuh dwell ina the past/
And righteousness me bring cross/
Chorus:
From you have Jah Jah in yuh life everything nice/
Behold dis my brother you don´t have to think twice/
Jah ina yuh life everything is bright/ Everything is beautiful and everything is light /
(Repeat)
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