Roots Archives Forum

I'm so happy people took their time to recommend albums for me, trust me I'm really about to download/buy every album that was recommended.

I listened to Hugh Mundell's Africa Must Be Free and I love it. Can't believe the poor guy was just 16 when he wrote the album and 21 when he was killed.

By the way, I read he was killed with Junior Reid in the car so I want to know if reggae lovers are like hip hop heads and point fingers at artistes for "selling out." Because Junior Reid now works in NYC with all kind of rappers who lack basic creativity needed to rhyme soon with moon.

As a hip hop head I tend to focus on lyrics and Hugh Mundell's rhymes were simple and yet very creative. I also love the message in his song, was that boy studying philosophy at 16?

I also d'led Kool Roots by Earth and Stone, the songs are pretty short and some of them get cut off before they end, e.g Three Wise Men.

Most of the numbers on Kool Roots are above 3 minutes(which is quite normal for 70'Roots), except Three Wise Man (2:58 minutes) and In Time To Come (2:27). And on the CD (Pressure Sounds label) songs are not cut off before they end. Probably wrong download?

Gregory Isaacs - Extra Classic, Willow Tree, Night Nurse

Black Uhuru - Sinsemilla, Red, Anthem, Now

Don Carlos - Time is the Master, Just a Passing Glance, Seven Days a Week

Heres some nice UK-roots...
Not only Jamaica delivers dem sweet reggae-vibez.


[cover=12,8]Aswad also has a anthology on a 2CD-set. Check it out!

[cover=372,432]A must! Includes a extended 12mix of "Bloodsuckers"!

[cover=157,164]Haha! One of my favourites! A classic, the recent CD-release includes their Ska-EP "Bread & water"...

[cover=158,165]Another wicked Capital Letters album.

[cover=2253,2607]No comments needed... Buy it!

Not all contemporary reggae is trash, btw. I wouldn't want to divert too much of your attention away from 70s roots gems, but I have stumbled across quite a few great tracks released in recent years and these may be more palatable when introducing other hip-hop heads to reggae.

A few tracks worth downloading with outstanding riddims:

Luciano - 'Stay Away'
Buju Banton - 'Driver A'
Damien "Jr Gong" Marley - 'Welcome to Jamrock'
Ray Darwin - 'People's Choice'
Horace Andy - 'Livin' it up'

Hope I don't upset anyone by posting this!

Blessings.

Didn't see anyone mention Gregory Isaacs.

One of the biggest artists.

Check "Cool Ruler" and "Soon Forward" ...top lps

Don't know if anyone mentioned Bertram Brown's Freedom Sounds label (not much here on RA that I can find)but there are a few real classic Roots records on that label from the late 70's. Mostly Soul Syndicate backing and vocal (and extended dubs in some cases)recorded at King Tubby's.
Good examples:

Only Jah Can Ease the Pressure - Earl Zero (Freedom Sounds)
Come Ethiopians - Phillip Frazer - (Freedom Sounds)
Only Love Can Conquer - Prince Alla - mostly Freedom Sounds 45 productions reissued by Blood and Fire
Freedom Sounds in Dub - (Tubby's dubs of some of the finest roots music you'll ever hear) actually on Blood and Fire

Not a huge output on this label, but what I know is just wonderful sufferah, roots music.

Thanks everyone especially Dubs West who took it on himself to send me massive music. Really appreciate man.I'll be listening to music all through this weekend,on my ipod, burn them unto Cd's and on my PC too.

i feel a little bad that everytime i check the board i end up mentioning mikey dread... but african anthem has many jingles and samples that were used by biz markie, beastie boys, and eric b and rakim (to name a few), so it's worth a (another) listen.

personally, and for what it's worth, i would seek out the toasters and chatters like u roy, trinity, big youth, clint eastwood. reggae dj culture predates rap, but is similar in how it evolved. beyond that, it's a great way to get interested in rocksteady and the excellent vocalists in early reggae (like alton ellis, RIP). studying the toasters may be an easy transition into the larger world of roots reggae for you.

it's funny to me... u roy did with phyllis dillon what method did with mary j 40 years prior.

hip hop also owes a lot to jamaican heritage (marley marl and busta rhymes come to mind).

ranking dread - lots of loving

sugar minott - rare gems

half pint - half pint

joseph cotton - dancehall days