Blessed

About

With the ‘90s came a wildly energetic wave of new dancehall kings and queens whose names spread far beyond Jamaica. His first album to get an international release, <i>Blessed</i> left no doubts in the world about what Beenie Man could do. Thanks to his multi-octave vocals and witty lyric, Beenie Man’s skill set was wide enough to extend from club-friendly fare like the steamy “Tear Off My Garment” to the jubilant “Man Moving,” one of several with a gentler vibe. Whichever direction he took, the results benefited from the deft production style of Patrick Roberts—whose work with Lady Saw and Lieutenant Stitchie is just as strong—and the faultless rhythmic foundation provided by the legendary rhythm section, Sly & Robbie. That duo’s presence was just one sign of Beenie Man’s deep roots in an earlier era of Jamaican riddim and sound. On <i>Blessed</i>’s more thoughtful track, Beenie Man explores the religious and political themes that had been a major part of reggae before losing prominence to ragga’s accelerated tempo. “Presidents and prime minister, none you can blame,” he attests on <i>Blessed</i>’s fiery-minded title track. “Two of dem a play inna rich man’s game.” “Freedom” combines a lament about the “Babylon system” with an irresistibly warm melody. .

via Apple Music

The Clerk says

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