Jahseed cant retreat, cant surrender

Jahseed

One of the hardest working artist, perfomer and reggae/dancehall dj , Jahseed from the South African music group Bongo Maffin has finally released a solo album titled , No retreat no surrender” in  late November 2010.

This 17 track album is perfomed in Jahseed’s (real name Adrian Anesu Mupemi) mother tounge which is Shona for almost 40% of the album.

“No retreat no surrender” is a pacy dancehall riddim and tune that has a self explanatory message.

 Jahseed  thanks and praise Jah for his life journey and achievements so far. He says in the tune, “ Icant give up, I cant go back”.  The middle of the tune goes to a brigde with a nice mix that incarnates and imortalises this tune as one of the best classic dancehall tunes from Azanialand. Herbert Mupinga blesses this tune with original dancehall delivered verse.

No retreat, no surrender - Jahseed

 

Jahseed was originally born in Zimbabwe but has been plying his trad in South Africa, Johannesburg. As he says in his words, ” A slice of GP is for I ” His Zimbabwe roots are evident in tracks like “Wepamoyo” that resonates with a Shona lyrics and sounds of the Mbira, a traditional and indegenous musical instrument.

The CD also boasts an impressive sleeve design and packaging with authentic and creative African design. This is a true origanal reggae music collector.

One of the tunes featured in this album, Ital stew has been doing rounds in Joburg clubs as well as /Soweto tv, SABC tv as well as Channel O. This tune has a club feel and vibe laced with a raggamaffin delivery that threads carefully between two genres of music. Featured artist in this track is Mncedisi A Dlangamandla. 

The track ” Jah is on their   side” introduces a heavy dub feel throughtout and at the end of the song. This is a unique and distinct since nowadays a lot of reggae from South Africa has lost this reggae musical component as a result of influences from hip-hop and other musical genres.

“Planted” is a message to the thieves, thugs and robber who has been locked away for robbing poor people hence the chorus,” now you got what you wanted. I am so glad that you are reaping what you planted”. The tune has a nice reggae roots sound complemented by synthesizers that sound like a violin melody. This track features an artist known as Game Bansi.

This is a truly African musical masterpiece with a variety of artists from Thandiswa Mazwai from the group  Bongo Maffin, who features on two tracks , “pfuma” and “hakuna ipwa“  These two track have a warm Bongo Maffin up-tempo beats delivered in style and fashion of the Kalawa Jazzmee beats. This tune is truly Bongo Maffin only minus Stoan. This influence was brought in by the production input of Bruce Dope Sebitlo who has vast experience from Kalawa jazzmee records.

Other featured artists  include Herbert Mupinga , Zonke Dikana on the tune  ”sound of sorrow.” I am tempted to say trax no 13 with Zonke is one of the best collaboration in this album after the one with Thandiswa Mazwai Zonke takes herself on to the maximum with the melodies she adds to this duet. She also sound professional and global.

Another dancehall no 1 track is “ times so hard” . It has a dancehall authentic feel but is still original African sound . “A who dem” , anada fire dancehall anthem burn a hotta fire pon politicians who continue to oppress and downpress  as well as corrupt the people in many ways . With Sipho Sitholes ’ constant delivery that echoes like the old Jamaican Supercat m ge adds the right flavor to the tune.

Jahseed has a career spanning more than a decade in music in music perfoming alongside group members Stoan, Speedy and Thandiswa Mazwai. He has been a dj for yfm show Raggatak as well as a selector for the African storm Soundstystem alongside Admiral Kasrils. They have been rocking Joburg venues like Horror Cafe, Thando, Carwash and everywhere else.’

When Sizzla Kalonji, the world wide aclaimed Jamaican international dj and singer visited Zimbabwe and passed a glance in Joburg here in South African, Jahseed and the African Storm soundsystem were pon de controls.

As a true raggamuffin and defender of reggae music Jahseed has thrown in a considerable number of reggae tunes that reflect strongly on the veterans’ farmiliarity with the genre. Tunes like, Champion Bubler, the title track, No retreat no surrender” , “how come“, “a who dem” and “Jah on their side”

The best of 2000- 2010 South African local reggae album classics

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Jahseed, the champion bubler, dj veteran, singer, musician, artists and all the titles you can mention has dropped a wicked album titled, “No retreat no surrender” in 2010. This album cements Jahseed’s roots as on of the best African artists to come out of the continent. Born in Zimbabwe and based in South African, Jahseed is popular from the world aclaimed South African music trio Called Bongo Maffin which is made up of Jahseed, Stoan and Thandiswa Mazwai.

Ilanga - Nathi B

Nathi B, originally from Eastern Cape(Emonti & Xesi) produced what is probably the best isiXhosa reggae album in the decae if not in 30 years of South African reggae music. Laced perfectly with a collabo or combination with a fire Sister , Thantaswa Nomatshobongwana. Together, they fit like hand and glove.

Tunes like the title track, Ilanga, Hashe lam, izithembiso njalo. When he steps up on stage, he oozes energy displayed equally by international reggae stars like Beenie Man, Capleton, Sizzla and the whole medley.

As we look at the passage of the decade and forge foward with a new sound that is distinctively South African, original and authentic local reggae sound. Nathi B brings back just that without a doubt and apology. This album is a true collectors item and poses a challenge for Nathi B in his second album if it would be possible to equal this climax and musical supremacy.