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04/10/2017
Article
PICK OF THE MONTH

There may be several things to admire about Rastafarian theology, but its internal coherence is not really one of them. It’s a non-creedal religion with no real organizational structure, and its conceptual framework is (to be charitable) thin. So reggae fans who have listened to Rasta philosophizing at some length may be forgiven for reacting with shock to the latest album from Jah9, a reggae artist who has emerged in recent years as possibly the foremost exponent of the roots-and-culture school. It opens with a song on which she sings about the various ways in which she finds herself being humbled by the mighty acts of Jah; she then proceeds to define being “hardcore” in terms of spiritual insight (and as a gift only available from God); she then struggles with her desire to wreak destruction on the teacher who molested her nephew. How does she feel about love and romance? Well, that’s interesting: on what starts out sounding like the album’s only love song, it turns out that the guy to whom she’s attracted and willing to give herself mainly appeals to her because he’s a source of historical knowledge. Snap. The album’s final song is titled “Greatest Threat to the Status Quo.” Want to guess what that is? It’s a “spiritual woman.” By that point you’ll agree with her. Oh, and every single track absolutely slams. Highly recommended to all libraries.