Natty King moves from ‘Joe’ to ‘Rebellution’

The 'Man from the East', Natty King, is shrugging off the criticism he received when he released the dancehall single, Joe, and has returned with a message of reggae and Rastafari.

The singer is about to drop a "totally conscious" album, titled Rebellution, his first full-length project since Born to be Free, which was released in 2010. Rebellution, with all of 19 tracks, comes on January 7.

"Dem seh mi stop sing reggae because mi go sing bout Joe. Dem call me up and bun me out bad! Luciano, Warrior King, all of dem seh dem disappointed in me. Dem seh mi 'wheel mi [thing]' too much and Jah a go chop it off," a laughing Natty King told THE STAR.

He added, "But, the beating dat dem give me was a good one because all the selector dem go find mi old tune dem and start play dem. Me just look on it and shake mi head, because when I was sending some people the conscious tunes nobody was playing dem. Mi send dem Be Strong and dem seh dem want song with a buzz, so dem get Joe."

The Rastafarian singer, while deejaying the lyrics, ' A me di gal dem call Joe,' said he never lost his way, as many were saying. He said he was just having fun while completing the album which is potent with the militancy for which reggae is known. Featured artistes on the album are Luciano, Rebellion the Recaller from The Gambia; Mr Peppa and Prince Theo Nyeemiya.

"The songs examine the things that are happening at this time all around the world. Of course, COVID is one of the topics and the bombing in Afghanistan after the US pull-out is another. Rebel music is what we as artistes and musicians use to 'rebelute' against the oppression, but dem seh that kind of music not coming from Jamaica anymore, it's just computer riddims with a one-man-band. On this album there is the authentic sound of reggae with live musicians," said Natty King.

Tracks on Rebellution include Hail Rasta Fari, Jah is my Guide, Why Sacrifice, Me She Want and the title track.