Sizzla

Yo...this Sizzla album is one of my personal fav. reggae albums. All of the songs are awesome, and you can definitely listen to them straight through w/o skipping any. Excellent listening for whatever mood.

By far one of the Kalonji's best albums (along with Black Woman & Child, Praise Ye Jah) and one of the best dancehall reggae albums. Hopefully Sizzla will give us more music like this in the future. Give Thanks.

I like Sizzla but this album only had about 4 or 5 good tracks. I find him at his best when he uses his "dancehall" voice. Its more gritty. When he sings its ok for some songs but not for majority. With that I still consider him one of the best artist out there.

Dizzzzzzzzzzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmm! Kalonji musta fallen in love or something. He puts his foot in this one!! Dude is singing all passionately and what-not, got these wicked love songs, an homage to mama, still singing Jah's praises, it just don't stop. The reggae is flowing like mad. Coke ain't got nothin' on Sizzla 'cuz this surely is the real thing!!

I'm not sure what I expected, but I found this CD to be a huge disappointment. Sizzla is an acquired taste, and I haven't acquired the taste buds yet.

I'll make it short and quick, since detailed reviews are already here; Black Woman and Child has some blazing tracks on it. I highly recommend this album to any reggae fan.

My favorite tracks include: Give Them the Ride, Love is Divine, Make it Secure, Hard Ground, and Oh What a Joy.

Creative, diverse, genuine. Directly from the fields and ghettos-grassroots consciousness, ladies and gentlemen. Sizzla really showcases his voice over rhythmic bongos in "Make It Secure," and Capleton weighs in for the album's sickest track, "Babylon a Use Dem Brain."

This has to be sizzla's best album. This truely shows his raw talent and why he is known world wide. Amazon has great prices on it also.

I found all of his lyrics over at Sizzla.org

People say too much when talking about this album, and at the same time they dont say enough. So let me say it for them. This is hands down one of the greatest albums ever. On a mainstream level, he wont even get a mention. But "we" know. VP is crap and they shouldnt have added the extra two songs, because they pale in comparison to the rest of the album. Speaking of the original 15 tracks, every single one of them lyrically, style wise, and from a production standpoint are perfect. "Fans" always want to compare his later albums to this one, they should stop. Every album has a different vibes. What they need to do is compare this album with some of Mr. Marley's work, and Til Shiloh, and My Experience, and to be real it should be compared to "great" albums by The Beatles, Elvis, Biggie, Eminem, Tupac, Madonna, Johnny Cash, etc. People need to stop comparing Sizzla to Sizzla, and get him the respect he deserves. He drops an amazing album consistently but garners nothing but criticism for putting out a "slack" tune. When youre "with" your girl, or man, tell me how slack Sizzla is. Once again let me close by saying this is one of the greatest albums in music.

This is one of Sizzla's best albums to date. After arriving on the scene with his classic Praise Ye Jah (1997) the young Sizzla made another classic album released the same year with Black Woman & Child. Along with his Bobo bredren Capleton, Sizzla has been accumulating a huge fan base, and also like Capleton he has been the source of some cofusion as to what Rastafari and more specifically Bobo Ashanti is all about. Unlike Capleton though, Sizzla grew up in the Bobo camp and didn't convert to it later in life. Despite all of the controversy and chanting of "Black Supremacy" you have to overstand that Sizzla is significant in his contributions, while people are not always agreeing with everything he says, he certainly brings attention to the problems of injustice, etc. Unfortunately, Sizzla released album after album and they tended to increase in their slackness and not bring positive messages. But that is in the future, this album is back in the beginning. There are lots of blazin' tracks here... some of my favorites are Give Them The Ride, Make It Secure, Hard Ground, One Away (which shares the riddim with Capleton's Raggy Road), and Babylon A Use Dem Brain featuring Capleton (also on Capleton's I-Testament). As can be seen from the album's title, Sizzla shows love and respect to Black women in songs such as Blackwoman & Child and Princess Black. Other songs like Do Good Everytime big up the youths. Plenty of other good tunes here too... all of the songs on this album are good, making this one of the best efforts in modern Rasta reggae. This album helped Sizzla "Kalonji, The Priest" get many fans, myself being one of them. This album also becomes the yard stick to which all his later works would have to measured up to... few met up to the standards. Selassie I!

i love this one it is very cultural and understanding and much respect to all the women out there who have been mistreated it will up lift them and it sings about things that are happening all over the world reality lyrics it is great i love it

I-Space, along with the other Sizzla CD released this year, Children of Jah are both very good. I personally enjoy his roots reggae side more than this r&b side, or his unintelligible ranting at points. The thing is that he seems to be slowly maturing as an artist, but still the quality of his CDs seem to ebb and flow. Anyway this is a high point. Low points include horrible CDs such as "Rise to the Occasion" and "Jah Knows Best". I can say this with confidence, because I am a huge fan, and own almost his entire discography. The problem is that searching for his best material is like searching for brilliant gems amongst the trash heap. I think he is a creative genius when he wants to be. The rastafarian ideology in my opinion is total crap based on ridiculous fantasy, but its the music here that matters. I have 3 pieces of advise for Sizzla..

1. Someone please tell him to avoid singing in falsetto. He sounds like a small girl when he does this and it gets really annoying. Stop it!

2. He seems to have run out of words that rhyme with "his majesty". Enough religious cliches already. Jeez!

3. Some groups have accused him of homophobia. I personally have not encountered this in his lyrics, and it is definately better that way.

Ok, so I'm not as prolific as collecting Sizzla's album as he is at making them. But with a dozen or so and counting I consider myself a real fan of the authentic roots Sizzla. In one word, I-Space is SOLID. It easily ranks into my top five Sizzla albums, loaded with lots of nice rootsy ballads. On a album nicely balanced with SOLID tracks "Really and Truly", "Make Me Yours", "Chant Dem Down" stand out as some of the more potent. For all the real roots Sizzla fan, this is definitely one for your collection! Great job Miguel!

A return to roots. A mix between Waterhouse and Da Real Thing. This album is a good reply to all the critics saying Sizzla is just slack now (which doesn't even make sense anyways coz Overstanding didn't even have one slack tune). Best songs to me are "Make me Yours" and "Stop All the violence" and the closing track "Put the People Interest First." This is probably in my top 5 Sizzla...for most artists, their 5th best album would be considered a bad album but when you got 40+ albums, being in the top 5 is saying a lot....

Also, to the person that wrote the above, Really really long review...Please tell me how I can buy Blaze Fire Blaze!!! I've never found a copy! My email is jsousa@clarku.edu!

Releasing just two albums in the first half of any given year its still considered ultra busy for most artists (particularly when the artist just released one of the most commercially successful albums of their career the previous October) these days. Imagine having a responsibility to promote both albums, to tour for both, to do interviews for both and even before that; having to actually MAKE both albums. Things are different in reggae music however, and especially on the roots side. With artists such as Luciano, Turbulence, Anthony B, Jah Mason and now seemingly Lutan Fyah and Natural Black adding themselves to that mix releasing multiple albums per year with absolutely no problem and still managing to tour several times per year and record year round as well, roots reggae music is a genre of music so hungry for vibes that it seemingly demands more from its greatest champions than any other musical genre. And arguably the greatest champion of them all is not only not immune to such demands, he is in fact the undisputed leader of them. Should I take a count on how many albums he has done in the 12 years since he made his first (the now ultra hard to find, and wonderfully solid Burning Up, both covers!) , the number would hover right around (but probably over) a stacked forty eight studio albums, not to count the various greatest hits, region specifics, anthologies and mixtapes, putting his average right at around 4 or so a year (and there was a year or so in there where he had no releases as well). Sizzla's fans ostensibly have no problem pushing the money for his albums, tours and various other forms of media to which the August Town native comes to them during a given year. Should you follow through with each release and every time he comes near your town, you could probably expect to have a `Sizzla budget' of around $100US each year just to keep current! To himself he has always maintained that what happens on the release side is of virtually no concern to him and his ridiculous recording schedule has only remained so high, in an attempt to keep up with the overwhelming demands from his fans of needing something new at ALL times. Of course, Sizzla at times suffers from over-exposure and over-saturation of the market as the term `new Sizzla album' begins to become blurrier and blurrier given the fact that he often releases albums just one or two months away from each other (widely believed to be his two greatest creations to date, Black Woman & Child and Praise Ye Jah were released in 1997, just 36 days apart); `new Sizzla album' can mean any two or three albums at any time of the year.

So what is the reason such cost uncaring fans can rather zombie-like head to retailers, money in hand to pick up the latest Sizzla release(s) (myself firmly included!). In our generation, in all of music, one could rather easily make the case that no musical artist, no writer, no poet or any other wordsmith has created such wonderful pieces as Sizzla Kalonji. When he is at his best (which is a case of apparently however he feels at any given point, or the riddim on which he voices) reggae music itself, blessed with a rich history of well sharpened pens and even sharper wits has seen few as sharp as Sizzla's. The legendary Ninjaman once boasted (and probably still does) that one could wake him out of his deep slumber and he could DJ on any stage for any group of people from just the top of his head, the same could be said for Sizzla when it comes to roots music which often appears to come too easy to him (check the Black History album, and the studio half of the Words of Truth project). The result of this has drawn heavy criticism as the lyrically gifted Bobo has delved and continues to, into the dancehall side of things which includes quite often recording slack and violent tracks, and even to the point of making albums in that vibe (check the ridiculously hard to find Blaze Fire Blaze album) (and I do mean RIDICULOUSLY, Wha Dat? Records apparently was created for no other purpose than to release that album, as they have promptly proceeded to vanish from the face of the earth since). This `experimental' vibe culminated in 2003 with the release of the downright ODD Rise to the Occasion (which has since been called both rubbish and brilliant by critics). His shot at the mainstream was also quite unusual, in the form of 2006's The Overstanding as well as albums such as Soul Deep, Ain't Gonna See Us Fall, Brighter Day and Up in Fire, which all seemed somewhat stuck between the dancehall and roots, reflecting the perception of the artist himself. However, mixed in between such pieces, the most stalwart (and stubborn) of fans were treated to such undeniable gems as the MASSIVE Da Real Ting and its LIVE version, Bobo Ashanti, Royal Son of Ethiopia and just last year's bar of gold, Waterhouse Redemption. Greensleeves Records has always been a staunch supporter (and beneficiary) of Sizzla's talents as they have virtually changed the game of releasing albums for artists, releasing a Sizzla album every year since 1999 (with the brilliant Royal Son of Ethiopia beginning it all)! Perhaps only Elephant Man who had a three year continuous release streak with the label before reaching a major has had such a success with the label (were he not to have made it to a mainstream, he would seemingly be still releasing for Greensleeves who all but cleared their schedule for each Ele release) which was notorious for its horrible artist relations; having had several signed artists (neither Sizzla, nor Elephant Man have had official contracts with the label for their releases) such as Predator and Kid Kurrupt go without a release at all for years and other ones still, such as Vybz Kartel, Macka Diamond and Fantan Mojah grow impatient with the label, and in the case of former signed artists, Ward 21, just leave altogether, with Greensleeves seemingly more intent on releasing their riddim album series. However, the label has seemingly had a change for the better, and in the last year, was purchased by Zest Music.

The two questions which always precede a Sizzla release are: Who Produced it? And is it dancehall or slackness? This question is perhaps amplified on a Greensleeves release given the motley group of previous releases, however, just like last year, if you seek the good natured and roots imperial sound on which Sizzla made his name, expect to be supremely satisfied. While last year's Waterhouse Redemption was a wonderful throwback roots piece produced by the legendary Waterhouse resident, King Jammy. This year's nicely titled, I-Space, comes not so shockingly produced by album producer of the moment, Byron Murray and this one is for all those who aren't too high or don't know exactly what to think about Sizzla in the dancehall style. YOU NEED TO CHECK I-SPACE! Murray has been releasing albums for the likes of just about everyone in the roots side of reggae (and managing to stay current with the dancehall riddims as well). Just in the last year or so, Murray has produced albums full of materials for the likes of Norris man (Home & Away), Jah Mason (Wheat & Tears) Turbulence (Stronger Than Before), Lutan Fyah (You Bring Blessings) and the legendary Messenjah Luciano (Child of a King) (with apparently Natural Black still to come in August with his , it was seemingly only a matter of time for him to strike with an album for Sizzla Kalonji (now it wouldn't be too bad should he have a hand in producing the next Capleton album, that is of course, unless Calibud doesn't produce the entire thing on his own) and I-Space doesn't disappoint at all. It doesn't reach the stratosphere as such pieces as the great Black Woman & Child (my personal favorite), Praise Ye Jah or Royal Son of Ethiopia, but it fits firmly that next group of pieces such as Da Real Ting (of course some make the argument that Da Real Thing does fit into that first group, which is an argument that could be made successfully ) and Freedom Cry and Bobo Ashanti. I-Space is modern roots mastery at nearly the highest of levels.

Pushing his tenth Greensleeves album to date (Black Woman & Child was originally a Greensleeves release just 3 months shy of ten years ago) Sizzla offers I-Space, an album full of gems, some of which ascending to the heights of being able to probably fit on the BW&C album (although the brilliance that was that incorporated a sickly high level of vibes, lyrics as well as MELODIES) and not bring that album down at all. Particularly shining here are the three greatest pieces which could only help any Sizzla album ever released and ever to be released. Check the previously released brilliant Chant Dem Down. Chant Dem Down was (a rather nice local hit) a track that appeared on Greensleeves One-Drop Anthem album last year and was one of the better tracks on that forty track monster. Flowing nicely over Murray's excellent Street-Swing riddim, the track Sizzla engages in a rather odd style of flow which almost distracts from the message of the song. Take away the unusual voicing style (which seems lost somewhere between his standard chanting style and that high falsetto he pulls out when needed) and just listen to the lyrics and you have a tune in Chant Dem Down which is good enough to be one of the very best roots releases by ANYONE over the past few years, and just through my cursory initial glance over the track listing, I had it marked as possibly the biggest track here, and should you want to call it that after listening to the entire piece, I won't argue against that at all. Then you check the wonderfully vibrant Long Live the King of Kings over Murray`s older, yet still powerful re-lick of the I Shall Be Released riddim. Pushing what is easily the greatest message on the entire album, Sizzla chants a song to His Imperial Majesty so powerful that it alone, would be worth the price of admissions for I-Space. As the first verse of the tune opens, he so simply states it, `All praise to HIS Majesty, give thanks for HIS love and HIS honesty'. Long Live the King of Kings is a track which could fit into any era of roots music certainly and let the critics tell it; this is a Sizzla that is long gone, let me tell it; and this is a Sizzla who could appear at any time he so wants it to. The biggest tune here finds the arguably greatest champion of this era showing honor to the greatest champion of all-time. I-Space opens with the peak setting Really & Truly which again finds Sizzla chanting over a riddim originated by Nesta himself. Earlier this year saw the release of the nice track Blaze the Fire by Sizzla which flowed over the `Old Pirates' riddim (which would have fit excellently here as well), the riddim was a re-lick by Gaddafi of Marley's `Redemption Song riddim'. Really & Truly finds Kalonji going over probably the riddim to my favorite Marley song ever, Natural Mystic. The message of the song is another powerful praising track, and Sizzla (combined with some excellent background singers) create excellent MELODIES on the Fatta & Bulby York re-lick. My favorite artist over the backing riddim for one of my favorite songs of all time, yeah I'm partial, but really, how could it go wrong! Really & Truly has proven to be a large local hit and is a MASSIVE track.

The balance of I-Space is still top notch material and finds him going on a STRICTLY ROOTICAL vibes. Check Jah Protect My Life very powerful track over one of Murray's stronger riddims (which is saying a lot, his stable of roots tracks are amongst the most powerful in all of current modern roots) the Devil's Pickney riddim. I'm loving now the two tracks near the middle of the album which find Murray refashioning some older vibes for Kalonji. Check both Show Some Love and the lovely Talk About, both two of the stronger tracks on the album which change up the vibes just a little bit, but don't change them to the point where you're left wondering exactly what happened, but just enough to give I-Space a nice balance (think Princess Black from Black Woman & Child style changeup). Sizzla has his run of pretty much all the nice In the Streetz riddims as well, check the very nice Stop the Violence over the Mo Bay riddim, very very minimalist production (which is generally Murray's style); Make Me Yours flows very nice over the Girls Like Dirt riddim originally a Coxsone Dodd piece I believe (Murray did an excellent new school impersonation of Studio One however, if its not), and Make Me Yours is probably the most powerful lover's track on the album. Have to mention the very powerful Be Careful with the nice warning to all to live righteously and (that nice nyah drum opening!) just an all around powerful vibes. LOVE the drumming on the foundation track Nothing But Love! The album ends with the nice acoustic set Put the People Interest First which ends rather poignantly with Sizzla rather matter of factly saying, `Who Jah Bless, no man curse': An excellent way to end one the midway choices for album of the year (which at this point, in my opinion is a three way `battle' between I-Space, Ras Shiloh's Coming Home and Tony Rebel's MASSIVE I-Rebel).

Overall, although he has gone six months with just two albums (more like one and a half because the mess that was Penitentiary's Children of Jah) apparently nothing is wrong with Kalonji s I-Space finds him in just about as good as condition as one could hope. I'm super saturated on this one in bias because Sizzla is my favorite artist, but even if you don't rate him so highly, I-Space is to be recommended to you as a very very strong roots piece. The year is just half over and most likely he'll make yet another appearance (Cousin's Records seems a likely choice as they have to date released albums by old Xterminator heads such as Turbulence and Luciano with Chezidek releasing his very strong Firm Up Yourself in just 3 weeks, so unless they plan to do a Prince Malachi piece (which isn't a bad idea) or give Congo Jesse his long overdue sophomore set (TOO overdue at this point) or go turn up every stone inna Kingston to find (Roaring) Lion or Shadowman, then they're running out of Xterminator alum, having already released Lutan Fyah, Xterminator's most recent occupant) but it'll be a mighty big feat overcoming I-Space, one of his best in a while.

Tracks...

DISC 1:

CHAPTER ONE:

1. No White God
2. Explain To The Almighty
3. I Wonder
4. Love Is Always There
5. No Other Like Jah
6. Praise Ye Jah
7. Do You Ever?
8. Like Mountain
9. Dem Ah Wonder
10. Kings Of The Earth
11. Holding Firm
12. Mek Dem Secure
13. Dem Ah Gaze
14. One Away
15. Give Dem Ah Ride

DISC 2:

CHAPTER TWO:

1. Words Of Devine
2. Juvenile
3. Dem Ah Try Ah Thing
4. King In The Jungle - (feat. Jah Cure)
5. Black Woman & Child
6. Brutality For Love
7. Clean Up Your Heart
8. Babylon Ah Listen
9. Good Ways
10. Azanido
11. Jah Blessing - (feat. Luciano)
12. Show Us The Way
13. Blaze Fire Blaze
14. Taking Over
15. To The Point

if you new to sizzla , seriously get this.Its got some great tracks , the only thing thats missin is few tracks from royal son album.But worth every penny.

While I generally don't like "best of" compilations, I really think this release was well done. This is definitley the best place to start if you haven't heard Sizzla. Tracks like "Kings of the Earth", "Make Dem Secure", and "Praise Ye Jah" exemplify why Sizzla is one of the most important contemporary reggae artists. The first disc of this set is sincerely the best Sizzla compilation I've heard rivaled only by the Jet Star Reggae Max compilation, which I would also recommend. The first disc alone makes this set worthwhile. If you haven't really listened to Sizzla you should. Personally, I think he is the most important contemporary Reggae artist. I am an avid reggae fan from Desmond Dekker, to Lee Perry, to Gregory Isaacs, to Augusts Pablo, to Capleton and the only reggae artist I like more than Sizzla is Bob Marley. It's just fundamentally wrong to place anyone above Bob so I won't even go there. Seriously, Sizzla is briliant and I would highly recommend this to anyone... However, the second disc of this compilation is fairly weak. There are alot of superfluous tracks and poor choices as far as representing the best of Sizzla. They would have done well to condense this to a single-disc compilation. Disc 2 contains some essential tracks such as "Aznaldo", "Black Woman and Child", and "Words of Devine", but it generally doesn't deliver. The only reason this compilation doesn't get five stars is because of the inconsitency of the second disc. But, seriously, the first disc alone makes it a worthwhile purchase.

Sizzla has too many good songs to fit all of his best songs on a double cd, but this album gives the best of Sizzla through his three phases: Sizzla busting onto the scene with tracks like "No White God" and "like Mountains", then Sizzla at his peak with tracks like "Kings of the Earth", "Azanido"... then the last few tracks on disc 2 are the best of this latest version of Sizzla that is out now - the man who we wonder if he sold out for house and car or money in a jar; bling bling man who forgot his message in "Kings of the Earth" and now want every woman on the planet, or the same old Sizzla. WE have to wait and see.
Not denying the fact though, this is a must have double cd. His best singly released "album" so far.

I especially love this compilation because it portrays Sizzla @ his best. I also love the fact that it includes tracks like Juvenile & Goodways, because it was very difficult to get those tracks without having to buy a mixed CD/TAPE. I highly recommend that you check out Sizzla Da Real Thing....THIS CD's off-the-hook! And here I thought that it couldn't get any better than Black Woman & Child! This youth's got raw talent!

This collection of Sizzla's favorites(and fans) is what you expect from a collection of the very best.

For those who prefer culture to dancehall, this compilation is probably the best Sizzla "best of" album in circulation. I don't mean to suggest that this album is better than Sizzla's "The Story Unfolds" double CD on VP Records. "The Story Unfolds" has more of Sizzla's hits, but "The Journey" is more consistent and listenable throughout, such that you won't need to skip any tracks.
This CD ranks with "Da Real Thing," along with recent-era Culture, Black Uhuru and Israel Vibration albums, for the quality of its meditative grooves and soothing lyrical delivery. The song selection reflects some of Sizzla's most positive and uplifting songwriting efforts.
Overall, "Journey" is a superior musical compilation that is far greater than the sum of its individual songs, much like a good mixtape, only here you get all of the songs in full.
Well worth the money!!

At the end of the day, when all the numbers have been tabulated, all the votes have been counted and all parishes have reported, Sizzla Kalonji is without a doubt my absolute favourite artist of all time. In my era of listening to music (which pretty much perfectly align itself with the entire age of modern reggae music) we have never seen an artist who, at his definite best exudes what reggae music is all about. We haven't seen an artist who can make music with a message, which teaches and is pleasing to the ears and entertaining at the same time. An artist who would eventually grow to begin producing and making himself a full fledged true musician and NEVER lose touch with the youths of Jamaica from the ghettoes and the country same way. For me personally, his rise to prominence coincided with my own acceptance of Rastafari and let me tell you! Never since Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and finally Dennis Brown closed their eyes has reggae had such a wonderfully flawed, yet seemingly unshakable roots man for the people as Sizzla Kalonji. His real talent has always been in his lyrics: Where the standard roots artist would have a strong message in his/her tunes which would virtually mirror what you would hear in a Kalonji tune, his method of delivery and actual method of writing the words would be so different and yet say the same thing while giving a decidedly `fuller' version. I say that to say you'll probably never see Sizzla fitting into the stereotypical Rastaman artist, "Praise Jah", "Times getting red" and "Di wicked ah guh suffer", role which is SO filled these days with mediocre and downright UNTALENTED artists. In my opinion, Sizzla has also been instrumental in bringing forth the next generation of artists as well. In the dancehall, you'll hear most young artists call upon the name of Bounty Killer more often than any other when detailing exactly which artists he/she listened to as a youth and who inspired them to want to take the dancehalls. In roots, the same role is often played by Sizzla, even more so than the more popular and longer serving Buju Banton and well popular veterans such as Capleton, Luciano and Anthony B. MAYBE, if for never Kalonji, we wouldn't have names such as Lutan Fyah, Jah Mason, Jah Cure or I-Wayne or at least not to the (THANKFUL) degree to which we are blessed with them now. To put it simply, in roots music playing actually in Jamaica, Sizzla Kalonji is THE man and has been THE man for quite some time, and for me personally (while I hate to give such distinctions, I will anyway), the single most dominant figure in reggae music in my lifetime (SO FAR) (And I say that instead of saying, `the Bob Marley of our time, which I hate to hear).

Sizzla was also one the first artists (whether good or bad) alongside Beenie Man and Luciano and the likes to make his name, at least in part, internationally, due to a more than steady release of albums. It wasn't until he really hit his peak of prolificacy (which thankfully, due to his own business ventures such as recording, producing and managing artists and his own label, has SLIGHTLY slowed these days) that concepts such as `over-saturation' began to be introduced in reggae music as Sizzla could rather easily put out four or even sometimes up to six different albums on six different labels in any given year without showing the slightest hesitation and his fans (and I'm one of them) seemingly marched in a robotic like state to scoop up each and every one of them. If you have a label, you seemingly almost NEED a Sizzla release to `justify' your existence (and I joke) as one can sit and talk about the WhoDat Records and Reggae Centrals of the world who popped in and out but made sure to get a Sizzla album out (Blaze Fire Blaze and Hosanna, respectively) (and the practice continues, just last year the unknown US based A-Town Records released Jah Bless Me With Life for Sizzla and coming this year is the highly anticipated Addicted from MBIG Music/LGN Entertainment)(the latter is also doing a Madd Anju release, FINALLY!). However, that being said, Sizzla's undeniably most loyal and trusted label throughout the years has been the UK based Greensleeves who in the past ten years, has released no less than TEN studio albums from the August Town native, including the landmark original Black Woman & Child (the greatest studio album he has ever done) and well respected pieces such as Bobo Ashanti, Royal Son of Ethiopia and most recently 2007's AMAZING I-Space. Over the same period of time, VP Records, Greensleeves largest competitor and the biggest Caribbean music label in the world period, has released and re-released quite a few as well (the actual number, whatever it is, is probably more than ten and some of them were doubles). Thus, it was quite interesting when earlier this year VP announced that it had indeed purchased Greensleeves and its extensive catalogue. While that figures to be a problem for many an artist (and many a producer) one man who figures to benefit highly from the merger despite not having any OFFICIAL ties with either label is Sizzla as his release has become a staple in Greensleeves spring/summer schedule and he has been absent from VP's roster since 2006's Ain't Gonna See Us Fall. While I imagine the days of dueling Sizzla releases from both companies are officially gone, one can expect now to see at least one MASSIVE release from the still young artist all but guaranteed every year now. The first product of such potential comes forth now in the way of an excellent greatest hits style compilation release, The Journey: The Very Best of Sizzla Kalonji. It would be mighty difficult to (at least in good faith) bungle a greatest hits release from Sizzla as he has more than a decade full of worthy candidates.

The track selection here is quite interesting to say the least and I wonder just how much different it may have looked were it done under Greensleeves direction alone. As it is, the album features tracks not only from GS albums but from VP albums same way. It also does just a BIT of mixing in new tracks, which is always a good idea for greatest hits albums in my opinion. And it gives a fine variety of tunes through its well PACKED twenty-one tracks. Getting things started here is very much a VP track, the well popular Just One of Those Days (Dry Cry) from the Da Real (Live) Thing album(s) for Bobby Digital. The song was arguably the most popular from the album which many hailed as the return of the once mighty roots artist who, at the time, was drawing much criticism (and justly so) for doing a variety of much more hardcore dancehall tunes. The tune itself (you know it) is absolutely lovely and made Sizzla fans which typically wouldn't have paid attention to his vibes and it was (and remains) a VERY popular staple of his stage show and undeniably one of the strongest lover's tracks of his entire career. Next up is the title track from one of the greatest reggae albums of all time, Praise Ye Jah from his former longtime home base, Xterminator. The song is one of the finest of Sizzla's career (he loves it so much he constantly employs it to open performances all over the world) and Xterminator's for that matter. It is the type of song indeed which made me such a fan of the artist as you cannot help but listen to the tune and come away with some knowledge of the matter as well your nodding to the well enjoyable sounds. Completing the opening here is, fittingly, one of the newer pieces here, the very nice The Solution on the enchanting Paradise riddim. The tune hit a vibe with me almost immediately when I heard it and I use tunes such as The Solution when I explain to people how easily roots music comes to Kalonji. No, unfortunately, you won't hear him do that on each and every tune anymore as he did in the Praise Ye Jah days, but it is at WILL that he is able to create downright beautiful roots music for the people such as The Solution and a score for the album: To my knowledge you won't find it on any other official release.

There is a tune on The Journey which comes early on which is a newer song by the name of Africa Prepare. Africa Prepare is a MAMMOTH repatriation anthem from 2007 for Maximum Sounds. The song is definitely one of Sizzla's best in recent times and is even a highlight on an album so full of proven and tested hits. The even heavier hitters continue to roll through on the album and peak twice for me. My all-time favourite Sizzla track is the title track from what just may be the best album of all-time, Black Woman & Child. You CANNOT have a Sizzla greatest hits album and not have the tune present, it is impossible. BW&C was a song which just really hit so many people on so many levels and for me especially in these times, I have an Empress and we just had a child. The tune has never sounded better to my ears and it is the best song on any album on which it will ever appear. This one is no different. The other tune comes much earlier in the album and comes from the same producer and is just as special and unforgettable, Thank U Mamma. Thank U Mamma is the type of tune you remember where you were the first time you heard it! it's the type of tune which will make you run up your phone bill calling your Mother just to tell her thank you and it is without a doubt the greatest Mother's Day gift ever created (praises go to Bobby Digital and Co. for BOTH). There are other very interesting choices here, particularly on the tunes chosen from Greensleeves releases. Rise to the Occasion, which was a song which took a bit of time to take off with the people (and it STILL hasn't come down since), checks in and were this simply a GS Sizzla greatest hits album, you'd be hard pressed to make a case to keep it off the album and I'm not even going to try to do it. In a similar position (and from the same producer) is Where Are You Running To from the overlooked Soul Deep album (I'm finding myself going back more and more to that album these days, listening and referencing) the tune was one of the few signature tunes to come from that album (which also included Be Strong) and was a sizable hit. There's Give Me a Try, from the Rise to the Occasion album which became one of Sizzla's biggest lover's tunes as well. I SO didn't like that tune for quite awhile before `succumbing' to its oddness eventually, it features Sizzla's unmistakable. . . Wailing throughout and apparently we all love that HORRIBLE sound so much! And stacked on the album back-to-back are two of the hits from the I-Space album, Really and Truly and the downright BRILLIANT One Love. It was due to tunes like those and Chant Dem Down) which lead many (myself included) to call I-Space THE reggae album of 2007. It hasn't exactly had the time to make itself (and its tunes) on any greatest hits compilation for that matter, but I'm not at all surprised to see it well represented on The Journey. I was more than happy to see represented in The Journey, the Royal Son of Ethiopia album in the form of the only combination here, the MASSIVE In This Time with Luciano. 'At the time' the two were label mates at Xterminator and Sizzla was still opening shows for The Messenjah all over the world and they combined several times to makes some truly breathtaking music, one could make the case that the best of these offerings was In This Time, definitely. Also, I have to mention that mixed in are some TIMELESS material which bolsters any such album. And I was happy to see Rastafari Teach I Everything (quietly one of GS' best Sizzla albums) represented by its title track (although Beautiful would have been my choice). Like Mountain is an eternally overlooked tune from Kalonji but when you really listen to it that song is PERFECT! Complete with the heavy nyah drum knocking throughout, it sounds like a tune made three days ago and not nearly the decade ago which is closer to its actual age.

I have to say in albums like these one often starts to pick through tunes which would have made sense on the album and I will too, of course, just a bit. Speaking strictly from the Greensleeves albums, I would have chosen The World from the Bobo Ashanti album, As in the Beginning from the Royal Son of Ethiopia album and the aforementioned Beautiful from Rastafari Teach I Everything; all the signature tunes from their respective albums in my opinion. AND to comment briefly on the accompanying DVD. It features a pretty nice documentary on Sizzla at home and some videos and a well traveled interview. Definitely one for the collectors.

Overall, the strongest Sizzla Kalonji greatest hits compilation on the shelves is and remains VP's thirty track monster, The Story Unfolds, but coming in at a rather easy number two is now The Journey. Speaking specifically to the Greensleeves releases, this was just a wonderful idea, one which, to be honest may have even been more interesting were it just from GS tracks. But I definitely can't complain in the eyes of adding tunes the likes of Thank U Mamma and Dry Cry. The Journey is for newer fans or older fans who typically don't buy albums who'll love this one as well. And YOU Sizzla fan who buys just about any and everything bearing his name, you'll love it too. An introduction, re-introduction and a big wonderful HELLO again to one of the greatest MINDS reggae music has ever seen.

I have viewed this interesting documentary, three times since 2001.

It is looking at the conditions of poverty and desperation inflicted on poor countries, such as Jamaica, by the agenda and policies of international agencies such as the International monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

At first, I found the documentary overdramatic--propaganda filled. In my opinion then, it did not adequately address the issue of the true nature of neo-liberalism ('globalization') in poor countries.

After reexamining the documentary, I concluded that the 'dramatization' may be necessary to convey the message effectively to people far removed from the scene of "Third World" poverty.

I am also wondering if the creators of "Life and Debt" have looked into the role of the local middle class in the perpetuation of the social and economic issues illustrated in the film.

Who are the local beneficiaries of IMF policies in the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa and Asia?

Perhaps, the local representatives of imperialism--rightwing and "Left-lites"--the lumpen-bourgeoisie!

Historically, members of this class worked to resist meaningful change coming from the people.

They work through their media and institutions to direct discontent and popular demands into the opportunistic arms of the main political parties, ensuring that the status quo of inequality from which their privileges spring, is not disrupted.

In fact, these political parties have ruled since independence, with a firm hand, using the police force brutally, with impunity against the people.

A sequel to "Life and Debt" would be welcomed, if it examines debt and poverty in the third world from a more historical and critical perspective.

"Life and Debt" is still a great documentary. I recommend it highly!

A Voice at the Workplace: Reflections on Colonialism and the Jamaican Worker

In-Dependence from Bondage: Claude McKay and Michael Manley: Defying the Ideological Clash and Policy Gaps in African Diaspora Relations

Where did these overgrown vegetables come from?
Grapes? American Apples? What are they doing in the Jamaican marketplace? Why would a lush country as Jamaica import potatos, onions, carrots from the USA?

I saw the effects of the WTO on Jamaica from pre-teen to now my young adult years, but I never really understood all the why's. All Jamaicans and peoples affected or unnafected by the World Trade Organisation should watch. I watched it with a friend from India and he was amazed - as this agri-colonialism is what India is currently fighting in the WTO. I especially liked the commentary from the Rastafarian/Biblical points of view. And of course, the soundtrack is great - Buju B goes accapella!

I saw "Life & Debt" (documentary about effects of globilization specific to Jamaican life and culture) and thought the music was excellent. It was not merely there as background comfort, but really lent itself to the message of the film. The tracks hold lots of meaning for me having seen the film already, yet seeing the film is not necessary to dig the music. The "Life and Debt" by Matubaruka is a personal fave., as is Buju
Banton's "Circumstances". For those interested in the issues of globalization, World Bank, etc., the proceeds from the soundtrack go to URGE (non-profit org. founded by Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers. Solid reggae recording with an excellent purpose; also I think it is useful for spreading the message about globalization issues without preaching. I've had friends ask "what does he [Mutabaruka] mean by 'American farmers get the upper hand'?" and I go "well, it's like this...."

I have been listening to sizzla for a few months. I own the story unfolds, and praise ye jah, i rank this cd on the level of both. I can listen to this cd for hours. every song is good, most are great. My favorite songs have to be somewhere oh oh, king taco, taking over, and to the point, but i do not discount the other songs, they get better every time i listen. I am someone who appreciates all types of music, i say this because I once listend to punk, then i crossed over to rap and now i am beginning to appreciate reggae. I love the mix of rap and reggae and aggresive and calm. sizzla is an artist that everyone should be exposed to, whether or not they listen to reggae, his message is a great one.

I bought this album b/c I love "Taking Over," which is a great track. I assumed the rest of the album was ok at best until I had a long car ride and found I was TOTALLY wrong. The majority of this CD is fabulous. Sizzla lays it down in many different flavors on this Cd. I was cautios because I don't like too much of the rough stuff, but this album is great, with tracksranging from hip-jop beats to straight up dance. Check it out and you won't be dissapointed.
Respec

I want to start by saying that I think "Praise Ye Jah" is one of the greatest reggae albums ever made. That being said, Sizzla has gone completely off the edge. His vocals sound like garbage, and he's off-key most of the time. There's also some wack falsetto stuff that he tries to do which just sounds ridiculous. There are a couple (count 'em - 2) nice tracks, but the rest is filler, and bad filler at that.

Respect to Fatis and the Exterminator crew, but Sizzla's lyrics and performances have seriously deteriorated in the past 3 years. Now its just a matter of churning out as much as he can and counting on syncophantic reggae fans to buy it all. Don't believe the hype.

Steer clear of this record.

Everyone needs to listen to the music and see it for what it is. sizzla is still holding firm on top of the reggae forum. What everyone needs to criticize, are the fassy hole labels that censor the albums. Every sizzla album is tight and should be listened to. Stop comparing his new tunes to his old ones. If you think he cant top Praise ye Jah and Black woman and child then you have not been listening to albums like goodways liberate yourself and bobo Ashanti. peace and blessings, in the name os His Imperial Majesty.

This album is just great all around. There is absolutely no bad songs to be found here, no weak songs, and no songs that feel like they simply do not belong, every song is worth listening to several times. This is the type of record that grows on people, so it may take you a while before you can completely appreciate it. My favorite songs are Thought For Today which sounds a little experimental for Sizzla, I like Higher Heights, I like To the Point, Hold Her In My Arms and Streetside Knowledge is very good as well, however, my absolute favorite has to be Taking Over which is awesome. While I wouldn't call this a crossover attempt, it contains several hip-hop elements especially on Brand New, which is a decent cut. And of course Sizzla represents his religion at all times, and it is there that his lyrics are at their greatest, which is forte. Overall, like I said, it is a just an album that is consistently spectacular, a 15 track album sans a single bad song is very rare, but here it is from Sizzla Kalonji.

The main point concerning this album is the definite progression that Anthony B is showing in his lyrical ability. He was the first Bobo Dread to bust and since Kalonji and Capleton have overtaken him in both poularity and actual Skill Anthony B by comparison is now seriously working on closing the gaps. And he shows marvelous skill on this album (and another similar album called Five Deciples, (everyone here plus Junior Kelly)checkhis Come Fa which is his best effort here, i also really like his Storm is Over.
All that being said the Prophet and certainly Sizzla are not standing still waiting on Anthony B to catch up to them. Capleton doesn't serve up his best here with repeating lyrics that ultimately became the base for the tune Search Fi A Find on 2 different cuts, that being said, Bun Out is amazing and the weird sounding Overtime Bomb is pretty good too, Overtime is weird sounding because its riddim is the 'riddim' for the legendary Al Green's Love & Happiness, although Capleton's lyrics are not as good as they can be on that one. Also, although I'm not a fan at all of Luciano, his tune Poor and Simple is very very good. And Sizzla, as usual rules supreme 'pon this one with his excellent Mind Over Matter and the even better, lyrically perfect Swallowfield. Overall, I say this one would probably be best for the uninitiated, if you're not a fan of rastafarian music, perhaps starting here might be best for you, seasoned vets need not apply.

Hearing one of sizzlas songs on a podcast i was insipred to look further into this artist. I have a very eclectic taste in music but I think for a long while sizzla will be my artis of choice. The music has substance and purpose, which is a far cry from todays music.
I very much enjoyed the Sizzla CD but i did not care much for the Bredren CD. That is not to say that the 2 cd set is not a steal at any price.
This CD has got me hooked on roots reggae. It can easily be played on repeat for months without getting old.

I bought this 2 Cd album when it was first released and remember that I did not like the first Cd but the second was so good that when I lost it, being left with just the first Cd, I had to rebuy the album just for the 2nd.

The song 'Micro Chip' by Prezident Brown is worth $20 alone. Check out the lyrics to that song. Doniki also has a great song on the Cd called 'I've Been There'. All the songs are great on that Cd.

The title track 'Liberate Yourself' on the 1st Cd is one of my all-time favorite Sizzla songs.
If your a long-time Sizzla fan, buy the album. If not, try to borrow the second Cd from someone who is.

This album was slamming.....I'm an owner of 15 sizzla albums and this is one of my favs.
First Off.....The two best songs on this album are on disc one track 5 and on disc 2 track 7
Redder fire dread......he lets babylon know what does be going on with "De chalice"
And in track 7.............speaks for it self...."ghetto youth dem ah suffa..."
If you like roots revolutionary reggae......get this one

This marks the first Sizzla release in the new millennium, although many of the singles are from as far back as 1997. Irregardless of that, this is a very nice collection of Sizzla tracks. Among my favorites from Disc #1 are "Wizer Than Dem", "Takes Only Time", "From Long Time", "Be Yourself", and "Healing Of The Nation". Disc #2 has a nice lineup of Kariang single releases including some nice tracks by Luciano, Bushman, Garnet Silk, Prezident Brown and Kulcha Knox among others. Overall, Liberate Yourself is an excellent Roots & Culture release.

I prefer the 'previous' Sizzla. More nyahbingi, more rude, more dancehall, more everything.
I will never forget Sizzla saying 'Moho'Fayah to the battymen' in 2005 Reggae Sunfest in Mo'Bay.

Sizzla used to be a truly special reggae artist. Forget this album and hear a lot of the tracks in their original form on his works prior to 2000 and on Da Real Thing. Unless you must have the cover photo in your collection, this is not worth the money. Why would he re-do classic tracks in an old cheesy-sounding unimaginative R&B approach in a time when there is increasing appreciation for reggae in its real form? Worse yet he sounds off key much of the time. I still cannot believe what he allowed these reggae novice-producers to do to Black Woman and Child.

Why did sizzla's voice sound so much more profound in his earlier album's. His lyrics have also lost their sacred mystical vibes that he once had. Just listen to his song, "Kings of the Earth" and you'll know what I'm talking about. C'mon Sizzla, you still got it!

When an artist crosses over and releases an album on a major label you can expect that long-time fans are going to talk smack. Even if it is just as good as any previous effort, old "fans" will still find something to bitch about, either calling the artist a sell-out or half-hearted. You would think that fans would be happy that the artist is so successful!

Sizzla is no exception. He gets a record released on a more high-profile label and people instantly attack it.

Reasons for the attack:
Sounds too much like a cross-over attempt.
Remakes of old songs "prove" he can't write classic songs anymore.
Lyrics no longer have the meaning they used to.
Sounds like nothing new for Sizzla, sticking to a basic formula.

First of all, let me put these accusations to rest. If you think this album is trying to hard to cross-over you must not have heard some of Sizzla's earlier albums.

Take Myself Away, I Love You Baby, and Thank You for Loving Me an American R&B cross-over attempt? How about Give Me a Try on Rise to the Occasion and True Hearts from Royal Son of Ethiopia or ALL of Soul Deep? No one gave any hassle for these songs which are the same quality and style.

Sizzla can't write great songs like Give Me a Try, Thank You Mama, Solid as a Rock, Just one of those Days, or Black Woman and Child anymore? You really think that's why he released new versions of these songs on this album? Sizzla's old albums never got the promotion they deserved. He is simply taking old classics and exposing them to a broader audience. What's wrong with that? Also, to further disprove this, have you heard the new single called THE SOLUTION? Or all of I-Space? All of these songs are on the same level as the remade classics on this album. Also, Cost of Living off this album is one of Sizzla's best songs in a long time.

Many claim that Sizzla is purely slack now because of songs on albums like Brighter Day and Blaze Up the Chalwa, and some recent mixtapes. For some reason many think that that is all he is producing now. But if you listen to this whole album there is no slackness at all (except MAYBE some of the lines from CURTAINS on the Remix at the end, and none of the bad lines were sung by Sizzla anyways. In fact I think Curtains is out of place on it). Everything is very positive. Plus, if you really believe that this album's lyrics are deficient, you must not be listening to the lyrics to songs like Take Myself Away, and especially Cost of Living. I mean, seriously, listen to these lyrics. They are definitely up there with some the best Sizzla lyrics.

To those saying that there is nothing new on this album besides the cross-over material you must pay more attention to songs like Break Free and, once again, Cost of Living. Break Free is almost like an old-school rock-steady song and the Mexican influence on Cost of Living is original yet still sounds rootsy. Experimental yet cohesive.

So basically just because this is on a pretty big label it doesn't mean that these songs are sub-par. If the CD was labeled with GREENSLEEVES or VP I think people would be showing it much more respect. Every song is pretty much solid; some more than others, but still all are at LEAST CLOSE to top notch. And although there are some remakes of classics on here, I think there are some new classics to be found on here as well.

Sorry, you guys must not have much do to with your time than to right those overly boring right-ups. At the end of the day, the cd went in for a quick run through, then got put away. I don't care about all the cross-over ideas, the album should have been better. Period. I pulled one track off the album, and I don't believe I have to tell you which one that is. True heads will know.

Khader