Anniversary Edition
With a heavy heart, fans of the seminal reggae group Culture are gifted a reminder of the utterly legendary music and indelible imprint that the band has had since their inception in 1976. Having just recently lost founding member Roy Dayes last year, and just a few years prior in 2006, the proverbial “voice” of the group Joseph Hill, the reggae world is privy to an anniversary edition of one of their most heralded releases, Humble African. VP Records pounced on the chance to give this album it’s just due, commemorating the 2000 release, and adding significant value to an already stellar work of art. Culture has undoubtedly since day one been among one of the most consistent bands in the game. Despite the genre’s subtle and perhaps intentional shift to more individualistic acts, they have withstood the test of time, and put out nothing short of music that inspires, uplifts and flat out makes you feel good. Humble African is a worthy collection to celebrate. Coming in at a healthy 15 tracks expertly produced thanks to the sacrosanct Fat Eyes crew, this album truly has something for everyone.
Versatility
From the opening first notes sung by Hill on the opener, Why Am I A Rastaman, the vibes are overt and present. J.H has always been one of my favorite group frontmen due to his melodic, distinct delivery and through the subsequent bangers, I damn near shed a tear contemplating what his loss, coupled with Dayes, means for the preservation of the reggae music we either grew up loving or perhaps later came to idolize through the love of chune. I’m glad I got the chance to digest this album on its full merit, as I mostly had been a student of perhaps their pre-eminent release, and arguably one of the greatest reggae albums ever, 1977s Two Sevens Clash. As previously mentioned, versatility is Humble African’s staple. Cuts like Revolution, Going Home, Poverty, Weeping and the Jamaican songbird, Marcia Griffith assisted, Where Is The Love, held true to the sound we came to know and love from the group, yet Hill and company sound just as equally fresh on some of the more modern productions like Humble African, Too Much Ginals, and It’s Hard to Live. Throw in a clutch Nyabingi drum offering in with the tuneful Rolling Stone, and an acoustic number on Home Grown (tremendously featuring Morgan Heritage) and you get my gist on the musical ambidexterity at play throughout. I struggle to pick a personal favorite on this album although I’m leaning to Poor People Hungry featuring Tony Rebel, which interpolates Culture’s classic See Them A Come with a slightly updated touch, or Never Give Up which utilizes the riddim from Ernest Wilson’s Fat Eyes CLASSIC and one of my all timers, I Know Myself. Absolute fire in the dance, these two tracks are!
Worthy Release
In summation, this is a worthy release of being spotlighted as it came at the new millennium. A time firmly at the midpoint of Culture’s existence and the genre’s modernization along with the rapidly evolving dancehall scene. Instead of getting lost in the shuffle, Culture dropped an LP proving their mettle, and providing the reggae world with yet another classic album. Made even more incendiary with the anniversary’s extended dub versions of the track listing, this tribute is worth of every true fan’s time and attention. On a side note if I may, a RIP to two musical icons, R&B’s Iceman Jerry Butler, many of whose songs were honored through reggae covers and the one and only dancehall veteran Determine. Condolences to family, friends and fans of both.