Sound: A bold and exciting mix of synthesized reggae, Jamaican dancehall, hip hop and r&b with political, spiritual, opinionated and confident lyrics
Note: Damian is the youngest son of Bob Marley and co-produced the majority of the album with his brother Stephen – who contributes songwriting and vocals throughout. Rappers Nas and Black Thought (The Roots), r&b crooner Bobby Brown and dancehall artists Bounty Killer and Eek-A-Mouse also contribute vocals
Heavy Rotation tracks: “Hey Girl“; “The Master Has Come Back“; “We’re Gonna Make It“; “Welcome to Jamrock“; “All Night“
Medium Rotation tracks: The rest, except for “Pimpa’s Paradise”
Recommended: I don’t listen to that much Caribbean music and I’m sure some purists would find this a bastardization of the Marley legacy, but to me this is a glorious experiment that widens the boundaries of Jamaican music significantly. Dancehall artists like Elephant Man, Beenie Man and especially Sean Paul have broken here in the States, but Damian could reach a much larger audience with such a strong and varied effort.
Grade: A (Strong Top 20 Albums of 2005 Candidate)

(As posted 10/3/05 on davepowersmusic.com)
Buy CD/Listen to Tracks