Akinsanya
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Akinsanya

Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica | Established. Jan 01, 1994 | INDIE

Kingston, Kingston, Jamaica | INDIE
Established on Jan, 1994
Solo Spoken Word Reggae

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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"The Uprising Roots – Skyfiya"

Firm roots! The Uprising Roots is a full reggae band with rich instrumentation, fresh sound and a positive message for progressive personal change that comes from within- a concept hard to find in modern day Jamaican music scene. Let the music blow your sails towards the brighter, positive side.

ometimes it is disheartening to look at the state of the world today, even if you are a yogi. There is so much frustration in people’s hearts. This cultural and ethical decadence we experience is so immense.

Just yesterday I was reading an article about the expectations of Europeans about the future. With few exceptions Europeans have a very negative view of the future, worse than all the previous years. At the end of the list it is us, the Greeks, which is not a surprise considering that the country is being plundered while vast numbers of people are literally marginalized.

You are ‘Greek’, Greece can (ab-)use you, exploit you but the wealth of Greece is only given to few; from now on this wealth is going to be exported, since the land and all assets are being sold to corporations.

We have built a future black; the present is black hence the future can only be darker unless we break out of this psychological deadlock. I say all this because The Uprising Roots (UR) have a crucial message to spread, a message of positivity that can light every dark spot we bare in our hearts.
I do not want to propose superficial, force-fed positivity nor everlasting happiness; I am talking about a condition where you have the capacity to determine the way you want to live and which activities you want to carry out. It is a self-exploring and life-affirming process. We need to go forward, we need to live and therefore we also need to overcome impasse negativity. If negativity prevails then it is clear that we need to change our way of life. By continuing to watch the news and all the negativity they broadcast we are not going to go much forward probably.

I’m going to quote the words of The Uprising Roots as heard on the ‘Brighter Days’ song: “We want to tell to each and everyone to keep it on the brighter side, the positive side, no matter what is going on.” These guys, who are telling us to be positive, come from Jamaica, a country full of poverty and violence. In Europe we have much higher standards of living, even during this financial crisis and we are so negative about the future. I am not telling that the future is going to be better; I just want to shout at everybody to take a look around and get used to the idea that more than 50% of the world lives with less than 2 dollars a day while almost 1billion people go hungry each day. Let’s wake up and do some much-needed positive work!
Freegan Kolektiva welcomes UR and ‘Skyfiya’. We are delighted to listen to a vintage band from Jamaica that incorporates reggae roots in its full sense. It is a full band; they have full instrumentation, an organic sound and rich vocal delivery in the roots tradition. That means that they can support their own music while they play as a studio backing band as well.

This concept is rather unusual, since Jamaica has mostly supplied the world with vocalists the last years not full bands. When it comes to roots reggae bands I would think more about Europe or bands like SOJA and Midnite. In that sense, I have the feeling that UR have had an open ear about what going on in reggae music globally.

Moreover, RU keep the traditional family vibes alive since they live, eat and play music at the same place, where always somebody is going to be up to prepare food etc. That is also the Freegan Kolektiva spirit.

When listening to UR a lot of artists come to mind from different periods of the glorious reggae history like later Burning Spear, Culture, Aswad etc. The Uprising Roots reminded me also a lot of Michael Rose, especially the collaborations with Twilight Sound System (as heard in the ‘Foundation Rockers’ and ‘Vocal Anthology’ albums) in two of the best songs of Skyfiya, namely ‘King Rastafari’ and ‘Positive’. Particularly the later employs the funky, trance-like repetitive beat that creates the majestic reggae feeling that I really appreciate.
Other notable tracks are ‘Most Royal’, ‘Marcus Garvey’ and ‘Who caan hear’ – they all have those great hooks, memorable vocal lines and full instrumentation that good reggae music is known for. The Uprising Roots are skilful musicians, you can hear some careful ‘sound building’, some flute playing an amazing solo etc. They follow their own ethics about positive change with serious Rastafari convictions and you can hear that in every single song.

I would personally like a bit more ‘edge’ and originality in the production (it is a bit too polished for my taste), but overall it is in high standards. The album has some less interesting moments with blunt melodies but UR is a relatively young band and they have a long way to go. We can only wish them to walk that road.

Here is the music video of The Uprising Roots for ‘Brightest Light’ / ‘Positive':
R was born in 2006 in Rockfort, East Kingston, Jamaica and ‘Skyfiya’ is their debut album. Drummer and singer Rashaun ‘Black Kush’ McAnuff is son of the legendary Winston McAnuff. The Uprising Roots chose to go their own way in the Jamaican scene; they come with a fresh configuration as a full band and a fresh message that has a more positive twist and ‘personal transformation’ approach compared to the usual. - Freegankolektiva


"Akinsanya, African appreciated at Redbones"

KINSANYA AND African delivered verse to a good reception at the latest month-end edition of poetry at Redbones the Blues Café in New Kingston, which had 'brawta' from Mah and Stephen, as well as De I Am.

Akinsanya, a member of the Tuff Tuff Triangle poetry group, was up first and began an extended presentation with a dub that was written for JAMAL (the Jamaica Adult Literacy programme). "Ignorance enslave/ knowledge liberate" he began, the rhythm of the piece that encouraged learning being immediately clear "The blackboard is not your enemy," Akinsanya encouraged.

"If one should ask me how I see God, I would say through the womb of my mother," he said, doing a poem in praise of black women.

Akinsanya urged all to "do something for today's youth", then chided common slang by asking "where is my nigger at?"

A trio of poems around relationships, one giving a particular woman a 'Thumbs Up', preceded an ode to marijuana, done in dub style, Akinsanya closing his eyes and rocking to the rhythm of the poem as he declared "herb is not a drug, is vegetable matter".

REBEL CHILDREN

"This is for the spiritually, physically and economically oppressed people," Akinsanya said, urging "rebel children rebel/tell the gods in heaven there is no water in the well". He ended with a return to the women, complimenting them with "Black woman/pretty like flowers/Black man need her every hour".

African's first poem was an introductory piece of sorts, requesting all to "listen to these sounds/unlike any other sounds/bouncing like basketballs/on private and public compounds".

He went on to a poem that was written "about three, four months ago, when I heard that a friend of mine died in the east". The poem went through issues of loss, before ending "the future wasn't for you to see/Now I am not sure about me".

He surrendered to a woman poetically ("woman you pull me in/and my masculinity naturally gives in"), looked at the two sides of bad weather ("the rain is falling/mudding up river banks/some are complaining/the wise ones giving thanks") and the need to "write some poems/that are more than poems".

The Eve of Christmas Eve, Let It Be Known and a self-definition as an "intellect poet" followed, before African ended with My People, which encouraged black people to "contribute positively to your race/in another you have no space".

That was the end of the night's official programme, but there was an extra serving from Mah and Stephen, the latter playing the harmonica as Mah asked: "You say you like the ghetto/but do you really like the ghetto?" And De I Am sealed the matter with the question "Oh Mister Buck Master/Is it your blood the poor will have to shed sah?" - The Jamaiaca Gleaner


"1st runner-up Dub Poet Akinsanya '07"

When Abebe Payne delivered his trio of poems at RedBones the Blues Café recently, the substantial audience which turned out for the 7th Annual Writers' Awards was quiet as they listened attentively throughout.

And, there was a lot to listen to as Payne played on, but not with, words, starting out with an appeal to the police that, "Hey Babylon, de I know I am/de I brother man?" but soon followed with the search complaint "me feel you please/to have man a hol' position". "No prey pon yu sister, pray fi yu sister," Payne said in the poem's refrain.

He explored 'Forever Now' and figuratively held on to 'Joy' to end, the audience applauding as he missed the last lines and wrapped up with a smiling goodbye.

Exploration of the death

Payne's measured approach was different from that of Fuzion, who closed his set of emphatically delivered poems with an exploration of the death of the young lady who was thought to have died from dancing, saying "dutty wine dis/dutty wine dat/now dutty grave wid dutty dirt pon top", the audience breaking into appreciative laughter at points.

In the end, it was Payne who took the top prize of $2,500, with Fuzion earning himself lunch for two at RedBones as first runner-up and Akinsanya, who ended his set with 'Spectacular Senorita', taking home a bottle of wine as second runner-up. There was another prize for Fuzion, though, as his 'Mirror Mirror', a poem that took a humorous look at the practice of skin bleaching, was named 'Poem of the Year', earning him $2,500.

Latoya Saunders, Mo'Scherrie, Sage, Iyunda and Ganja completed the field of eight writers, selected from the poets who performed at RedBones' monthly 'Evening of Contemporary Literature.' They were assessed on originality (45 per cent), content (30 per cent) and performance (25 per cent).

Gina Rey Forrest, who delivered the assessment of judges: Trevor Rhone, Karen Carpenter, Carolyn Cooper and herself, said "we were a little disappointed that the women were not very effective. Simplicity of language speaks."

"Some of the performances were too loud," she said. In addition, for some "your poem was not personal to you, so it was not personal to anyone else".

The evening's guests were Max, a young man from the United States who impressed with 'A Vision' and 'My Child' ("I was when God punished us for our blind faith and we responded with blind faith") and Charlie Bobos, who declared 'We Love Poetry' and encouraged 'Use Your Experience and Get Stronger'. - The Jamaica Gleaner


"2nd Runner Up at Red Bones Literary award '05"

ANN MARGARET Lim took a double at Redbones the Blues Café last Wednesday night, winning both 'Poet of the Year' and 'Poem of The Year' awards.

It was the fifth staging of the annual writer's awards by the Braemar Avenue, New Kingston, restaurant and cultural spot. The entrants are taken from the monthly guests at the regular last Wednesday readings.

Members of the Tuff Tuff Triangle poetry organisation took the other two named places from a field of six, Akinsanya coming second and Clement Hamilton third. The other competitors were Odette Baugh, Nadia Kiffen and Iyunda, with apologies given for Glen Laughton and Duane Francis.

The poets were required to read three poems each and Lim's last, Sea Dirge, complete with sound effects, was judged 'Poem of the Year' by a panel which comprised Trevor Rhone, Gyneth Barber-Wood, Raymond Mair and Karen Carpenter.

Lim also did Sylvia and Bingy Moses 2004. Akinsanya presented Ode To Drum, Ganja and Spectacular Senorita, while Hamilton went with My Superman, Here Is Something You Can't Understand and One.

Guest poet De I Am, who started off the evening, did I See, 400 Years, Black Man Time and Black Woman.

The writers were assessed on originality (45 per cent), content (30 per cent) and performance (25 per cent) and chief judge Mair said that the decision was unanimous.

"We found that all the poets showed confidence and originality and belief in their work. The level of presentation varied," Mair said. "The judges appreciated the work done and the effort of all the competitors."

After the presentations to the top three, Lim was invited to read the 'Poem of the Year' again and she did so, telling the poetic tale of going to the beach to write a poem ("I went to the beach for its beauty"), but finding none ("but there was no poem"). The scene was interrupted by a man ("and bloodstained were his jeans") who changed her focus and gave the poet a "gutless feeling as he walked past me and disappeared into the thatched shack I was trying to leave out."

She invited Hamilton and Akinsanya to read a poem as well, but Hamilton demurred, saying that the 'Poem of the Year' should stand alone. - The Jamaica Gleaner


Discography

  • Babylon wah Gang(ja). '14

  • Defender of the Faith. '13

  • Herbz Man Instrumental '09

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Bio

Akinsanya Born Lloyd Palmer, a reggae Dub-Poet/Intrumentalist is a humble son from the garden parish of St. Ann who grew up in the yam parish of Trelawny. With musical performing arts being a part of the spiritual and social fabric of the Jamaican rural folks amongst which he commune. Akin has continued in this tradition of his grandfather,mother, aunt and uncles who sang and played music in their respective church band. Lloyd was exposed to music and it’s theory while being a student at the William Knibb Memorial High where he was on the schools’ choir. Akin started his musical journey into the reggae arena as a “Dub-Poet”, gaining his motivation and inspiration from some of Jamaica's greats; Virtuoso Jackie Mittoo, Robbie Lyn, Mikey Smith, Miss Louise Bennet, Linton “Kwesi” Johnson and Mutabaruka in nurturing, honing and fusing his artistic talents. 

Akin was propelled into exploring the tenets of the Keyboards after experiencing unprofessionalism and short coming in bringing his art form to reality and satisfaction. “Akinsanya” being a ‘Dub-poet” brings another ingredient into the musical mix of potent dub roots reggae music.
Now Akinsanya has again teams up with Junior Wize following to their previous single "Defender of Faith (2013)". This time, he shares his social commentary on Jamaica's up-to-date topic, Ganja legalization. "Babylon wah gang(ja)" a pre-release single from his upcoming album set to debut in '15. This effort will be a 10 track album featuring Reggae dub poetry and dub Instrumental sounds from the mountains of zion I.

  • Urban journey with Tuff Tuff Triangle '05
  • Skyfiya with Uprising Roots '11

Band Members