Add Imeru Tafari to your list of talented reggae artists to watch for years to come
As any music fan will tell you, one of the purest joys in the world (outside of finding a rare, favorite album in a used CD store for $5.00) is discovering brand new music.
Mind you, not just new but OUTSTANDINGLY GOOD new music. Such is the case with the artist that I’ve been tasked with parsing, Imeru Tafari.
Oftentimes when a rookie hits the scene, there may be some trepidation on their part to truly put themselves out there. Not to say that the debut can’t be a grand slam, as the music business is jam packed with legendary first albums that in many cases have catapulted the artist or group to star power or at the minimum, provided an offering that stands as an all-time best.
However, veteran music fans can usually sense and identify characteristics easily attributed to a newbie in the game.
Tafari with his debut album, The Essential, confidently delivers one of the most solid premieres I’ve heard in a minute.
With a powerful, yet melodious delivery the Kingston native delivers a 12 piece of heat worthy of sharing shelf space with some of your favorites in the game.
Opening with a Nyabinghi drum fueled opener, Armageddon I.T. sings the praises of Jah and the enduring power of Rastafari ideology. Curiosity fully peaked after track 1, the rookie delivers a mixed bag of flavors guaranteed to have something for everyone.
Need Your Loving, a smooth romantic call, has an infectious sensual vibe that perfectly accentuates Tafari’s vocals. Black Heart Man (not to be confused with Bunny Wailer’s track of the same name) shows his tremendous chatting skills with a smooth, sax accented track that easily emerged as one of my favorite cuts, 1930 an utterly amazing one drop banger, is audio honey, and as good as anything I’ve heard this year, and Anguish provides that true roots sound that old time fans clamor for, complete with a skanking riddim that levels the vibe something serious.
Oh, and have I mentioned the collaborations this man has gifted us lucky listeners with?? Some of the absolute best names and my personal favorites have shown up, and literally guaranteed that Tafari will make 2024 his, and garner true rookie of the year consideration.
Try, Popcaan and Chronic Law on Vibrations, Queen Ifrica on Love Rastafari, the utterly amazing Samory I on the scorching hot Protect My Soul, and as a proverbial cherry on top, how about Kabaka Pyramid and Iotosh on the moody head nodder, Vortex.
Yeah, I’d say our man Imeru did pretty good for himself with the hired help. Not that he required assistance as his talent and the musical accompaniment is enough to carry the load on it’s own, but it’s obvious that the aforementioned allies that chipped in, saw his remarkable talent for what it was and deemed him worthy of working with.
That doesn’t just happen to anyone, but clearly Imeru Tafari is not just anyone. A talent to be on the watch for in years to come, it’s a certainty that he will be among the movers and shakers to push the genre and keep the flame burning producing amazing reggae music.
Could this be a career parallelling Sizzla’s debut of Burning Up? I wouldn’t wish those expectations on anyone, but I will proudly push up my lighter for him, proclaim myself a new fan, and anxiously await what he has in store. Huge big up I.T!
By Yankee Nupe.
