Oct 12 2008
Sunday Meditation: Anthony B
He doesn’t have a new record coming out anytime soon, that I know of. (Those Jamaicans drop records more often than I can keep track of.) He was on tour in the Bay Area recently, but I didn’t get a chance to catch it. So there is really no good reason why old Anthony B should be this weeks Sunday Meditation. No reason, that is, other than the fact that he is one of my favorite Jamaican artists, and I haven’t dedicated a column to him as yet.
With over 22 full length solo albums under his belt, as well as many 12in, 7in, and compilation contributions, Anthony B is a hardworking man. Some years, he drops two or three albums. His latest (that I could find) was 07’s Higher Meditation, so I’m sure a new one is coming soon.
If you have no idea who Anthony B is, or have never heard his music, a good place to start is 2003’s Street Knowledge. It features his remake of Culture’s classic “Two 7 Clash”, “Good Cop, Bad Cop”, and “God Above Everything”. You could also go for the classic albums Black Star (05) or Suffering Man (06). Either way, get you some Anthony B. He also has several collabo albums with Sizzla, Luciano, and Capleton if you want to check for something with a little variety first to get a feel for his style.
He doesn’t have the greatest voice, in fact he just barely gets by most of the time. But the emotion and feel he puts into his songs makes up for his lack of a perfect voice. And his rhymes and cadence are second to none. He is one of the real lions of the genre, and an artist who can make you laugh or stop and think with ease. If you need someone to help you meditate, I highly recommend Anthony B.
