MUSIC | raggo-zulu-rebel

Screenshot%202021-01-26%20at%2015.04_edi

Jah Messenger is the debut offering and studio album from ukhiphop artist Raggo Zulu Rebel released in 2007.

Full of the youthful fire, unpolished & honest perspective of 21 year London based old poet, laying foundation for a fruitful career as an EMCEE.

Recorded and mixed by Morfius (More For Us Media) and features from Imagery, TonyAs (formerly known as The St Anthony) Manic, LogicArmy, Tbear, Jah Mirikle and more, with gritty inner city golden era classic rap soundtrack production provided by RainMayqa, KaiZen & Morfius guarantees a pleasurable and informative listen for the average hiphop consumer.

Bible & The Gun (2008) is the sophomore studio album from London hiphop messenger Raggo Zulu Rebel.

The title is based around concepts of colonisation and the tools used, but the theme also has double meaning. The battle between spirituality represented by the bible (or scriptures in general) and the wisdom gained from it/them. The Gun is a metaphor for force and man made destruction in the age old battle of spirituality verses the flesh or the higher self contending with lower self.

The sonic approach varies from dark head bop sample based hiphop provided by RainMayqua, Morfius, Guiltz and Kaizen to more midi based, futuristic, bouncing sounds of Danny D on tracks like “Moment to Medz” ft BigCakes; “Right Side” ft EnglishLT, DannyD on a summer vibe using Beverly Knight sample or “Hail His Name” which give the album a classic but contemporary sound, seamlessly at the same time.

Raggo addresses matters of faith, morality, meditation, repatriation and philosophy as well as social issues like poverty, crime & punishment, tied up with a sprinkle of personal issues and experiences to make a well rounded second album showing artistic growth from his first.

TROJM 2012 is Raggo Zulu Rebel’s 3rd studio album, a sequel or follow up to his debut continuing the adventures or London’s hiphop roots contemporary messenger. It’s a 43 track double album, a hiphop Bible separated like the Red Sea into Old Testament and new. The Old Testament is classic, headbop, boom bap rap sonically with tracks like ‘Jah No Dead’, ‘Woke Up This Morning’, ‘The Message’ and story teller rhymes on songs like ‘Boy Who Cried Wolf’, ‘Boys in Blue’ & ‘ Hotel Babylonia’ putting the Eagles-Hotel California into a Rasta/hiphop context or converting the Aesop fable into a urban London inner city setting. The sound switches up in the New Testament to sound system influenced roots-rap-reggae with tracks like ‘Dangerous’, ‘When I Rise’, or ‘Skylarking’ then it switches again showing Raggo’s deep roots in Caribbean culture with dancehall sounds ‘Look Into My Eyes’ or ‘No Bleach’ a cross genre anthem standing proud of his identity and heritage at the same time striking out against the rising skin bleaching epidemic worldwide.
The album productions provided by a plethora or London beat makers and producers from Dirty Urch, Skribla Dan Goth, Sixth Sense, Dr Genius Aka Gadman Dubs, DJ Evi-Denz, Morfius, Prevent & more. With features galore almost a who’s who of London Underground Rap. Kal Sereousz, Cyclonious, JayJayBorn2Sing, Shameless & Tantrum just name a few.
Raggo returns ion His Imperial Majesty’s secret service with this double album ram packed like a red double decker London bus which will not leave the listener unsatisfied.

HOLY WAR is the 4th album installation from London's own Jah Messenger Raggo Zulu Rebel, recorded and mixed at More For Us Media studio's by Morfius featuring TonyAs, Ragz Sweet Jones, JayJayBorn2Sing, Sian Brown, BigCakes & More.
The albums themes are based around physical, spiritual & mental turmoil, social economics, chemical warfare, the prison system, low budget housing, black market drug trade & prescription drugs, alcoholism & addiction, class-ism, self development, spiritual upliftment, genetics, history & religion. With tracks like "Pooky's Story", "Ape In A Cave", "Star Of David" & "The Evidence" its evident Jah Messenger is back with a lot to say.

B.I.B.L.E.2 is Raggo’s Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth for humanity. The guidelines to elevate our lives beyond the day to day and the ism and schisms. It’s also harsh warning of things to come for all unwilling to heed.

Songs like ‘Fire’ & ‘Find Peace’ are reminders of the essential things in life while ‘Skyfall’ & ‘Rat Race’ are written as deterrents or cautionary tales of what can and is happening if we all aren’t careful.

This whole album is a insight into the philosophy and ideology of the Rebel with a more intimate and personal feel, perhaps because it was written, recorded and mixed totally by Raggo himself without any features except the sweet vocals of Marianna Zappi on ‘Rat Race’. The production this project was supplied by long standing collaborators Vandal aka ALX for Digital Pirate Productions, DJ Evidenz and new comers Dame Grief, Red Skull & Mastered by Rome, Italy’s very own DJ Koral.

Lastly B.I.B.L.E.2 is the well awaited sequel to RZR’s sophomore studio album ‘Bible & The Gun’.

GOD MC is the bench mark of artistic maturity for London EMCEE Raggo Zulu Rebel.

The albums theme ‘ GOD MC’ carries on the lineage and history of poor righteous teacher EMCEE’s and master teachers such as Rakim, KRS 1, Nas, Mos Def etc. This time around Jah Messenger speaks on mortality, polarities, idols and icons, home and more.

He sits comfortably on his well earned throne and it is evident by his tone, delivery and subject matter. At this point Raggo’s no longer a newcomer attempting to establish his position in the scene, this collection of songs are tales and expressions of a musically ascended being.

The album features from Marianna Zappi and RU1’s Watusi87, with production from DJ Wickstarr, Session 600, DJ Evidenz and Creation Muzik.