Title
Artist
Label
Format
Date
   Album review
Rastafari Teach I Everything
Sizzla
Greensleeves-Munich
CD
09-09-2001


Tracking list

  1. Rastafari Teach I Everything
  2. Beatiful
  3. Yes I Get High
  4. Better Make Sure
  5. Revenge
  6. Planet Earth
  7. Escape From Prison
  8. Give Her The Loving
  9. It This
  10. No Problem
  11. Stay Clean
  12. Energy
  13. Make Love
Rating : from 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor)

Vocals : 4 Backing : 4/5 Production : 5 Sound quality : 5 Sleeve : 4


Barely has the dust settled on Jet Star's set "Black History" and VP Records' "Taking Over" then Greensleeves Records issue the next brand new Sizzla album. "Rastafari Teach I Everything", produced like its immediate predecessor "Taking Over" by Philip "Fatis" Burrell with whom Sizzla has an extensive association, is the Bobo chanter's third album release within three months. Furthermore he is featured on almost every dancehall reggae compilation set that hits the streets. So, it's obvious that one might get doubts about the marketing strategy of the artist and his management and also about the quality level of his musical deliveries. Besides that it is not unimaginable that the reggae massive gets fed up with an artist who maintains such an extremely high profile. However, apart from these thoughts one must judge the man's musical efforts on its own merits.
Like the other "Fatis" Burrell produced albums this new CD mixes hardcore dancehall with roots riddims in the usual Xterminator style. Touching through all the tracks on "Rastafari Teach I Everything" - containing previously unreleased material with the exception of "Better Make Sure" - the cuts in the roots vein emerge as the strongest efforts. The album opener - also the title track - is a real killer tune, showing Sizzla vocally and lyrically in deadly form. The way he delivers his lyrics over an awesome rootsy backdrop, which features a wicked trombone, brings to mind his best moments from such a classic album as "Praise Ye Jah". The next track, the stunning "Beautiful", is another undisputed highlight and the same goes for "Better Make Sure" and "Revenge". Also well worth spinning are solid deliveries like the blazing ganja song "Yes I Get High", "Revenge", "Stay Clean" and the modest "Make Love".
We are pretty sure that "Rastafari Teach I Everything" will please the avid Sizzla fan. All in all it is a well balanced and solid album, which features some killers, plenty solid efforts and no real weak tunes.

Teacher & Mr. T.