Rising Roots: An Interview w/ Niyorah By: Zarah Rose, April 2006 Originally published in the St. John Sun Times. It is a season when the first fruits of many local Virgin Islands reggae artists are being reaped, and it is time we start to get to know and support our own entertainers and artists. Many are receiving a wide response all over the world. While groundbreaking groups such as Love City’s Inner Visions and St. Croix bands such as Midnite and Bambu Station are starting to be recognized locally and internationally, there are many new rising stars producing and recording quality homegrown, conscious reggae. The reggae scene is growing and spreading nationally and globally. Being a lover of reggae, I have followed the musical journey of my bredren NiyoRah from his beginning days in Star Lion Family. Last November I talked with him about his new solo album, “A Different Age” and other aspects of life. In June 2005, Niyo released his album produced and backed by Laurent “Tippy” Alfred of I-Grade Records and “Tuff” Lion of Bambu Station. Not only can this album compete with any Jamaican or other Caribbean reggae, it tears down musical categories and gives us some sweet and nourishing food for our listening pleasure. The title song gives an idea that this is an intellectual sound, and the lyrics call us to awaken to a new stage of thinking: “Bear in mind people that the only thing constant is change ... Devotional service comes through actions. Everything in life has reactions.” In another example of philosophical vibes, “Perfect Timing,” begins: “Well if you tell me that your way is the only way to the mountain top. That is pure hypocrisy. All righteous roads are an expression of one final destination ... Energy drifting, pendulum shiftin’, perfect timing. We’re not only of earth, we are of the omniverse. My blood is in the cosmics. The sky the sea the dirt the sun and it’s all worth.” Strictly conscious lyrics dominate Niyo’s songwriting, as
do his esoterically charged philosophy and ideas. While “A Different Age” is a reggae CD, there are few musical restrictions and the sounds mix in edges of jazz, blues and hip-hop. Listen up, because Niyo is a rising king on the reggae scene and a leader in our artistic community. “A Different Age” is an example of a strong musical creation bringing a powerful message, a gift to be cherished by the people and sure to become a Virgin Islands reggae classic. NiyoRah’s second solo album, “Purification Session,” is scheduled for release in mid-May. Look out for details on his CD release parties on St. Thomas and St. Croix. For more information, visit www.viroots.com, www.igraderecords.com or e-mail niyorah@igraderecords.com. Z= Zarah Rose N=NiyoRah Z: I remember in school at UVI you had a big book of songs, do you still write as much. Did you use any of those songs for this album? N: Some of the songs I did, for instance “Angry Mother Nature,” “Thinking about my life” and “Light of Jah,” have evolved out of some past songs. I do still write as much as I did before I was performing regularly. Z: How do you think you’ve changed, musically? N: As one gains experience you become more disciplined and the arrangement becomes a joyful process, so because of my experience, my writing skills have improved. You meet other people and experience other places and you get a new perception of things, the more you learn, the more you develop a variety of styles, and I am not just fixed to one, and yes my styles vary. Z: What would you like to tell people about your music and what you have been doing recently? N: “A Different Age” has a base of roots reggae, with a touch of soul, a touch of jazz, a little hip hop. Something for all people, all conscious messages. In February, I am going on my next tour,
going back to the East and West Coast of North America. Hawaii, possibly Europe. Including, Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, I hope. I will be going with the I-Grade Record Camp and The Red Eye Band coming out of St. Croix. My first CD was released June 1, 2005. I went on tour in July through August 2005, the East Coast, Vermont, North Carolina Virginia, etc. Then, on the West Coast, I went to Seattle, Wash.; Portland, Ore.; and various places in Northern California, such as Berkeley, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Arcadia, Nevada City. Z: Are you and Star Lion still doing projects together? N: Yes, and right now the members of Star Lion including Pressure, Ickarus Rafijah, Siras, Kimbe and Jahgon are releasing solo albums and Pressure and Kimbe are releasing a duo album. Ickarus and Kimbe are both releasing albums next year March. Ickarus’ collective is named “Mind of the Icktionary.” Pressure’s CD is already released also, called “The Pressure is On.” Z: Since when did you know yourself as a musical artist? N: Since Jah gave me the confidence to pursue this art form as a career. As a livity. Z: What kind of role do you see artists—of any genre—playing in the development of our community as a whole? N: Every artist should know that they could become role models in the eyes of children. After recognizing the potential of possibly becoming a leader, an artist should take a firm stand in doing positive or progressive work. So, artists basically should take leadership roles for the sake of the youth. Z: What do you think makes a good musical artist? N: Truthfully, it’s to have strong lyrics that relate to as many people as possible, a well-rounded business person and a dynamic and consistent performer. Someone who puts people’s needs to the forefront. Z: How is the mainstream music business changing in terms of welcoming artists from the V.I. or Caribbean music in general? N: The mainstream music business is definitely taking an island twist, in terms of welcoming artists from the V.I. Music from the Virgin Islands is already international, from Midnite to Desarie to
Army to my family Star Lion. Z: Do you see it getting bigger? N: The music is being requested from Europe to Africa to South Africa, to North America, Hawaii, all around the Caribbean. Reggae is definitely an international music, internationally it’s growing. Z: So, is this the consciousness of people changing in a positive direction? N: Yes. True, there is a certain fire that has been ignited, with the rising of the music, it is obvious that the consciousness of the people is changing. Z: What would you like to see change about the reggae scene and the music itself? N: I wish the lyrical content and the videos that are playing from our mainstream could be something more meaningful for the youths, something with a more upful message rather than all the “bling” and the degradation of women, all of that folly. Z: What would you like to see happen in the local music scene? N: More marketing by the artists and their companies. I would like to see more studios and I would love if the V.I. artists could get much more airplay, because it is really up to our local radio stations to put us to the forefront. Z: I know you study and practice a livity of RastaFari, will you tell me specifically how this spiritually has influenced your music? N: Well the livity of RastaFari is based on nature, and nature has influenced my music in the best way possible, because it carries that natural vibration and it can take you where your mind needs to go. So the current that Nature carries, pushes my music and my lyrics into infinite subject matters, from solutions to civil war, to pushing the practices of farming and agriculture. Z: Also, how your journey into music has affected your faith? N: On the other hand, my journey into music has given my mind an opening experience, meeting different people and seeing different places and these experiences strengthen one’s inner being, realizing the beauty of the Almighty’s creation, on a literal level.
Z: Many people do not realize the link of ancient Africa to their own identity. How would you explain to ones of all ethnicities or identity how they may relate to this concept? N: A tree has different branches, a branch to the east, a branch to the west. All in all, there is one trunk, one root, and for all people of the earth, the root for the highest forms of civilization, ever known to the human being were those from civilization of Africa. The only unconquered nation on the face of this earth is Ethiopia and that should be a sign for us. That in itself is of great importance. By “unconquered” I mean the original essence of the Black man is a concept of inner freedom, the greatest freedom that any man could ever attain. All people can see Africa as a genetic starting point of the existence of the human being, an international starting point of self. Z: What do you see yourself accomplishing musically in the next three years? How about in the next nine years? N: Truthfully this is the only way I can answer this: That is all up to the Almighty. I can try my best, but that is up to the Almighty. Z: You’re a father of two young children, and you have a song about children on your CD. What are you now learning as a young parent and how have your views changed since having children of your own? N: What I have learned as a parent is that parents have be consistent and children look up to their parents like god, as their only source of guidance. The feelings of children are very delicate and they need lots and lots of love to become confident. And I feel that its very important for parents to help equip their children with basic needs for survival: learning how to farm, learning how to build and learning how to make clothing. It’s also important to teach them how to trade and network among each other.