- published: 19 Dec 2014
- views: 1882257
Sizzla Kalonji, or simply Sizzla (born Miguel Orlando Collins, April 17, 1976, Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae musician. He is one of the most commercially and critically successful contemporary reggae artists and is noted for his high number of releases. As of 2011 he had released over 65 solo albums.
Sizzla was born in Kingston in 1976 to devout Rastafari movement parents. Like them Sizzla subscribes to the Bobo Ashanti branch of the Rastafari movement. He was raised in August Town, Kingston Jamaica where he studied mechanical engineering at Dunoon High School.
Kalonji witnessed a dancehall explosion, and with the music came the lifestyle: drugs, guns, and "slackness" (vulgarity). Formally adopting the Rastafari faith, with its advocacy of repatriation to Africa and its use of cannabis, he joined the ranks of the Bobo Ashanti in the mid-1990s.
Sizzla began to develop his own style whilst serving his musical apprenticeship with the Caveman Hi-Fi sound system. He has used his music as a vehicle for his message, kickstarting his recording career in 1995 with a release through the Zagalou label, he then teamed up with "Bobby Digital" Dixon for a series of singles. Extensive touring with fellow roots and culture artist Luciano followed, earning Sizzla notability.
[Intro:]
Hail to the High owner of Iration and his Imperial Majesty
Emperor Haile Selassie I
I'm from a place where there's only love
Where the sun comes home every morning
Be upright black people and love Jah works
In praises I and I chant with the rising
Step away, get away, from the sinking sand
Never you disobey, yow, Selassie I the conquering lion
The again
[Chorus:]
Then a wah dat the whole a them a gwaab with?
Who that the bugger them go par with?
Them go bow and go stoop themselves low
Rasta man a trod it up, it's like them never know.
Wah dat the whole a them a gwaan with?
Who that the bugger them go par with?
Them go bow and go stoop themselves low
Rasta man a trod it up, it's like them just a know.
[Verse 1:]
In a them yah time a them blind
Them no see sey that a Rasta Far I time
See sey that a bad company nah go join
See sey that a obeah man friend them go find
Nuff a them skin teeth, no pay them any mind
Look a who fa tree nuff run go climb
See sey that a another man them a grind
Love me black woman, me nah go leave her behind
Babylon you like to carry evil from mind
Blacker are the lion and you are the swine
Caan sell me out fi two pence nor coin
Caan hitch me up like dirty clothes pon no line
Them yah judgement caan rewind
Unnuh better incline
Higher property from this time
[Chorus]
[Verse 2:]
Me tell you, never show your enemies your strees
Cause they will bring the wicked man into your place
Fire me deh burn, so tell the Eden make haste
Me go see sey a time them a waste
This a no the tooth, this a no the paste
This a no the boot, this a no the lace
This a no the glasses way deh pon your face
Fire I a bun, so tell the Eden make haste
Tell them black up the belt, I come and take your place
Repatriation we still agitate
Tell them righteousness youths a anticipate
Tell them this is faith
Emperor Selassie a no fake
[Chorus]
[Verse 3:]
Upper level them a try fi disguise
In a the spiritual level
Melt away, sey deh tell me that nothing can be hidden
Emperor Selassie I the only Christ ever
King Emmanuel give me the lesson
[Chorus]
[Verse 1]