MICAH SHEMAIAH is one of the greatest roots reggae voice from Jamaica in the last decade. He comes from young generation movement called J.O.E. (JAH OVA EVIL) and since his rockers hit tune Dread At The Control, he brought to audience also big tunes like Reggae Rockit, Rockers Party, Legal, Jah Love + many more and already three albums (the fourth is on its way in 2017).His last two albums Shalalak - Rockers Rebirth and Original Dread were both released also on vinyl LP as well as most of his singels, which are avaialable on all formats of vinyl too. Micah itself is ambassador for releasing music on vinyl and he is one of those few artists who fights for restoring vinyl industry in Jamaica. Greetings Micah, can you indroduce yourself littlebit and tell us where does your nickname Shemaiah come from? I read it means: ´one who fears the Almighty & one who loves the Almighty ´, does it characterize your personality?
Blessed love iya, I am Micah Shemaiah Abrahams, singer songwriter /studio Engineer/ producer. The name Shemaiah as you can see is not a nick name really its my middle name Given to me from birth enuh. At about age 20 my mother revealed to me what my birth names meant, MICAH- one who fears the Almighty and SHEMAIAH one who loves the almighty. This has brought a perfect balance to I personally, a oneness.
How can you desribe us your living inna Gordon Town and compare it to Kingston City?
Actually not living in Gordon town, I live in a place called Tavern close to Gordon town though, And Kingston city is not much different from Tavern..Same runnings Iya. Political robbers and blood suckers, Gangsters and RASTAFARI
In your biography is written:“ being born into the twelve tribes of israel“, what are in your opinion main differences between 12 tribes of Israel and Bobbo Shanti? Do these rasta movements somehow cooporate together or not?
To be honest over the years the Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Bobbo Shanti have had there differences about food doctrines enuh, this is the only real issue that I could see between these two mansions of RASTAFARI , but they do work closely together for the upliftment of Rastafarians and people on a whole. The Bobbo Shanti, are more in a priestly role whilst the Twelve Tribes of Israel are know as the Scholars of the Rastafarian Orthodox faith. The studying of the word and removing the segregation between black white and Asian people. Ham ,Shem and Japheth . They balance each other both spiritualy and economically.
What is present situation with rastafari movement in Jamaica? Are youth people in Jamaica nowadays more interested about rasta culture by influence of artistes like you, JAH9, PROTOJE, CHRONIXX, HEMPRESS SATIVA etc. or not?
Yes, I would say the youtes are beginning to be influenced by the music and the lifestyle of this New generation. It's a Fragile situation though, as Rasta over the years have not really continued stead fast on the vision from which it started, the Elders that were the pioneers of those days have somewhat strayed the mental from trying to achieve spiritual liberation from the system and Bringing forward the power of RASTAFARI through the eyes of Africa. In my opinion we were drugged with a little power and some of us bought with a little promise of affluence enuh. So the mother land ( AFRICA ) is still awaiting its creators.
As a young vibrant and knowledgable generation we will bring Rasta from mostly being a fad and way to rebel, to being the spiritual backbone for youths coming up in this time. We aim to teach them that its more than just locks and Red Green and Gold. THERE IS ACTUALLY A MISSION AND A VISION FOR THE PEOPLE.
Do you think that things around SNOOP LION, Bunny Wailer and Rastafarians has somehow brought back interest about rasta movement also from abroad?
They say every kind of publicity is good publicity, but Rasta nuh need publicity. Spirituality is just being one with everything. I think this farce is helping to do two things. TO WATER DOWN THE SPIRITUAL BASE ON WHICH RASTAFARI STANDS, AND TO CREATE A HYBRID RASTA WITH NO DEPTH, JUST SURFACE LIVITY.
You are also part of project called JAH OVA EVIL, what can you tell us about it? What are its main activities?
JAH OVA EVIL IS Joe Alty Nunes, great friend and brother, humble Soul, warrior fi JAH. The purpose of the movement now called JAH OVA evil is just what the name says. Time for evil to fear good.
According to you and your musical beginnings when you have started singing and playing music?What were your musical influences when you was a youth? Do they change since then, or are same still now?
Mi just loved being RASTAFARI, wanted all my friends at school to experience what it was like growing up in the House of Rasta. Loved music also enuh, so the influence was through powerful bredren and sistren dedicating there entire musical journey to the awakening of the true spirit on earth enuh. Real
What are the hardest obstacles and barries for young, upcoming reggae artistes in Jamaica? Is it much more difficult if artist is a rasta?
There is only one obstacle really, ones self enuh, for we have already been exposed to the struggles of the generation before us and that the knowledge of RASTAFARI takes you to another place where most people avoid going. So the journey in its most beautiful form will always be extremely hard. I and I just have to push on through
During year 2009 your album Rasta meditation was released, how can you desribe it, who produce it, what kind of musicians played there and what was the feedback from the listeners?
The RASTAMAN MEDITATION album was a self produced project. I built most of the riddims myself did most of the engineering too, almost all of those songs on that album were voiced by me running from the computer to the voicing booth and back, it was crazy. There were some tracks though that were done by mi Bredda Jahnoi Nunes and I also did a track with Earl Chinna Smith called Giving Thanks . Sold my car, left my Job as a Paralegal and almost lost my woman in the making of this project. The album was something I had to do at the time enuh, cause I had reached a cross roads in music where in order to keep my love for it in the midst of great struggles I had to see if the world would ever accept me as one of RASTAFARI'S musical vessels. So I put my Meditation out to the world enuh. The feedback gave me strength to push on.
As a young vibrant and knowledgable generation we will bring Rasta from mostly being a fad and way to rebel, to being the spiritual backbone for youths coming up in this time. We aim to teach them that its more than just locks and Red Green and Gold. THERE IS ACTUALLY A MISSION AND A VISION FOR THE PEOPLE.
Do you think that things around SNOOP LION, Bunny Wailer and Rastafarians has somehow brought back interest about rasta movement also from abroad?
They say every kind of publicity is good publicity, but Rasta nuh need publicity. Spirituality is just being one with everything. I think this farce is helping to do two things. TO WATER DOWN THE SPIRITUAL BASE ON WHICH RASTAFARI STANDS, AND TO CREATE A HYBRID RASTA WITH NO DEPTH, JUST SURFACE LIVITY.
You are also part of project called JAH OVA EVIL, what can you tell us about it? What are its main activities?
JAH OVA EVIL IS Joe Alty Nunes, great friend and brother, humble Soul, warrior fi JAH. The purpose of the movement now called JAH OVA evil is just what the name says. Time for evil to fear good.
According to you and your musical beginnings when you have started singing and playing music?What were your musical influences when you was a youth? Do they change since then, or are same still now?
Mi just loved being RASTAFARI, wanted all my friends at school to experience what it was like growing up in the House of Rasta. Loved music also enuh, so the influence was through powerful bredren and sistren dedicating there entire musical journey to the awakening of the true spirit on earth enuh. Real
What are the hardest obstacles and barries for young, upcoming reggae artistes in Jamaica? Is it much more difficult if artist is a rasta?
There is only one obstacle really, ones self enuh, for we have already been exposed to the struggles of the generation before us and that the knowledge of RASTAFARI takes you to another place where most people avoid going. So the journey in its most beautiful form will always be extremely hard. I and I just have to push on through
During year 2009 your album Rasta meditation was released, how can you desribe it, who produce it, what kind of musicians played there and what was the feedback from the listeners?
The RASTAMAN MEDITATION album was a self produced project. I built most of the riddims myself did most of the engineering too, almost all of those songs on that album were voiced by me running from the computer to the voicing booth and back, it was crazy. There were some tracks though that were done by mi Bredda Jahnoi Nunes and I also did a track with Earl Chinna Smith called Giving Thanks . Sold my car, left my Job as a Paralegal and almost lost my woman in the making of this project. The album was something I had to do at the time enuh, cause I had reached a cross roads in music where in order to keep my love for it in the midst of great struggles I had to see if the world would ever accept me as one of RASTAFARI'S musical vessels. So I put my Meditation out to the world enuh. The feedback gave me strength to push on.
Your brand new upcoming hit tune Dread At The Control mashed up di music scene in all corners of the world with its reggae rockers sound and irie vibes inna video, what can you tell us about that tune , video and featuring artistes as well?
Well that tune came about down a Portland enuh, a place called boundbrook in Port Antonio. After discovering the sweet almost Jah love vibes of the Kingston dub club inna Reggae Mountain with Gabre Selassie and his Rockers Soundstation, mi trod go a Portland enuh cool and peaceful. The vibe just flowed from JAH, the song came. I started to put it together with Infinite, then as we do on most occasions when wi find a sweet vibe wi share it enuh, suh wi bring in TJ (likkle Briggie )and Hempress Sativa as they are not only mi Bredda and sista they are children of original Rockers legends inna this music enuh, then JAHKIME wi youngest warrior right now, to give him the push he needed for the industry here to open there ears to another great young sound. JAH create magic fi wi iya, wi give thanks.
Well that tune came about down a Portland enuh, a place called boundbrook in Port Antonio. After discovering the sweet almost Jah love vibes of the Kingston dub club inna Reggae Mountain with Gabre Selassie and his Rockers Soundstation, mi trod go a Portland enuh cool and peaceful. The vibe just flowed from JAH, the song came. I started to put it together with Infinite, then as we do on most occasions when wi find a sweet vibe wi share it enuh, suh wi bring in TJ (likkle Briggie )and Hempress Sativa as they are not only mi Bredda and sista they are children of original Rockers legends inna this music enuh, then JAHKIME wi youngest warrior right now, to give him the push he needed for the industry here to open there ears to another great young sound. JAH create magic fi wi iya, wi give thanks.
Dem basically kill wi vynl industry inna Jamaica enuh, the people have a fast food mentality and Jamaican's are mostly wagonists suh dem used the new shine of Cd's and download media fi drain the life outa the Record buisness, but we know that if all the upcoming artistes that have a demand inna earth do there music on vynl it will regenerate the market and help our sound to survive. Wi seh vynl straight.
Video for Dread At The Control includes parts from Kingston Dub Club, can you tell us something about clubs history and activities?
Well the history as I know It is really Gabre Selassie being true to the roots and helping to create a hub where we all can go and hold a good vibes with each other without feeling strange because we are Rockers youtes. we just would not fit in anywhere else. Give thanks to GABRE SELASSIE
Well the history as I know It is really Gabre Selassie being true to the roots and helping to create a hub where we all can go and hold a good vibes with each other without feeling strange because we are Rockers youtes. we just would not fit in anywhere else. Give thanks to GABRE SELASSIE
Accoring to sound system culture, what are your favourite jamaican foundation and present sound systems and why?
There is only one sound I love and thats Rockers truth and rights music. When I was growing up it was JAH LOVE , now it's ROCKERS SOUND STATION.
What about your live performences, what you bring to people when you come up the stage? Do you prefer performing accoustic alone or playing with full equiped band?
I man jus love to be alive enuh , and only live music can make you feel alive on stage so as long as its live mi good iya, Acoustic is more personal suh when wi really want to talk to the people in depth wi bring it to the simplest form.
What are your future plans? When we can look forward to Micah Shemaiah LP album or next rockers hit tune Reggae Rockit? Where and when do you plan also tour?:
Well right now mi deh US for a promotional tour, having trouble going to Europe for the summer enuh, cause most of my songs are done in collaboration with my brothers and sisters inna di music, and the promoters don't want to take a chance to bring us enuh, they mainly want to bring I alone, so I will wait on the time when di I dem can afford to bring us all enuh. As for the release of music, wi jus wait on JAH seen.
As last question I am giving yuh free space to give some message to people reading this interview.I thank you for your time to answer my question and of course nuff respect fi music yuh doing.
AS I SAID EARLIER ENUH, ITS TIME FOR EVIL TO FEAR GOOD . AND I AM FOREVER GIVING THANKS FOR THE STRENGTH AND SUPPORT FROM ALL PEOPLE. SELASSIE I
There is only one sound I love and thats Rockers truth and rights music. When I was growing up it was JAH LOVE , now it's ROCKERS SOUND STATION.
What about your live performences, what you bring to people when you come up the stage? Do you prefer performing accoustic alone or playing with full equiped band?
I man jus love to be alive enuh , and only live music can make you feel alive on stage so as long as its live mi good iya, Acoustic is more personal suh when wi really want to talk to the people in depth wi bring it to the simplest form.
What are your future plans? When we can look forward to Micah Shemaiah LP album or next rockers hit tune Reggae Rockit? Where and when do you plan also tour?:
Well right now mi deh US for a promotional tour, having trouble going to Europe for the summer enuh, cause most of my songs are done in collaboration with my brothers and sisters inna di music, and the promoters don't want to take a chance to bring us enuh, they mainly want to bring I alone, so I will wait on the time when di I dem can afford to bring us all enuh. As for the release of music, wi jus wait on JAH seen.
As last question I am giving yuh free space to give some message to people reading this interview.I thank you for your time to answer my question and of course nuff respect fi music yuh doing.
AS I SAID EARLIER ENUH, ITS TIME FOR EVIL TO FEAR GOOD . AND I AM FOREVER GIVING THANKS FOR THE STRENGTH AND SUPPORT FROM ALL PEOPLE. SELASSIE I
Questions: KAYAMAN/ONE-OFF ROCKERS
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT MICAH SHEMAIAH follow the links bellow:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/MICAH-SHEMAIAH-MUSIC/
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