Midnite is a roots reggae band from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, which s… Read Full Bio ↴Midnite is a roots reggae band from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, which started playing in 1989.
The band was started by brothers Vaughn Benjamin (August 13, 1969 - November 4, 2019)
(vocals) and Ron Benjamin (keyboard, but later switched to bass) circa 1989 according to an interview with former Midnite drummer Ambrose "Amby" Connor by Midnight Raver. The band's music follows in tradition with the roots reggae bands of 1970s Jamaica. The lyrical portions of Midnite's compositions are characterized as the "chant and call" style which gives their music a spiritually intense and an overtly Rastafari movement feel. The lyrics are centrally focused on the plights of the oppressed, the inherent faults of the current political, economic and social settings on a global scale, and the redemption available to mankind through a life dedicated to Jah.
The Benjamin brothers were raised in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, the sons of Antiguan musician Ronnie Benjamin, Sr. Vaughn Benjamin cites Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, The Abyssinians, and bassist Flabba Holt as his earliest influences.
"Bob Marley has had a big impact. And the drum and the bass from like Flabba Holt. Sometimes I listen to the bass man alone or the drummer alone."
The group's debut album Unpolished was released exclusively in Namibia in December 1997. The album would not see a proper U.S. release until the Rastafaria label released it wide in 2001. They recorded Ras Mek Peace (Before Reverb and Without Delay) while living in Washington, D.C. during the mid-90s, and it was released in November 1999. The album was named so, because it was reportedly recorded live in one room, straight to two-track analog tape. It was mastered without the use of compression or corrective equalization. Like Unpolished, Ras Mek Peace (Before Reverb and Without Delay) is recorded using no mixing board, no filtering, no compression, no equalization, no noise reduction, multitracking or overdubbing, giving it a similar raw sound. The album was recorded using only two-tracks at Mapleshade in Upper Marlboro, MD with studio engineer and owner Pierre Sprey whose recording style is summed up in the phrase he had printed to green Mapleshade T-shirts to promote the studio: NO Mixing Board, NO Overdubs, NO Noise Reduction, NO Compression, NO Multitracks, NO Reverb, NO EQ, Nothing BUT The Excitement of Live Music, MUSIC WITHOUT COMPROMISE.
Later, they returned home to St. Croix in the late '90s to play with local musicians and record at their music studio, Afrikan Roots Lab.
Midnite frequently collaborates with new artists and has played as the back-up band on a number of Afrikan Roots Lab artists' releases, such as Dezarie's Fya and Gracious Mama Africa and Ikahba's Trodding to Zion.
In September 2011, Midnite released their first professionally produced music video for their song "Mongst I&I". The video features members of the band in casual settings and depicts the Rastafarian culture in Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands (referred to as "Freedom City," St. Croix), and Kingston, Jamaica.
Singer Vaughn Benjamin featured on Tribal Seeds' 2014 album Representing.
The band was featured in the 2014 documentary film Escape To St Croix.
In 2015, the band reformed around co-founder Vaughn Benjamin as Akae Beka without bassist Ron Benjamin. Ras Elyments Took Ron Benjamins Position on Bass. Suren Felton Replaced Ras L on Keys. The reasons for the reformation have been stated as due to "Life changes, convictions and revelations. Stated on the band website was "Due to a medical emergency the tour is postponed" Members of the band themselves won't even say during the recent Akae Beka Coronation Tour in November 2015. '. Akae Beka's first performance took place in Denver, Colorado on July 17, 2015 in honor of Nelson Mandela Day.
Vaughn Benjamin died in Port St. Lucie, Florida, on November 4, 2019, at the age of 50.
In its Top 50 Reggae Albums of the 2K list, reggae news and information website Midnight Raver ranked Midnite's Jubilees of Zion as the best album of the new millennium and 'Beauty for Ashes' as the third best. In its review of Akae Beka's Homage To The Land, Midnight Raver referred to Midnite as "the most revered, influential and prolific reggae act in two decades."
The band was started by brothers Vaughn Benjamin (August 13, 1969 - November 4, 2019)
(vocals) and Ron Benjamin (keyboard, but later switched to bass) circa 1989 according to an interview with former Midnite drummer Ambrose "Amby" Connor by Midnight Raver. The band's music follows in tradition with the roots reggae bands of 1970s Jamaica. The lyrical portions of Midnite's compositions are characterized as the "chant and call" style which gives their music a spiritually intense and an overtly Rastafari movement feel. The lyrics are centrally focused on the plights of the oppressed, the inherent faults of the current political, economic and social settings on a global scale, and the redemption available to mankind through a life dedicated to Jah.
The Benjamin brothers were raised in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, the sons of Antiguan musician Ronnie Benjamin, Sr. Vaughn Benjamin cites Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, The Abyssinians, and bassist Flabba Holt as his earliest influences.
"Bob Marley has had a big impact. And the drum and the bass from like Flabba Holt. Sometimes I listen to the bass man alone or the drummer alone."
The group's debut album Unpolished was released exclusively in Namibia in December 1997. The album would not see a proper U.S. release until the Rastafaria label released it wide in 2001. They recorded Ras Mek Peace (Before Reverb and Without Delay) while living in Washington, D.C. during the mid-90s, and it was released in November 1999. The album was named so, because it was reportedly recorded live in one room, straight to two-track analog tape. It was mastered without the use of compression or corrective equalization. Like Unpolished, Ras Mek Peace (Before Reverb and Without Delay) is recorded using no mixing board, no filtering, no compression, no equalization, no noise reduction, multitracking or overdubbing, giving it a similar raw sound. The album was recorded using only two-tracks at Mapleshade in Upper Marlboro, MD with studio engineer and owner Pierre Sprey whose recording style is summed up in the phrase he had printed to green Mapleshade T-shirts to promote the studio: NO Mixing Board, NO Overdubs, NO Noise Reduction, NO Compression, NO Multitracks, NO Reverb, NO EQ, Nothing BUT The Excitement of Live Music, MUSIC WITHOUT COMPROMISE.
Later, they returned home to St. Croix in the late '90s to play with local musicians and record at their music studio, Afrikan Roots Lab.
Midnite frequently collaborates with new artists and has played as the back-up band on a number of Afrikan Roots Lab artists' releases, such as Dezarie's Fya and Gracious Mama Africa and Ikahba's Trodding to Zion.
In September 2011, Midnite released their first professionally produced music video for their song "Mongst I&I". The video features members of the band in casual settings and depicts the Rastafarian culture in Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands (referred to as "Freedom City," St. Croix), and Kingston, Jamaica.
Singer Vaughn Benjamin featured on Tribal Seeds' 2014 album Representing.
The band was featured in the 2014 documentary film Escape To St Croix.
In 2015, the band reformed around co-founder Vaughn Benjamin as Akae Beka without bassist Ron Benjamin. Ras Elyments Took Ron Benjamins Position on Bass. Suren Felton Replaced Ras L on Keys. The reasons for the reformation have been stated as due to "Life changes, convictions and revelations. Stated on the band website was "Due to a medical emergency the tour is postponed" Members of the band themselves won't even say during the recent Akae Beka Coronation Tour in November 2015. '. Akae Beka's first performance took place in Denver, Colorado on July 17, 2015 in honor of Nelson Mandela Day.
Vaughn Benjamin died in Port St. Lucie, Florida, on November 4, 2019, at the age of 50.
In its Top 50 Reggae Albums of the 2K list, reggae news and information website Midnight Raver ranked Midnite's Jubilees of Zion as the best album of the new millennium and 'Beauty for Ashes' as the third best. In its review of Akae Beka's Homage To The Land, Midnight Raver referred to Midnite as "the most revered, influential and prolific reggae act in two decades."
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Jubilees of Zion
Midnite Lyrics
Batter Ram Sound Mm hmm All elements of the world present Selassie I humble y…
Begin the Day If you no know Jah know If you no see Jah…
Birthright is the Ticket Yeah yeah awhoa oh yeah Come slave pickny Sons of ruling h…
Earth Cycle Now A Rasta Ooh ooa Only when a lion is already Zion bound Herb will…
Great Zimbabwe Walls Economic liberation is a duty I owe to posterity great Zim…
Jubilees of Zion Jubilees Of Zion After I heart bleed for Zion Nothing de…
Kings On the Clothes Line Whoa oh yeah yeah, whoa oh yeah yeah Kings on the…
Mighty Race Whoa ooo For starters listen mothers and daughters I love …
One Children of the new covenant Hear I oh Israel Jah rasta…
Ras To the Bone To the bone To the bone To the bone Youth man know you…
Ring Out A Chant Whoa yeah oh whoa oh whoa Yeah ring out a chant…
Southeastern Moon Hm hm mm oh oh - yeah oh yeah mm Hm…
White Collar Criminal Them is you lackey and you crony Only from resistance you…
Wrickta Scale Oh oh well oh oh aye oh oh Oh who aye…
You Make I Feel Ah hm highest regards in eye sight Mostly all good you…
Sista Iria Cruzan Ohioan
on 360
How it come out
pon the label
Part one the scene
Pon the register pon the turntable
An art come in
And then the form metamorph
Like them don't regard
That part is the history
And it broke out a wall
Reach the world afterall
High King Selassie I the first
He is The Master of Verse with finalities
And the people have dem selection fe which dem a
each
when traveling journeys
And before you even realize
you reach how the vibes stay 'plete
Complete
Mek a Heaven where you dead there have you
choose it away
And leave
If Instructional word people don't wan't to
heard
When is plea
Afraid of the wait and see
End up 360
expression
Everyone in reality inna similarity
Look how everywhere you reach
a look alike you see to somebody
Music whey help people take their stand
New music worldwide always in demand
Jah give the mountain, waters and the sand
They watching the metamorphosis of
expression
interesante song
This is how it move along
ant it a hill and valley
Itiful country,country
Country nah feel so jumpy
Fe steady and easy
Is really a scenic drive to see
And the spirit ina right vibrationally
Inna the natural how to see
How the Earth look free
And the birds and the bees done see
See you a pree
And come in visitationally
Is a Rastaman he be
Haile Selassie
Yagga pot ina jeep
Sista Iria Cruzan Ohioan
on 360
How it come out
pon the label
Part one the scene
Pon the register pon the turntable
An art come in
And then the form metamorph
Like them don't regard
That part is the history
And it broke out a wall
Reach the world afterall
High King Selassie I the first
He is The Master of Verse with finalities
And the people have dem selection fe which dem a
each
when traveling journeys
And before you even realize
you reach how the vibes stay 'plete
Complete
Mek a Heaven where you dead there have you
choose it away
And leave
If Instructional word people don't wan't to
heard
When is plea
Afraid of the wait and see
End up 360
expression
Everyone in reality inna similarity
Look how everywhere you reach
a look alike you see to somebody
Music whey help people take their stand
New music worldwide always in demand
Jah give the mountain, waters and the sand
They watching the metamorphosis of
expression
interesante song
This is how it move along
ant it a hill and valley
Itiful country,country
Country nah feel so jumpy
Fe steady and easy
Is really a scenic drive to see
And the spirit ina right vibrationally
Inna the natural how to see
How the Earth look free
And the birds and the bees done see
See you a pree
And come in visitationally
Is a Rastaman he be
Haile Selassie
Yagga pot ina jeep
Wun
on Livity
Word Hide
Wun
on Livity
Waiting as the documents arrive
Wun
on Livity
Shredding machines stay on, waiting as the documents arrive
RAS KARMA
on Again a Lion
Covenant ( as in the Nazerite Covenant)
Jahlion
on That's On You (Owna Dirt)
One of the most spiritual reggae tunes ever. Truth ina the music being produced by Jah gifted mind fe lift I black righteous Israelite
Praca Tuner
on Jah Ovah
Everytime I listen to Midnite I am motivated to live a better life. Beautiful indeed.
Kris
on Strongly
Hello. Does any one knows where can I find the lyrics from the son strongly from the disc scheme a things? Thanks
Sophia Campbell
on In 8
Can you please post the lyrics for In 8