Midnite
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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Midnite Lyrics
360 How it come out pon the label Part one the scene Pon the…
A Healing A Healing" A Healing Bring a healing Bring a healing New exp…
A Reminder Almighty JAH, Rastafari, Rastafari When it is revealed, let …
Abadan Abyss Drastically resistant to Rome Drastically resistant to Rome …
Again a Lion Haile Selassie I, Sensitivities on the side, Rested stay awa…
Ah Jah Yeah... ah Rastafari Speaking against the destruction for th…
Ainshant Maps Ainshant Maps Midnite Who you Who is you Who you Who you b…
All People Memba Jah ave the lightning and wind in safe keeping It no…
All Ye Naashan All Ye Naashan Midnite All the nations hail him jah All ye…
Ana Manakin From the molecule structures micro we get everything Ina th…
Ancesta Ah ah Song to I ancesta You had to be the…
At Will If you ever leave me, baby, Leave some morphine at…
Banking in the Pig Whoa oh oh yeah yeah Banking in the pig Banking in the…
Batter Ram Sound Mm hmm All elements of the world present Selassie I humble…
Batter Ram Sound Mm hmm All elements of the world present Selassie I humble y…
Bazra In the Eyes of Jah In the Eyes of Jah…
Beauty for Ashes The highest live, the highest live To trust where someone is…
Before I Lose My Strength Blessed are they who (trust) From the words of (stream) of…
Begin the Day If you no know Jah know If you no see Jah…
Better Mus Come Better Mus Come Midnite You want to make it better or wors…
Betterment Mouth Every time we ask the king say King Rastafari give us…
Birthright is the Ticket Yeah yeah awhoa oh yeah Come slave pickny Sons of ruling h…
BLack Congo Ah lard yeah God yeah ah yeah yeah yeah Did you…
Bless Them coulda bless, them coulda bless Them coulda bless, them…
Bun A Corn Yeah woh They get the break pon the shift, So they holla…
Bushman Yeah I am a Bushman I am a Bushman I am a Bushman I…
Children of Jah We are the children of jah We are his dwelling place We…
Closed Societies As there been victories, yah know? His Majesty, Hail Selassi…
Dew Call precipitation the dew, To perfection she bring the eart…
Don't Be So Dont be so weird Dont be so weird about it Dont be…
Don't Move Don't move off your position Rasta man don't move Show them …
Done Wrong Type hey hey yeah yeah yeah we never leave none of your…
Dont Be So Dont be so weird Dont be so weird about it Dont be…
Due Reward If you plant corn You gonna’ reap corn That’ what a gwan …
Earth Cycle Now A Rasta Ooh ooa Only when a lion is already Zion bound Herb will…
Empress Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo Yeah aye yeah aye whoa…
Envision Like if spice up your life now with drama, Is the…
Exalt the Crown Staying afloat in the pressing stream Holding onto the buoya…
Fallen Soldiers Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Playing around with the peoples Is…
Foolish and the Wise Oh oh oh o oh yeah yeah Oh oh oh o…
For His Speech That ur guilty, is a given On the media was ur…
Forgiven Forgiven... Forgiven... Forgiven... Forgiven... We′ve been c…
Free Indeed So now they want to feel... How it feel to be…
Great Zimbabwe Walls Economic liberation is a duty I owe to posterity great Zim…
Green Pastures Ever living Haile Selassie I Ever Present Enoch and the hos…
Healah Jah is a healah jah is a healah jah is a thunder fearsome…
Hemp Scroll Oh oh it is needed. What dat is a ganja man…
Hieroglyphics Yeah the hieroglyphic of the modern day This is the hierogl…
High Order High Order Whoaaa yayyy yaay aayy Is Good to have life I…
Holy Mountain What the clock represent yeah as time get dread When the…
Hymns Ancient black Eucharis tradition Burnt offering, unto my Lor…
I Chant I chant. I chant, I chant, I chant, I chant. My whole…
In Awe I Hold His Majesty in Awe I Hold His Megaliths in…
In the Race So Far In a the race so far In a the race so…
Is His This one is for it Good feeling if you have it... And…
Jah Umbrella Oh aye Beautiful woman you're under pressure Accusation of a…
Jubilees of Zion Jubilees Of Zion After I heart bleed for Zion Nothing de…
Kaaba Stone They don’t know love yeah You see can’t feel love yeah You…
Kings Bell Rasta show them Modern royal of happenings Preserve your cul…
Kings On the Clothes Line Whoa oh yeah yeah, whoa oh yeah yeah Kings on the…
Knocka Fia Me neva' stop praise Jah on mi six string Yamaha(Yamaharp) p…
Late Night Ghetto A tune called late night ghetto, hmm aye A chun called…
Lianess Rastafari decree, Rastafari decree, Rastafari decree! In …
Lion Wears the Crown Woo Rastafari rule and reign Rastafari guide and protect I …
Livity Look and See Look and see Me no shy about nothing weh…
Love Is Among Don't beat up yourself so love is among helpfulness is…
Love Right Ah ha ah ha a Ah ha ah ha a Ah ha…
Love the Life Love the life you live Lead the life you love Love the…
Love the life you live Love the life you live Lead the life you love Love the…
Make It in Time I fear to offend Jah more then to offend them…
Mama Africa Africa I belong I belong I belong Africa I belong I…
Meditation Meditation, Meditation We only lickin’ wid a uhm Meditatio…
Midnite I was burnin' up then we made a hit Every single…
Mighty Race Whoa ooo For starters listen mothers and daughters I love …
Most High I want to see Your face I want to know Your…
Mountains Ah, Hm, Yeah, Hmm Ah, oh Yeah, ooo Yeah Glory and majesty H…
Music to Honor I King A strong toke a Corn Hold a meditation for the what…
Natty Watching You Yeah you you you you aye Aye aye you Yeah aye yeah…
Natty Watching You - Live Yeah you you you you aye Aye aye you Yeah aye yeah…
New Life Look what jah jah gave me New life, a brand new…
New Life Dub Look what jah jah gave me New life, a brand new…
Old Robe By the water's edge Groundation (our nation) By the water ed…
One Children of the new covenant Hear I oh Israel Jah rasta…
Pagan Pay Gone Oh ---------- Oh Jah I Selassie I Oh Jah now Living in…
Patience 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4 (whistle) Shed a tear 'cause I'm…
Perceptual Vortex Yeah seen… Farmers study the run off and the silt For maxi…
Propaganda Hear me now Lord Hear me now Lord Hear me now Lord Tell…
Psy ops Watch how the broadcast buss off then Psych Ops ina the…
Ras To the Bone To the bone To the bone To the bone Youth man know you…
Rasta Man Stand Lord again Lord again Ras again Selassie I again Selassie I…
Rasta Man Stand - Live Lord again Lord again Ras again Selassie I again Selassie I…
Right Here Aaahhhh Aiiiiiii Ohhhh I thank the lord for Life Right here,…
Ring Out A Chant Whoa yeah oh whoa oh whoa Yeah ring out a chant…
Same Boat We Historical legacy is the world on wing Its about uraral and…
Scheme a Things Centralize come center in your fool Centralize centrifugal i…
Seek These Design a word to call Alkebulan Middle East It was Suez…
Sense Less Event Woah...mmh The time imortalise as a by word and a pain, A…
Southeastern Moon Hm hm mm oh oh - yeah oh yeah mm Hm…
Swing and the Slide Ah aha ah aha ah aha ah Why do we push…
That Honey you do me wrong but still I'm crazy about…
The Battle Ayeeee…. The Battle. Thinking of how to cope the battle …
The eyes are the Light Quell Quell Quell Quell Stand firm in obedience Stand f…
The Valyou Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it's not for everyone So Jah say,…
The Way I done came a long way From going to second chance Went…
The World is Beautiful Because the Earth is beautiful After every kind of try to…
Time and Time Again Lonely nights are gone I say Lonely nights are gone I…
To Live I just had sex Then I wrote this song It's Rell Rell G Let'…
True King Woh oooh wooh ooh woh oh Yeah a yeah yeahh yeah AS…
Try That Way Hail King Selassie I Mek the best of wah dey on…
Up Stay She woke up to do for day, still tired from…
Wearing Her Crown Rastaman sing for her a line Sing to her a line How…
When Jah Arise From the east to the West To The North to the…
White Collar Criminal Them is you lackey and you crony Only from resistance you…
Womb Whoa yeah woo To help give true vision To the mother of…
Words Ov Right Yeah... We want change the time... when Jah said keep…
Worth Working For In a cause worth working for Rastafari worth working for S…
Wrickta Scale Oh oh well oh oh aye oh oh Oh who aye…
Yield Turn Out Speaking fiya bun and a lotta things incendiary wanna be car…
You Don't Know Me When I said I needed you You said you would always…
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