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."
Empress
Midnite Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Can't say that I have never
Seen your face before
I've seen you in the early morning ocean
Seen the stars on the ocean floor
Can't say that I have ever
I've never seen your moon eclipse
I know you're on the list of the angels
That the devils cannot trick
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Can't say that I have never
Laid my eyes on you
I've seen you in the shapes of the pears and the peaches
Empress like Titu
Empress like Titu
Share my life with you
Yeah yo my time for you
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Seen daughter be careful
To whom to tell your dreams
Cause they will use you through your revelation
A whoa think twice before you speak
I will rage I will rage I will rage yeah
I will storm and thunder for you
Yeah yo my life for you
Yeah yo my time for you
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
When my daughter laugh and clap her hands together
Even shattered silence will come together
I never use no net and still I caught her
I never use no trick and still I caught her
When I daughter come bring I man a drink of water
Even the room will remember
I will rage I will rage I will rage yeah
I will storm and thunder for you
Yeah yo my life for you
Yeah yo my time for you
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
All of my destructive forces
Is for your protection
All of my creative forces
For our procreation, yeah
I will rage I will rage I will rage yeah
I will storm and thunder for you
Yeah yo my life for you
Yeah yo my time for you
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
She's an Empress like Titu
Empress like Titu
Empress like Titu
My life with you, yeah yo
Share my life with you
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Yeah aye yeah aye whoa ooo
Midnite's song "Empress" is a beautiful tribute to a cherished relationship. The song is an ode to a woman he holds in high esteem, likening her to an "Empress like Titu," a figure of strength and royalty. The song begins by acknowledging that while the singer may not have met this Empress before, he has seen her in the vast and wondrous beauty of nature, in the ocean and in the stars. The singer recognizes the Empress's celestial qualities, placing her on a list of angels that the devils cannot trick.
Midnite then moves on to express his eagerness to share his life with this Empress, stating that he has seen her in the shapes of the pears and the peaches, further identifying her as a figure of abundance and fertility. He warns his daughter and the listeners to be cautious about revealing their dreams, as others may use this knowledge for their own gain. The singer then proclaims his loyalty and devotion to the Empress, stating that he will rage, storm, and thunder for her.
Lastly, the singer acknowledges the Empress's role in his creative force, stating that his "destructive forces" are for her protection and his "creative forces" are for their procreation. The song ends with the singer repeating his desire to share his life with this Empress.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't say that I have never
I have seen you before
Seen your face before
I have seen you before
I've seen you in the early morning ocean
I have seen you in the beauty of nature
Seen the stars on the ocean floor
I have seen your beauty within the depths of the ocean
Can't say that I have ever
I have seen a part of you
I've never seen your moon eclipse
I have never seen a negative side of you
I know you're on the list of the angels
I know you are a special person
That the devils cannot trick
The bad people of the world cannot harm you
Can't say that I have never
I have seen how beautiful you are
Laid my eyes on you
I have seen you with my own eyes
I've seen you in the shapes of the pears and the peaches
I have seen you in the beauty of fruits
Empress like Titu
You are powerful and beautiful like an Empress
Empress like Titu
You are powerful and beautiful like an Empress
Share my life with you
I want to spend my life with you
Seen daughter be careful
I want to protect my daughter from harm
To whom to tell your dreams
Be careful who you share your dreams with
Cause they will use you through your revelation
They will take advantage of your weaknesses
A whoa think twice before you speak
Be careful with what you say
I will rage I will rage I will rage yeah
I will fight for you with all my power
I will storm and thunder for you
I will protect you with all my might
When my daughter laugh and clap her hands together
When my daughter is happy
Even shattered silence will come together
Even silence becomes whole
I never use no net and still I caught her
I caught her without any tricks or schemes
I never use no trick and still I caught her
I caught her without any deception
When I daughter come bring I man a drink of water
When my daughter offers me a drink
Even the room will remember
It becomes a cherished moment
All of my destructive forces
I use my strength to protect you
Is for your protection
My actions are solely for your safety
All of my creative forces
I use my abilities to help us grow
For our procreation, yeah
So we can build a future together
She's an Empress like Titu
She is a powerful and beautiful woman
Empress like Titu
She is a powerful and beautiful woman
Empress like Titu
She is a powerful and beautiful woman
My life with you, yeah yo
I want to spend my life with you
Share my life with you
I want to spend my life with you
Contributed by Abigail N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@agnimarut6455
🔥🔥🔥
@lion6036
Still listening 2022
@papawilberforce8098
Blessings again, my General! 🙏🏾🤎
@omargaye8180
Very nice album thanks akae beka