Ras Sh… Read Full Bio ↴Born In Brooklyn New York, formerly known as big belly youth.
Ras Shiloh Coming Home
Article by Diane “Livonn” Adam
“Ras Shiloh’s voice remains piercing yet amazingly gentle. He displays a different range on Coming Home than previously heard. Clearly, this young Rasta’s voice is maturing in a direction that still places him as one of the highest order of Jah’s angels --- a Seraphim for the new millennium and beyond.” – Diane “Livonn” Adam
Ras Shiloh has been a truly missed live performance artist in Northern California. So it’s with much anticipation that this Brooklyn-born artist is back to the business of delivering the sweet sound of reggae in his own unique way with his superb new 2007 CD release, Coming Home (VP Records) produced by the legendary Bobby “Digital" Dixon.
Coming Home is truly a work of art and a labor of love by Ras Shiloh and producer Bobby Digital. A winning combination considering the Garnet Silk-like vocals of Ras Shiloh and Digital’s many accomplishments including his production work on Sizzla’s Da Real Thing and Black Woman & Child. From start to finish Coming Home is roots and culture at its highest and easily one of the best reggae releases this year. No doubt, this one will keep rotating in your music players day and night! Opening the album is the soul-stirring, “We Need Love” refraining that, We need more / Our nation is crying out / We need more love (love is what we’re searching for) in this world today / Promise us a better way / We need more joy (joy is what we need today) / a place for the children to play / Where is the sunny day...” Coming Home’s success can also be attributed to some brilliant musicianship from Squidley Cole on drums, Donald “Danny Bassie” Dennis on bass, Dalton Browne on guitars, Paul “Right Move” Crossdale, Sidney Mills, Mikey Spice and Benjy Myaz on keyboards and the great Dean Fraser on sax.
For many of us the introduction in 1998 of Ras Shiloh came by way of his 1998 CD release, Babylon You Doom which subsequently took him on tour to California to perform. His distinctive a cappella vocals literally took wings throughout the San Francisco Bay Area as he performed from Maritime Hall to Reggae In The Park and seemed to take root as a young artist who was destined to make it to the top. Personal issues may have played a part in his departure from the music scene in the Bay Area but it has not stopped this young Rasta from continuing what he does best, releasing a comeback album in 2002 with From Rasta To You (VP Records).
Accolades for Coming Home are many since every track on this CD is pure gold. Songs I find particularly impressive are “Give A Little Love”, the spiritually felt, “What You Have Done” and “Come Down Jah Jah”, “The New Rising Day” featuring Bascone X and “It Will Be Over” featuring Natural Black. The album also features Morgan Heritage on the song “Let The People Voice Be Heard”.
Ras Shiloh’s voice remains piercing yet amazingly gentle. He displays a different range on Coming Home than previously heard. Clearly, this young Rasta’s voice is maturing in a direction that still places him as one of the highest order of Jah’s angels --- a Seraphim for the new millennium and beyond.
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Jah Jah Lives
Ras Shiloh Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've told the message oh Jah
To set Jah children free from captivity
My eyes behold the blessings of Jah
I've told the message oh Jah
To set Jah children free
Why is it so hard for us
The system is so unkind
Always subjecting what is mine
No colonial mind - no mankind
Don't want to be led by the blind
Tell dem fi go seek and find
We will rise and shine before
We run outta time
We hear bout dem world order and dem bombing
Wonder who can take it and
Stand up inna di famine
What the united nations and
World police planning
Cause ritheous people dem keep banning
My eyes behold the blessings of Jah
I've told the message oh Jah
To set the captivity free
My eyes behold the blessings of Jah
I've told the message oh Jah
To set Jah children free
Right now you betta know
That love it a the order
No bad mind cross over the border
Wickedness so narrow righteousness
Much broader
So tell me wha you rellae rather
Da one ya hotta the ten
Fire side and ten lava
No babylon ship can come dock
Up inna we harbour
And then we know seh Jah would
Neva let we starve ya
Hungry cook up banana and some greater casava
My eyes behold the blessings of Jah
I've told the message oh Jah
To set Jah children free
My eyes behold the blessings of Jah
I've told the message oh Jah
To set Jah children free from captivity
No colonial mind - no mankind
Don't want to be led by the blind
Tell dem fo go seek and find
We will rise and shine before
We run outta time
There's no need for segregation
Let us all uplift the nation
I know and you know that Jah is for everyone
Tell me where is the love
That Jah Jah has granted
Fo so long you've been taking advantage
Never will you have Jah Jah
Children a ramp with
We bun down your killing spree
And bun down your rampage
My eyes behold the blessings of Jah
I've told the message oh Jah
To set Jah children free from captivity
My eyes behold the blessings of Jah
I've told the message oh Jah
To set Jah children free
In these lyrics, Ras Shiloh expresses his deep connection to Jah (God) and the blessings that Jah has bestowed upon him. He feels a responsibility to spread Jah's message and help set Jah's children free from captivity, implying a desire for liberation from societal constraints and oppression.
The lyrics also touch upon the challenges faced by humanity. The artist questions why it is so difficult for people to trust and highlights the unkindness of the system that often undermines individual rights. Ras Shiloh emphasizes the importance of rejecting colonial mindsets and being wary of blindly following others. He encourages seeking knowledge and rising above the limitations imposed by external forces.
The song delves into global issues as well, referencing topics like a "world order" and bombings, possibly alluding to political conflicts and warfare. Ras Shiloh wonders who can endure such hardships and famine, suggesting a need for righteous individuals to unite against the oppressive actions of world leaders and institutions. The lyrics convey a sense of defiance and a belief that the righteous will prevail in the face of adversity.
The artist emphasizes the power of love and the need to prioritize righteousness over wickedness. He believes that love should be the guiding order, encompassing all, and crossing borders without prejudice. Ras Shiloh asserts the strength of his community, stating that Babylon (symbolizing oppressive forces) cannot infiltrate their haven. He trusts that Jah will provide sustenance even in times of hunger, symbolized by cooking up banana and greater casava (a starchy root vegetable).
Ras Shiloh concludes by urging unity and rejecting segregation. He implores everyone to uplift the nation and reminds listeners that Jah's love is for everyone. The artist expresses disappointment in those who have taken advantage of Jah's blessings and promises that Jah will not allow his children to be manipulated. He denounces the violence and destructive actions of those who harm others and affirms his commitment to spreading Jah's message and freeing Jah's children from captivity.
Line by Line Meaning
My eyes behold the blessings of Jah
I am grateful for the blessings that Jah has bestowed upon me.
I've told the message oh Jah
I have shared the message of liberation with Jah.
To set Jah children free from captivity
To release Jah's children from their state of captivity.
Why is it so hard for us
Why do we struggle so much?
We find it hard to trust
We struggle to have faith in others.
The system is so unkind
The societal structure is unfair and cruel.
Always subjecting what is mine
Always trying to control and oppress what belongs to me.
No colonial mind - no mankind
We should reject the colonial mindset to preserve our humanity.
Don't want to be led by the blind
We refuse to be guided by those who lack insight.
Tell dem fi go seek and find
Encourage them to search for truth and understanding.
We will rise and shine before We run outta time
We will achieve greatness and success before it's too late.
We hear bout dem world order and dem bombing
We are aware of the global power struggles and acts of violence.
Wonder who can take it and Stand up inna di famine
We question who can endure and remain strong during times of scarcity.
What the united nations and World police planning
Curious about the intentions and plans of the United Nations and world police forces.
Cause ritheous people dem keep banning
Because righteous individuals are often marginalized and excluded.
Right now you betta know That love it a the order
Currently, it is important to understand that love is fundamental.
No bad mind cross over the border
Negative thinking should not be allowed to influence us.
Wickedness so narrow righteousness Much broader
Evil is limited, while righteousness encompasses more.
So tell me wha you rellae rather
So, tell me what do you truly desire.
Da one ya hotta the ten Fire side and ten lava
This one is potent, with fiery and intense energy.
No babylon ship can come dock Up inna we harbour
No oppressive force will be allowed to enter our territory.
And then we know seh Jah would Neva let we starve ya
Because we have faith in Jah, we believe we will never go hungry.
Hungry cook up banana and some greater casava
When we are hungry, we can rely on cooking bananas and cassava for sustenance.
There's no need for segregation
We should not divide ourselves or discriminate against one another.
Let us all uplift the nation
Together, we should elevate and improve our society.
I know and you know that Jah is for everyone
We all understand that Jah's love is inclusive and available to all.
Tell me where is the love
I ask, where is the love?
That Jah Jah has granted
The love that Jah has bestowed upon us.
Fo so long you've been taking advantage
For a long time, you have been exploiting others.
Never will you have Jah Jah Children a ramp with
Jah Jah's children will never play around with you.
We bun down your killing spree And bun down your rampage
We condemn your acts of violence and destruction.
No need for segregation Let us all uplift the nation
We should reject division and work together to improve our society.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KIRK ANDRE BENNETT, DALTON ANTHONY BROWNE, BENJI MYERS, BOBBY DIXON, EVEROLD DWYER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind