SOJA’s first album was recorded independently with renowned sound engineer Jim Fox. Jacob notes, “Jim told us that he would work with us and so we could afford to make our first record, and when we ran out of money he started making up ‘discounts.’ It was awesome. I asked him why a while back, and he said ‘I didn’t want to see a good thing stop.’ What was even crazier was at the time he wasn’t working with bands that were from the US, just Jamaican artists. Big ones like Black Uhuru, Israel Vibration, Burning Spear, Don Carlos, and Inner Circle. Jim worked with us independently and recorded, mixed, and mastered the whole thing. That is how it all started.” SOJA’s first album, “Soldiers of Jah Army EP” was released at the beginning of 2000.
In 2002, SOJA released their first full-length album, “Peace in a Time of War.” Though the band was young, the album had hits. “True Love,” “Rasta Courage,” and “Peace in a Time of War” were the first songs to bring the band strong attention nationally and internationally and cement them in the reggae world. Tours became larger, their fan base expanded rapidly and they grew up smart in the independent music industry. In 2006, the band released “Get Wiser,” their second full-length album. The album was a break through for the band, as they explored the duality in their music, combining beautiful, longing melodies with hard drum and bass, and layered with intricate lyrics. SOJA created their musical style with a new complexity and depth that they would carry with them to their future albums. Jacob shares, “When you listen to an artist you can either have a series of one liners, or you can tell a story with your music. We set out to tell a story, it’s like poetry – dancing around an entire theme, but never putting a period on anything. It is like the two sides of a coin, but you can see them at the same time.” “Get Wiser” debuted in the Top 10 Reggae Albums on iTunes and has remained in the top 100 since its release. Singles off the album including “Open My Eyes, “You Don’t Know Me,” and “Can’t Tell Me” remain in heavy rotation on college radio across the United States, and have also received major radio play internationally in places such as France, Brazil, Argentina, Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, Costa Rica, Mexico, Venezuela, Guam, and Tahiti. The success of “Get Wiser” took the band on three years of intense touring nationally, and internationally. In 2008 SOJA released their EP “Stars and Stripes.” They blended new sounds and new rhythms with their existing reggae sound, growing into what SOJA was becoming. The EP contained three new songs plus remixes and new versions of popular songs. In early 2009 the band released the documentary DVD “SOJA Live in Hawaii: A Marc Carlini Film,” showcasing the power and energy of their 2008 Hawaiian tour which included four islands, five cameras, four shows, and everything in between.
Now, SOJA is ready to unleash their third full-length album “Born in Babylon” - the culmination of all past efforts on their label DMV Records. Set to be released August 25, 2009 exclusively on iTunes, “Born in Babylon” focuses on telling the same roots story that reggae artists have been singing about for decades, but their way, from the flip perspective of kids who grew up not in poverty, but in a government saturated community in Arlington, Virginia, across Mason-Dixon Line from the White House. SOJA shares about their new album, “This is the album we’ve been wanting to make for ten years. At first we were hard-core old school, then we got new school and inventive. This is what we’ve learned from all that. ‘Born in Babylon’ is hard roots drum and bass, big wide guitar and vocal melodies, and two and three sided lyrics, with two and three sided messages.”
For the rest of 2009 and moving into 2010 – SOJA plans on touring the United States extensively while promoting “Born in Babylon” with mainstay horn players Hellman Escorcia (saxophone) and Rafael Rodriguez (trumpet). Currently, SOJA averages 150 shows a year and the group has toured every major city in the US and internationally throughout Canada, Puerto Rico (avg 2500), Brazil (avg 4000), Argentina, Uruguay, New Caledonia (16,000 in attendance) Palau, Saipan, Guam (avg 3500), Hawaii (avg 2,000 on each island), Sweden, Switzerland, France, Portugal (avg 2000) and Holland. The band has also shared the stage with notable artists such as Citizen Cope, Matisyahu, Ben Harper, Slightly Stoopid, Damian Marley, Govt Mule, Umphrees McGee, and Steel Pulse to name a few.
In addition to their new music and touring, the band remains committed to creating real music, music that cant be ignored. Jacob pauses, “Bob Marley’s fans all feel like when he is singing a song, it’s to them. You could be from anywhere, any situation, rich, poor – it doesn’t matter; the song is directed at them. He speaks to you, the love songs too. That is what we are after. Not one side of the story, the whole thing, both sides of the coin. Just listen to ‘Born in Babylon.’”
disambiguation:
If you're looking for a US act:
http://www.last.fm/music/Soldiers+of+Jah+Army
Over the years, the Washington, D.C. music scene has become best known for its hardcore (Minor Threat) and go-go (Trouble Funk) alumni, but as evidenced by the great Bad Brains, reggae has been represented as well. SOJA has risen to the forefront, picking up right where the Brains left off – creating their own blend of conscious roots music entwined with the traditional rhythms of reggae, it “comes across with passion and depth.” (Washington Post ’06)
That said, SOJA is not that easy to define. Although they are rooted in reggae, they are not limited to it; their fan-base reflects this with a very diverse population. The music includes and embraces all walks of life - it has no prejudice – it is for everyone. The band grew up listening to reggae, hip-hop, and rock. In their sound, reggae became the predominate influence because it is dedicated to a real message and promotes revolution.
The group, which includes a pair of lead singers who also pull double duty - Jacob Hemphill (guitar) and Bob Jefferson (bass) – as well as Patrick O’Shea on keyboard, percussionist Ken Brownell, and drummer Ryan Berty, originally came together in 1997. Since 2000, the quintet has issued three full length albums and one EP – their latest, ‘Get Wiser,’ is their third for the group’s own label, Innerloop.
Hemphill explains the meaning of the album’s title. “The new album is called ‘Get Wiser’ – that’s the idea. We as a society tend to have blinders on. We are trying to uplift peoples’ consciousness by breaking down what makes us blind. To do this, we got to bring back truth. People get wiser.”
“Every song is different of course.” Hemphill continues, “I found music to be a way to express myself - through my life I’ve never been able to express myself well in conversations, but I can do it through music. It’s like my way to talk.”
Ever the road warriors (SOJA averages 150 gigs per year), the group will be supporting their latest release with a healthy amount of live dates this year on the “Get Wiser Tour”. With such a list of accumulated live dates, a specific high point is hard to pin down, but Brownell remembers a particular performance. “One of the shows that remains in the front of my mind was playing in Guam for the first time for nearly 6,000 fans. That was an amazing experience.”
With SOJA calling their own shots, ‘Get Wiser’ proves that the band’s message and music will only continue to grow stronger with each successive release. In support of their latest album, “Get Wiser”, SOJA is embarking on a journey around the world.
The Band
Jacob Hemphill - Lead Vocals, Guitar
Bob Jefferson - Lead Vocals, Bass
Ken Brownell - Percussion
Ryan Berty - Drums
Patrick O’Shea- Keyboards
True Love
SOJA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love is on my mind
It's for everyone no matter where you're from
Love, it cross all lines
Like the feeling of all the seasons changing
Love is a memory
In these last days, when iniquity blazing
Truth love speaks
True love
How do you know, what you mean to me
True love
Where does it show as I live and I breath
True love
In the valley of the shadow
I know that you'll be
(True love) I defense, I conquer death and I conquer the enemy
What is love really if it only affects, one aspect of life?
That's like a musician who only accepts, his own musical type
That's like a preacher who only respects Sunday morning, and not Saturday night
That's how the soldier can come to reflect
That love is more than a man and a wife, I mean
I need true love
Where do you know it, well what you doin' to me (true love)
And does it show as I live and I breath (true love)
In the valley of the shadow, I know you'll be
I defense, I conquer death and I conquer envy
In a time of plenty, Jah gonna keep I strong
Things get how and I keep cool, yeah
Jah gonna keep me strong
When InI cup is empty
Jah gonna keep I strong
When InI cup is full, yeah
Jah keep I from their temptation, come one
True love
Babe do you know what, what you mean to me
True love
Where does it show as I live and I breath
True love
In the valley of the shadow-dow
You'll be
(True love) I defense, I conquer death and I conquer the enemy
The song True Love by SOJA is a reflection of the artist's personal experience and contemplation about the true meaning of love. The opening lines compare love to Africa - just as Africa is a vast and diverse place with many different people and cultures, love is also something that transcends all boundaries and reaches people everywhere, regardless of their backgrounds. The chorus emphasizes that true love is not just a feeling, but also an act of defense against death and enemy.
The second verse highlights the importance of love in all aspects of life, and denounces the idea of limiting love to just one area. It urges people to love each other beyond race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, and not just on certain days or occasions. The third verse is a declaration of faith, that despite all the challenges and hardships in life, Jah (God) will always be present to strengthen, protect and guide the believers through the valley of the shadow.
Line by Line Meaning
Just like the land that bear the name Africa
Just as Africa is a diverse and inclusive continent, so is Love available to everyone.
Love is on my mind
Love is a dominating theme in my thoughts.
It's for everyone no matter where you're from
Love knows no boundaries of geography or culture and is available for everyone.
Love, it cross all lines
Love transcends all barriers and boundaries.
Like the feeling of all the seasons changing
Love, like the changing seasons, is a transformational sensation.
Love is a memory
Memories of Love stay with us long after love itself is gone.
In these last days, when iniquity blazing
In these troubled times, when evil is rampant.
Truth love speaks
True love's message is that of truth and honesty.
True love
How do you know, what you mean to me
How can I express what True Love means to me?
True love
Where does it show as I live and I breath
True Love is evident in every breath I take and every moment I live.
True love
In the valley of the shadow
I know that you'll be
Even in my darkest moments, True Love will be with me.
(True love) I defense, I conquer death and I conquer the enemy
True Love empowers me to overcome even death and defeat my enemies.
What is love really if it only affects, one aspect of life?
Can love be truly meaningful if it only impacts one area of our existence?
That's like a musician who only accepts, his own musical type
Limiting ourselves to one type of love is like a musician only appreciating one genre of music.
That's like a preacher who only respects Sunday morning, and not Saturday night
Restricting love to certain times or places is like a preacher only valuing religious activities on Sundays and not any other day.
That's how the soldier can come to reflect
That love is more than a man and a wife, I mean
A soldier's experiences can lead them to realize that love extends beyond the romantic to all forms of connection.
I need true love
Where do you know it, well what you doin' to me (true love)
And does it show as I live and I breath (true love)
I crave True Love and I question how I can identify it and whether it is present in my life at all times.
When InI cup is empty
Jah gonna keep I strong
God will strengthen me even when I face scarcity.
When InI cup is full, yeah
Jah keep I from their temptation, come one
When I am blessed with abundance, God will protect me from temptations that may arise.
Babe do you know what, what you mean to me
My dear, do you understand the depth of meaning you hold in my life?
In the valley of the shadow-dow
You'll be
Even in my darkest moments, my Love will remain with me.
(True love) I defense, I conquer death and I conquer the enemy
True Love is an unbreakable force that enables me to overcome adversity and conquer all obstacles.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jacob Charles Hemphill
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tara Mashay
on Here I Am
This guy is in love with a girl and tries pushing her away. They both care a lot about each other, for her own well being he tries to ignore her. But due to his life style of traveling she knows when he's around (tour dates posted online,etc) "she sees on her screen I am so here I am, here I am" he can't keep from seeing her because deep down they both want to be there so here he is. Neither of them care if they date other people normally because they both know they can't be together (maybe distance? Or he cares more about his passion for music?) "She don't call me one and only no she just calls me when she gets lonely" she gets lonely when she's not getting attention from other people where she is so she calls him to feel better because she's lonely and be gives in a lot to talk to her because he enjoys it. "I'm just a passing plan" sometimes he's able to stay away because he doesn't want her to be dependent on him when she's lonely. She knows he's always come back.