Sizzla, along with reggae recording artists such as Capleton, Buju Banton, and Anthony B, are credited with leading a movement toward a re-embracement of Rastafarian values in contemporary reggae music by recording material which is concerned primarily with spirituality, social consciousness, explores common themes, such as Babylon's corrupting influence, the disenfranchisement of ghetto youth, oppression of the black nation and Sizzla's abiding faith in Jah and resistance against perceived agents of oppression. Sizzla has over 40 full completed albums sold in record stores to date, the most popular which have been "Black Woman & Child" and "Da Real Thing" on the Digital B label, "Praise Ye Jah" on Xterminator, and "Rise to the Occasion" on Greensleeves.
Recently, however, he has come under fire for the homophobic content of many of his lyrics, and the advocacy of violence against gays.
Juvenile
Sizzla Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah man! well I say...blessed are those who trust in him
Emperor Haile Selassie is the almighty,no?
Den again--him tell mih,nah low
Nyabinghi chanting all,one,two...ey! see Kolanji dey
Verse 1
When there's no pain,in the absence of your culture be strong,ow
True people remain,mih youths,never forget where yuh come from,woo,woo
The system make,the system break the heart of those not knowing
Where they belong
The feelings ache,the whole vibes change
Give it ah meditation
Chorus
Ay,ay,ay,ey juvenile
With yuh black inheritance be satisfied
Ay,ay,ay,therefore be wise,yow
The earth is like possession,see yuh smile
Ay,ay,ay,he juvenile,yow--with the little that yuh gain be satisfied
Ay,ay,ay,therefore be wise,yow--the earth is like
Possession of prosperity,umm
Verse 2
The reason for life is to love and share,give thanks & praise
We love to stand with might,the people words are always
In the atmosphere,ow
We're all the same,be on pride and shame
So get ah load ah dat,hot--red hot!
And we will see our face,at the very place
Black people frame like Gibraltar Rock
Chorus
Ay,ay,ay,hail juvenile--with yuh black inheritance be satisfied
Ethiopia child,be dignified,yow--the righteous fruit never spoil
Ay,ay,ay,tell me why yuh cry,yow--with yuh black inheritance
Be satisfied
Ay,ay,ay,he juvenile,yow--ah tell yuh now therefore be wise,Jah!
Verse 3
Speak aloud,oww--say from yuh heart King Rastafari lives
And I know the crowd will love to rejoice and be positive,ey!
What about your child,can't be running wild
So take up tings in ah yuh hand,yow,woman and man
The personal feeling what you have against yuh sisthren--put it away
Chorus
Ay,ay,ay,he juvenile--with the black inheritance be satiafied
Ay,ay,ay,tell me why youy cry,ey!--the earth is like possession,
See yuh smile
Ay,ay,ay,he juvenile,ey!--the black inheritance be satisfied
Afri-,African child,be dignified,yow! The righteous fruit never spoil
Ah tell yuh now
Verse 1
Repeated
When there's no gain,in the absence of your culture be strong,ow
To people remain,never forget where yuh coming from
Yhe system break,the system make the heart of those
Not knowing where they belong
The feelings ache and now the whole vibes ah change
Tell dem give it ah meditation
Chorus
Ay,ay,juvenile--with the black inheritance be satisfied
Ay,ay,ay,Ethiopian child,ow,--yeah boy yuh mus' be wise
Ay,ay,ay,juvenile--with the black inheritance be satisfied
Ay,ay,ay,tell me why yuh cry--yeah man [line fading]
Sizzla's song "Juvenile" is an ode to the importance of heritage and culture. The lyrics encourage young people to embrace their roots, to remain strong in the absence of their culture, and to appreciate the value of their inheritance. He warns that society can break the hearts of those who don't know where they belong, and stresses the importance of meditating on these issues. This is particularly important for black people, who are urged to be dignified, proud, and wise. The chorus repeats the message of the song, urging young people to be satisfied with their black inheritance and to take possession of their prosperity.
One interesting fact about this song is that it references Emperor Haile Selassie, who is considered a messianic figure by the Rastafari movement. Another is that the song features the Nyabinghi chant, a deeply spiritual rhythm that is central to Rastafarian worship. Additionally, the song was released in 2002 as part of Sizzla's 26th album, "Da Real Thing," which is widely regarded as one of his best works. "Juvenile" was later included on several "Best of Sizzla" compilations. The song is also notable for its use of the phrase "red hot," which is a Rastafarian term for strong emotions, whether positive or negative.
The meaning of the song has been widely debated among fans and critics alike. Some interpret it as a call to action for black people to assert their cultural identity and to resist white supremacy. Others see it as a more personal expression of Sizzla's own experience growing up in Jamaica, where black identity was often marginalized. Still, others see it as a broader statement on the importance of cultural heritage in shaping the human experience.
Chords: Unfortunately, the chords for "Juvenile" are not publicly available.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah man! well I say...blessed are those who trust in him
I believe that those who have faith in God are truly blessed
Emperor Haile Selassie is the almighty,no?
Isn't Emperor Haile Selassie the all-powerful one?
Den again--him tell mih,nah low
But he taught me not to be low or humble
Nyabinghi chanting all,one,two...ey! see Kolanji dey
There's a group of Rastafarians called Nyabinghi who are chanting and playing drums, and I see Kolanji among them
When there's no pain,in the absence of your culture be strong,ow
When you're not experiencing any pain, you should still remain strong in your cultural roots
True people remain,mih youths,never forget where yuh come from,woo,woo
Real people don't forget where they come from, my young people, so always remember your roots
The system make,the system break the heart of those not knowing Where they belong
The system can either help or hurt those who are uncertain about their place in society
The feelings ache,the whole vibes change Give it ah meditation
When things are tough and everything seems different, take time to meditate
Ay,ay,ay,ey juvenile With yuh black inheritance be satisfied
Hey young black person, be content with your heritage
Ay,ay,ay,therefore be wise,yow The earth is like possession,see yuh smile
So be smart, young person, because the earth is like a treasure, and you should cherish it
Ay,ay,ay,he juvenile,yow--with the little that yuh gain be satisfied
Hey young man, be happy with what little you have gained and enjoy it
Ay,ay,ay,therefore be wise,yow--the earth is like Possession of prosperity,umm
So again, be smart, because the earth can bring you great wealth
The reason for life is to love and share,give thanks & praise
The purpose of life is to show love, share it, and express gratitude to others and to God
We love to stand with might,the people words are always In the atmosphere,ow
We love to stand with power, and the words of the people are always around us
We're all the same,be on pride and shame So get ah load ah dat,hot--red hot!
We are all equal, so be confident and assertive, like fire
And we will see our face,at the very place Black people frame like Gibraltar Rock
We will see our reflection in the strong, unyielding faces of black people who are like the Rock of Gibraltar
Ay,ay,ay,hail juvenile--with yuh black inheritance be satisfied
Hey, hail to the young black person, may you be content with your heritage
Ethiopia child,be dignified,yow--the righteous fruit never spoil
Ethiopian child, be proud and don't let the fruits of your hard work go to waste
Ay,ay,ay,tell me why yuh cry,yow--with yuh black inheritance Be satisfied
Hey, why are you crying young man? You should be happy with your heritage
Ay,ay,ay,he juvenile,yow--ah tell yuh now therefore be wise,Jah!
Hey young man, listen to me and be wise
Speak aloud,oww--say from yuh heart King Rastafari lives
Speak up and say from your heart that King Rastafari lives
And I know the crowd will love to rejoice and be positive,ey! What about your child,can't be running wild
And I know the crowd will love to celebrate and be happy. But what about your child? They can't be reckless
So take up tings in ah yuh hand,yow,woman and man
Take control of things, young men and women
The personal feeling what you have against yuh sisthren--put it away
Don't hold grudges against your brothers and sisters. Let those feelings go
Ay,ay,ay,he juvenile--with the black inheritance be satisfied
Hey young black person, be happy with your heritage
Ay,ay,ay,tell me why youy cry,ey!--the earth is like possession, See yuh smile
Hey, why are you crying? The earth is like a treasure, and you should smile
Afri-,African child,be dignified,yow! The righteous fruit never spoil Ah tell yuh now
African child, be proud and don't let the fruits of your hard work go to waste. I'm telling you now
When there's no gain,in the absence of your culture be strong,ow To people remain,never forget where yuh coming from
When you're making no progress, you should still remain strong in your cultural roots. Never forget where you come from
Contributed by Juliana O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@zawadiyahb.7982
When I first heard this song I taped it on both sides of a cassette. I rewinded it from West Palm Beach all the way to Miami. I went through some struggles, little did I know that subconsciously the song was really speaking to me on a different level, it was literally saying be who you are no matter how people come against you. I taped another song on the same cassette front and back, it was a song I had been longing to hear for almost 20 years or more and I never heard it played on any radio stations in Miami. Back then I listened to all the stations that played Reggae....reggae addict! I heard that song in West Palm Beach, I jumped all over the place with joy. My son who didn’t have a clue joined in the fun too. Another uplifting song and one letting I know that Children of Jah cannot suffer more than what they can bare. So when a song is playing on your mind, consider why that is so....Jah might be speaking to you through that song. In my case, he used what was probably my #1 or 2nd mode of familiarity or what I used when I was feeling blue.
Message to artists ... keep the music clean and pure to impact people, especially the youths, in a healthy and wholesome way. Protect your Souls! Don’t degrade yourself by making slack songs just to sell records or exploit your sexuality. ❤️☮️
@terranceroberts4596
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@shamortingling4107
One of the greatest messenger across the globe. Big up Sizzla one of my favorite artists love you bro you have inspired me in so much ways.
@londonmaxwell1483
Sizla is de real big man if more young youths listen these song Jamaica would be heaven on earth
@Sammydreddi
Big up the singers but also big up the brethren who make the riddim
@ricocargill2216
Some of the best and most uplifting content in any genre.
@topchefskillz
Nyahbinghi chantin! One of the bess songs ever. I love Rastafari by buju too. Nyahbinghi Congo bongo lawd!
@supermom473
You got to love this tune😘