Season 7 Bonus "Praise Jah in the Moonlight"
Righteousness is a central theme that resonates throughout the episode, capturing the essence of reggae music's spiritual and cultural influence. The host, Henry K, takes listeners on a journey through the legacy of Bob Marley and the enduring power of reggae music. The breakout success of "Praise Jah in the Moonlight," performed by YG Marley, grandson of Bob Marley, is highlighted as a testament to reggae's continuing impact. The song, co-written and produced by Lauryn Hill, is celebrated for its deep message and its fusion of reggae's traditional rhythms with contemporary influences. The narrative weaves YG Marley's musical debut with Lauryn Hill's resurgence, portraying her as a formidable force reclaiming her place in the music industry. Her involvement in the song is seen as a powerful statement against the industry's past dismissals of her artistic integrity.
Produced by Henry K in association with Voice Boxx Studio Red Hills, Jamaica
Intro by Michelle "Kim" Yamaguchi
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featured song YG Marley Praise Jah in the Moonlight
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Transcript
Because righteousness governs the world.
Speaker B:The Roots Land podcast stories that are music to your ears.
Speaker A:These rows of flames are catching a fire.
Speaker B:Nothing like reggae music in the springtime, is there?
Speaker B:Welcome to another bonus episode of Roots Land, a midweek midnight Ravers edition.
Speaker B:I know I'm not the only one singing along with that tune, right?
Speaker B:Praise Ja in the moonlight debuted ahead of the release of the number one hit movie Bob one Love, which has now become one of the highest grossing bio picks of all time.
Speaker B:Not surprising to those of us who know the power of Bob Marleys music and the love the world has for reggae.
Speaker B:What was surprising the breakout success of the song praise Ja in the moonlight and its 22 year old singer, Yg Marley.
Speaker B:Joshua Omaru Marley, known as Yungong, grandson of Bob Marley and the middle child to his son Rohan, an r and b legend, Miss Lauryn Hill.
Speaker B:After a clip of YG performing the track alongside his famous mom circulated online, the singer and the song blew up and so did demand for its release.
Speaker B:No doubt young gangs cool, confident delivery is reminiscent of his grandfathers style.
Speaker B: the rhythm that samples Bob's: Speaker B:And please don't get me wrong, YG kills it.
Speaker B:I mean, what a career debut.
Speaker B:It's the first reggae song on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in seven years since his uncle Damian junior gong Marley was featured on the Jay Z track Bamdhead.
Speaker B:But when I listen to praise Ja, the way its crafted, the quality of the songwriting, the deep message hidden within the lyrics.
Speaker B:Im sorry YG, but everything about that song has your moms name, Lauryn Hill written all over it.
Speaker B:Literally.
Speaker B:Shes the co writer of the song, she produced it.
Speaker B:Shes a featured vocalist on the outro and sounds like a flippin angel.
Speaker B:If she sang lead vocals on praise Ja in the moonlight, it could have easily fit in on her multi platinum Grammy winning lp, the miseducation of Lauryn Hill.
Speaker B:I mean, whatd they really think?
Speaker B:They could keep a ragamuffin soldier like Miss Lauryn Hill down forever?
Speaker B:Turns out shes no longer just a soldier.
Speaker B:She re emerges into mainstream music as a general, or should I say like a queen installing her son on reggaes throne.
Speaker B:Her timing impeccable.
Speaker B:Like a team seal six sharpshooter, she comes out of the shadows and pops off a hit just to show everyone.
Speaker B:She may not be in the spotlight, but she didnt go anywhere.
Speaker B:Praise ja in the moonlight is Lauryn Hills redemption song, two giant middle fingers to the people in an industry that she sacrificed so much for.
Speaker B:Put every ounce of her being into, and when she reached out for help, needed a little time and space to produce the quality of music that she and her fans had come to expect, well, they turned their backs on her, discredited her, did everything possible to throw her right into the flames.
Speaker B:And now, two decades later, Miss Hill returns with a vengeance, with her son by her side, acting as her proxy.
Speaker B:Defiantly sings her reply.
Speaker B:And the opening lines of the billboard hit these roads of flames are catching a fire showed you I loved you, you called me a liar yeah, it's yg singing, but to me, that's Lauryn Hill's story, the road of flames, a metaphor for the adversities and challenges she faced on her journey through the music business.
Speaker B:And now, this time around, shes in control.
Speaker B:Shes the one burning the fire.
Speaker B:Miss Hill was once hailed as the queen of r and b and hip hop.
Speaker B:She was an industry darling, won awards, broke records, earned her label hundreds of millions of dollars.
Speaker B:Yet once she decided to stand up for her rights, fight for her creative and artistic integrity, call out the music business for the double standards in the way that male and female artists were treated, Lauryn Hill lost her most favored nation status and fell from grace in the eyes of the industrys old guard patriarchy.
Speaker B:They shamed her, disrespected her, called her a problematic diva, and difficult to work with.
Speaker B:But Lauryn Hill stood her ground, ended up taking a beating for her defiance.
Speaker B:She still bears the scars she received from kicking in the doors and shattering the glass ceilings so female superstars like Beyonce and Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B could all walk in unscathed.
Speaker B:Praise ja in the moonlight feels like Lauryn hills light at the end of a tunnel a veiled message to the bitter insiders that dragged her name through the mud and the loyal followers who lifted it back up and never let go.
Speaker B:This wonderful song shows that Miss Lauryn Hill has finally found peace and even solace during the most challenging times.
Speaker B:A spiritual grounding in wisdom that she lovingly passes to her son Joshua.
Speaker B:When he sings the words teach them something before they lose their soul oh, no, no freedom is the road oh, no, no coming in from the cold tell them not to sell it it's worth more than gold and guiltiness will catch them in the end oh, yeah I they'll try to manipulate you through your pockets now you're caught up in a funk with the optics, with the vision, trying to control your soul and take control.
Speaker B:No, no, we don't play that game right here.
Speaker B:To win power, give ja all the thanks and praises.
Speaker B:And speaking of thanks and praises, I really want to thank the entire roots land family for standing with me for seven seasons and many of you with me since day one.
Speaker B:This Rootsland saga is far from over.
Speaker B:In fact, the decade I spent working with twin of twins in Kingston was one of the most turbulent and unpredictable times I could ever remember.
Speaker B:There was a war between two rival camps in the music business, Gazza and Gully.
Speaker B:One side ardent supporters of popular DJ Vibes Cartel, and the other stood with a cassava piece singer named Mavato.
Speaker B:The two were locked in a lyrical battle that spilled into the streets and became so heated the prime minister had to intervene to cool things down.
Speaker B:And if that wasnt enough, there were also escalating protests in the Tivoli Gardens garrison, a longtime Jamaican Labour party stronghold known as jungle, run by the deadly criminal Dudas.
Speaker B:He was the son of one of the islands original drug lords and founder of the notorious shower posse, Jim Brown.
Speaker B: In: Speaker B:And when I look back, sometimes I wonder how we even made it out.
Speaker B:You know, there's nothing I love more than telling these stories from the rolling red hills on the outskirts of Kingston, Jamaica.
Speaker B:But before we dive into season eight of roots land the road to Zion, I feel its the right time for me to step out of the studio and down from the hills, venture forth into the world and follow the path of this beloved music.
Speaker B:See how the soulful island sounds and rich melodies of reggae have taken root across the globe, influenced different types of people, uplifted various kinds of cultures, and not to worry, im taking you with me on the journey.
Speaker B:And our first stop is California.
Speaker B:So I need everyone in the family to click the link below and subscribe to my new show.
Speaker B:There's a new feed, it's on a new day, it has a new look.
Speaker B:But I promise my commitment to bring you captivating tales that are music to your ears.
Speaker B:Remains as strong as ever.
Speaker B:The stories may be new, the locations unfamiliar, but the passion behind them will always be the same.
Speaker B: e when we dial things back to: Speaker B:Enter Bob Marley, stage left.
Speaker C:The following preview is rated r for roots and drop a little culture in a too choo choo.
Speaker B: In the early: Speaker B:With its authentic portrayal of the gritty urban landscape where it was born, roots reggae caught the attention of an international audience thanks to Jamaica's early musical pioneers like Desmond Decker, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Whaler.
Speaker B:The pulsating rhythms, socially conscious lyrics and a hypnotic one drop drumbeat resonated with music lovers far beyond the island's shores.
Speaker B:As reggae music, jamaican culture and the rastafarian lifestyle gained popularity, its influence rippled across the ocean, eventually washing up on the sun drenched shores of California.
Speaker B:The weather, the women, the weed, it was a marriage made in heaven.
Speaker B:And after over half a century of matrimony, a love that has only grown stronger.
Speaker B:Im Henry Cave, host of the number one music history podcast Rootsland, and I'm excited to announce our new show, Kingston to Cali, where we will trace Reggae's remarkable journey from the ghettos of Kingston to the west coast of the USA and explore how the genres, spirituality, defiance and positive vibration help this movement take hold.
Speaker B:So pack your bags with your flip flops and earbuds and pack your bowls with your freshly ground kind, bud.
Speaker B:Rootsland will be hitting the road from the rolling Red hills on the outskirts of Kingston, Jamaica, to the central coast of California's Monterey Bay to broadcast live and direct from the California Roots Music and Arts Festival.
Speaker B:On the way, we'll make a few pit stops paying homage to those who helped plant reggae seeds in the fertile California soil.
Speaker B:Well explore how a caribbean music created by the descendants of west african slaves cross pollinated with rock, punk, hip hop and Callie's vibrant skate and surf culture to evolve into a dominant force in reggae, an entire subculture known as Cali roots.
Speaker B:Bunny Whaler said.
Speaker B:What makes reggae so powerful is its ability to convey timeless human emotions and aspirations that everyone can relate to, the desire for peace, freedom and a better life.
Speaker B:That's why it's become a global language for the common people, and it's a language we speak fluent here at Rootsland.
Speaker B:And it's why we believe that sometimes the story is the best song.
Speaker C:Remember to click the link below and subscribe to our new podcast, Kingston to Cali.
Speaker C:You know.
Speaker A:These rows of flames are catching a fire?
Speaker A:Oh, no, no, no baby, tell me where you gone?
Speaker A:I've been feeling for your love so long?
Speaker A:We can praise God in the moonlight baby, if you with me but I do right?
Speaker A:And I've been going too long?
Speaker A:And I'm hoping that you sing my song, my song I've been on this road for quite a while?
Speaker A:I've been hoping that we all get along these roads of flames are catching a fire showed you I love you, call me a liardeh thanks and praises I've been on my own on, on but we ain't never left alone long?
Speaker A:And if I'm telling you the feeling is wrong?
Speaker A:Relax a little, friend this won't take too long?
Speaker A:And when you're feeling alone you can call my phone?
Speaker A:Is there a better way to go?
Speaker A:Teach them something before they lose their soul?
Speaker A:Freedom is the wrong oh, no, no, no coming in from the cone tell them not to sell it it's worth more than cone and kiddiness won't catch them in the end oh, yeah, oh, yeah.
Speaker A:They'll try to manipulate you through your practice?
Speaker A:Now you're calling with the update try to control it.
