DUBROOM MP3 ALBUM REVIEW
WWW, September 2009 - With tracks like "Kum Out", several mixes of "Welcome To Canada", Lady Shelly's free MP3 Album gives a good representation of her past and presence as more-than-conscious Dancehall vocalist.
Lady Shelly's story is more than interesting: after moving to Montreal (Quebec) from Jamaica, she became a signed recording artist for a number of Dance labels, scored several hits and even received a golden plaque. A few years followed wherein she traveled to and from Jamaica, bringing her to the decision that she now was going to use her talents to spread Consciousness in the Dance.
In Montreal, she recorded "Welcome In Canada" (track 14). It's a Rub a Dub tune, which drew the attention of Dean Fraser. He made her decide to permanently move back to Jamaica and work on building her Dancehall career.
And she did.
KARAMANTI MIX VOLUME ONE _ RESURRECTION is an 18 track presentation of some really hard hitting Dancehall music. Ten tracks are new, by the way. Lady Shelly shows her talents on several styles, but they all have that militant and conscious element lacking in so many other Dancehall productions.
She addresses current situations in Jamaica (Bruce Golding, No Gully No Gaza), domestic violence (Kum Out) and the way Jamaicans are treated in Canada (Welcome In Canada). Her faith in Jah keeps her going on and she will not go astray from Him (Naa Do It), but she also sings about good vibes (Party Tonight).
Lady Shelly's message is clear, and it gets even more clear on her website where we can find the story behind most of the tracks and herself. She is a hard working, even struggling artist whose refusal to walk in the ways of the wicked doesn't make things easier.
How easy is it, to be a female vocalist and you find out that one producer is more interested in punany than in the musical talents? How hard is it, to know that this producer is no exception? We feel it directly in the music and lyrics of this more-than-conscious Dancehall artist.
Download the album, check out her website for remixes and some instrumentals or even a capella recordings, read up her poetry and news items and know why Dancehall Music would not survive without sistren like Lady Shelly.
The mainstream might choose to ignore her, but the conscious online massive will not.
Sela.
