Alpha Blondy

Hello everyone time to speak about music and there is nobody better to begin with than Alpha Blondy, I guess it's high time for me to introduce a guy which will always be second to Bob Marley in my heart, in what regards reggae music. It's none other than Alpha Blondy.

So let's start with the starting. This guy down here is what I will call a real "African", not only because he is a full fledged representative of this beautiful continent, but also because he is a musician and artists who is just so undeniably connected with his roots that you can easily say that he is a true "African Rasta". Can only think of some others like Lucky Dube, Tiken Jah Fakoly and other guys of this calibre (a bit later about them).

So that's what Alpha is all about. I got acquainted with him when my Dad (as you can see he is my major influence in reggae music) was constantly listening to him in his car while driving me to school and elsewhere. Was listening to the album "Masada", really great album which definitely enters my top 10 reggae albums.

If you listen carefully to the lyrics of Alpha Blondy you will notice that his message is that of an Africa which is liberated from all pain and stereotypes it's usually associated with. I mean things like war, tribalism, dictatorship, corruption and what have you. I recently had a feeling of "Afro - Patriotism" this  is something that came as sort of a surprise to me, since I've been living in Russia for the past 8 years already and feel really out of touch from Africa. Despite this lack of connection I really feel for what is happening out there and Alpha Blondy's music is just another good reminder of the necessity "not to forget" the turmoil in which this pearl of a continent is in now.

Yeah forgot to mention that there has recently been the release of a documentary dedicated to Alpha Blondy. Goes by the title "fight for liberty" and in my opinion it's a really good start to be acquainted with Alpha as a personality not only as a musician. In this documentary there is a great emphasis made on the fact that Alpha Blondy was an active participant in the attempt to make peace in Cote D'Ivoire which plunged into war shortly after the death of their president. In short a real "human" with a capital "H", freedom fighter and peace enabler. Alpha Blondy always in our hearts...