On the 15th of May, fast-rising reggae artist Ras-I released his third studio album, “Heart of Love,” and invited me to attend the launch and give a tribute. I was honoured and excited, as I am a big fan and had been anticipating the release of his new project. He sent me the link in advance, and with a nine-hour flight coming up, I knew I had time to digest it. So, when the pilot told the flight attendants to take their seats for take-off, I popped in my AirPods, cancelled the noise, and while the aircraft soared, I ascended through the tracklist.
Two hours into the flight, surprisingly, I still hadn’t gotten far into the album, which would only have taken me approximately fifty minutes to finish. The title track “Heart of Love” opened with a saxophone clouding the instrumentation as the Airbus burst through the clouds. The melodic sound compelled me to close my eyes, take a deep breath in, and breathe out, and the zen feeling of reggae music and lyrics such as “Imagine if love had a name? I wouldn’t be surprised if it was yours” had me visiting the repeat button several times.
I was interrupted by the British fellow beside me, who told me he knew every time I reached the chorus. “How?” I asked, and he replied, “Because you always burst out ‘Since you showed me a heart of love.'” He was correct; he sang the line perfectly too. I didn’t even know I was being that loud. Anyway, I smiled and said, “You’re correct.”
The following tracks played right into the mood: “Forever and Always,” “Reggae Mountain,” and another track that has become an earworm, “Essence.” Ras-I reminds us to bask in the presence of life, alleviate stress, and spend less time dwelling on negative times, because that could hamper us from celebrating the positive moments.
“Holding Strong,” a collaboration with modern-day lovers rock artist Nesta, is a reminder of what reggae is at its core, as both artists use the music as a weapon to champion integrity and morality and to encourage individuals to remain strong and have faith. Other featured artists on the album are Govana, Khalia, and Kabaka Pyramid.
Nearly seven hours into the flight, having completed the album, I finally removed my earphones. And again, my British neighbour was eagerly waiting to question me. “Who were you listening to? There are some bangers on that record. I could tell by your reactions, you were rocking side to side, throwing up gun fingers like you were about to fire two shots in the air. You were having a whole party, my friend.” I laughed, told him about Ras-I, and watched as he immediately pulled up Apple Music and pre-added the album.
I’ve observed time and again: Ras-I music always turns casual listeners into instant devotees. My sister and I went to an event called “Tuesday Service,” where Ras-I was scheduled to perform tracks from “Heart of Love.” On our way back home, all she talked about was how great he is, and she said she just pre-ordered his album.
When the emcee called my name on the night of the launch, I stood before a crowd of hundreds. Many of whom knew Ras-I far better than I did, and had come specifically to see him. I chose not to spend my time praising his artistry. I chose to focus on something we always complain about: the low sales of Jamaican music. And I merely offered the simple truth: “Why complain about something when we have the power to change it? Be the change that you want to see. All it will take is £7.99.”
I am aware that I am in no position to tell anyone how to spend their hard-earned dollars, and that would also be rude of me. But we are all biological beings who strive for things that lift our mood, make us smile, and give us a brighter outlook on life. And Heart of Love can fulfil that and more. Ras-I understands the healing power of reggae music, and throughout this project, he delivers timeless songs that you should have and be able to retrieve for mental healing. If you ask me, it is no different from the medicines you store in your medicine chest and pull out whenever you need to cure an ailment.
