KABAKA PYRAMID RECLAIMS HIS FOUNDATION ON REBEL MUSIC – THE LYRICS TAPE
Fifteen years after his seminal Rebel Music EP reshaped modern reggae, Grammy-winning lyricist Kabaka Pyramid revisits his genesis. His striking 10-track album, Rebel Music – The Lyrics Tape, arrives via Bebble Rock Music and Ghetto Youths International.
Following his 2023 Grammy victory for The Kalling, this sharp set marks his first full-length effort in three years. Interestingly, the music stems from creative adversity.
An unexpected loss of archived studio files prompted Kabaka Pyramid to use the setback to reset his focus, calling the re-recording “Part 2 to something that started with just a dream, some lyrics and beats.” Between March and June this year, he recorded a masterclass in flawless lyricism and deep sub-bass.
THIS IS FOR MY CORE FANS WHO APPRECI-LOVE WHAT MAKES ME UNIQUE
Channelling that reset into his core artistic identity, Pyramid described the project as a deliberate return to source. “An ode to my foundation and roots as an artist,” he explained. “Reggae and hip hop merged seamlessly into one sound, with the message still the same.”
The album’s opening track Stand Firm pairs guest Pressure Busspipe with a resonant Peter Tosh sample. Elsewhere, the Fatbabs-produced From Weh Day champions reggae’s next generation while respecting dancehall’s lineage.
Meanwhile, Rotation honours classic sound system culture, and the nostalgic We Dem Wah invokes ’90s icons Super Cat and Ninjaman.
“This is for my core fans who appreci-love what makes me unique,” says Kabaka. “My own space, not competing with anyone.”
REBEL MUSIC – THE LYRICS TAPE TRACKLIST
01. Stand Firm ft Pressure Busspipe, Peter Tosh
02. From Weh Day
03. Rebel Music (I’m Back)
04. We Dem Wah
05. Cyaa Cool Di Fyah
06. Higher Learning
07. My Baby
08. Rotation
09. Roll Up
10. Action
ABOUT KABAKA PYRAMID
Kingston lyricist Kabaka Pyramid continues to reshape modern reggae. The Grammy-winning Rastafarian artist fuses roots reggae, hip-hop, and dancehall into a fierce, conscious sound. A cornerstone of the Reggae Revival movement, he first turned heads with 2011’s Rebel Music.
His landmark album The Kalling, produced by Damian Marley, clinched a Grammy. On stage, Kabaka and his band, The Bebble Rockers, deliver pure energy worldwide.
