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Album Details

• Artist: Damian "jr. Gong" Marley
• Album: Welcome To Jamrock
• Label: Universal
• Year of Release: 2005
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2006-06-22

I haven't reviewed a lot of Reggae on Music Emissions but Damian "Junior Gong" Marley deserves a review for Welcome To Jamrock. I've heard a couple tracks around but after listening to the very strong album I have become a fan of the youngest son of Bob Marley. Many of today's reggae stars on onto other styles like Dancehall and Reggaton but Damian puts an eye on the hip hop stage for some influence to keep the reggae flame alive. Junior Gong tried an album in 1996 but it fell pretty much on deaf ears but in 2001 his Halfway Tree album found an audience, having a few hip hop artists featured on the album. Welcome To Jamrock keeps that up. It was anticipated on the strength of the title track, a song that was all over Jamaica and other reggae radio stations for the longest time before the full-length album release. The album actually delivers on the strength of that single. "Move" actually samples his father's "Exodus" and makes it into a potential single track. "For The Babies" sounds like it could have been an out-take from Massive Attack's Protection. The best thing about Damian Marley is the way that makes each song stand out on its own. There isn't a lot of duplicate vibes going on here and yet the album holds together amazingly well. Some of the other artists that are featured on the album include Bobby Brown, his brother Stephen, Black Thought, Nas, Rovieta Fraser, Bounty Killer, and Eek-A-Mouse. Nas's contribution is awesome on the dark "Road To Zion". If you haven't been keeping an eye on reggae for a few years, you need to buy this album and hopefully restore your faith in the genre.

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