Review of Ras Mykkal's DEM CALL MI CONTROVERSIAL

Photographer/political figure/dub poet Ras Mykkal is an important man in Bermuda. Not only is his poetry potent and his music moving, but he is extremely politically active on the island, playing a major role in bringing down the 34 year reign of the United Bermuda Party. Several singles of his have been banned because of their scathing political commentary, clearly a move by the establishment to silence a man whose intelligence is threatening. But when you have a voice as strong as Ras Mykkal's, trying to silence him will only amplify the importance of his message.

One excellent tune, the best on the album, really, is "And So It Go (Diallo)" about the murder of Amadou Diallo. It's a musically rich track backing Ras Mykkal's commentary on the issue. "41 shots is no mistake," Mykkal says. "The killing of Amadou Diallo is another case of bloodshed without justice." The track also features vocals by Truneh Flood. Flood is an outstanding singer, sounding like a cross between Ossie Dellimore and Lucky Dube (yes, he's that good). Somebody get this guy a deal, please.

The most interesting track lyrically is "Excuse Me Mr. Speaker," an excellent song written as if spoken to a member of Bermuda's House of Parliament (who Mykkal clearly has little respect for). Mykkal takes a shot at the way the island's police are too busy pulling people over for not wearing a seat belt or speeding while people continue die in drunk driving accidents due to a weak policy on the issue. His point of misdirected punishment is simple, but painfully lucid:

"Mr. Speaker, I hear one minister say, 'Zero tolerance for the drunk driver is too aggressive.' I hear another minister say that I, Joe Public, should wear a seat belt, it would increase my chances of survival should drunk driver collide with I, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't want to be in collision with a drunk driver."

Ras Mykkal tackles other issues including heavy alcohol consumption on "Five Wise, Five Foolish," cruise ship tourism of the island (versus "dry land" tourism) on "Thirty Pieces of Silver," and even issues as specific as the People's Pension Plan versus the Parlamentiarian Pension Plan on "Too Damn Tief." Dwight P. Jones produced all the tracks on the album in addition to lending his competent vocals to "Politically Correct," a tune where Ras Mykkal draws his lyrics from a 1963 speech by Haile Selassie.

I have only heard a few dub poets through the years. Mutabaruka, of course, was the first and the late Ras Sam Brown was the second. But I can say that out of the few I've heard, none have engaged me like Ras Mykkal has with his first two albums. His debut, Bermuda's First Governor was a strong release with a number of extremely important and controversial tunes, but Dem Call Mi Controversial proves to be a maturation for Ras Mykkal in every way. The music sounds better, his poetry is even more intense (which I wouldn't have thought possible), and his overall packaging is noticeably better (the promotional material he sent to me is ten times better than what I get from major labels). Keep up the good work, bredren, on the streets and in the studio.

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