Hempress Sativa pays homage on ‘Charka’
New album features collabs with her father Ilawi, Sister Carol, Sister Nancy
Published:Sunday | June 18, 2023 | 12:58 AMYasmine Peru - Sunday Gleaner Writer
“It’s a blessing be alive and standing beside I man daughter,” proud dad Albert ‘Ilawi’ Johnson told the gathering last Wednesday at Kingston Dub Club, just as he took “a talkaphone” as directed by his daughter, Hempress Sativa.
The people had gathered for the launch of Hempress Sativa’s sophomore album, a 12-track eponymous offering titled, Charka, “the nickname that was given to the likkle wash-belly baby girl who had a strong will and determination to survive being born prematurely at seven month”.
On Charka, which is a “homage to [her] roots and a continuation of the preservation of the spirited music called reggae”, Hempress Sativa continues the all-important legacy of her father by collaborating with him on one of his own songs, Sound the Trumpet. Last Wednesday night, the father-daughter duo exuded some heart-warming family vibes onstage, and this was even further cemented when she tried to put her father on the spot by asking him who he wrote that song for, but let him off with a genuine laugh.
“The launch was amazing. I am always grateful for the support of family and friends,” Hempress Sativa shared in a post-event interview in which she spoke glowingly of Ilawi.
“My father is the original selector from Jah Love, as well as a singer, songwriter and producer, so I grow up around music. From I was three, him give me a microphone and seh ‘Just sing.’ He was always recording us singing, dancing. Him give everything to the music and for me it was instrumental to have him on this album … I get to immortalise my father,” she shared.
A proud product of the ghetto who talks about her Mona Commons childhood days with love, the regal Rasta (H)empress showed exactly where she was coming from and where she is heading, as she commanded the stage, flanked by her Unconquerable band, and endeared herself to the audience and delivered evocative music that stroked the soul. Charka is personal on many levels, not least of which is the fact that Hempress Sativa makes her debut as a producer on a collab with her long-time sistren, Kelissa. The track is titled Take me Home, and Kelissa delightfully showed up to perform with her at the launch.
Those who didn’t know that the legend, Sister Carol, was featured on Charka thought that she was there to show her support to one who was definitely worthy. Clearly, that was a part of the reason for her presence, but more than that, Sister Carol was at the launch to perform, and it was a memorable moment to witness two reggae queens sharing the stage, the younger showing maximum respect to the icon. Actually, on the song, titled Top Rank Queens, a third legend, Sister Nancy, also appears.
“I grow up calling Sister Carol ‘Auntie’ ... so when I had the idea to recreate Althea and Donna’s Uptown Top Ranking I reached out to Sister Carol and she said ‘Send the riddim’. I asked her if she though Sister Nancy would be interested and she said ‘Ask her, she always loved you’,” Hempress Sativa shared. Sister Nancy also agreed and the three queens did the collab that deserves maximum airplay.
In thanking Sister Carol, Hempress Sativa said, “Mama, you’re a Queen! Whole heap of honour and respect, grateful for the I presence as I know you have a long journey ahead yet you still forward to show I love and support.”
In Ghetto Life, the fourth track on the album, and which she performed last Wednesday, Hempress Sativa showed just why she earned the Lyrical Machine moniker, as she rides the riddim like the proverbial lizard on a limb as she chants, “I man nuh born fi suffer what nuh kill mi build mi made mi tougher militant in mind set firm enough in structure.” Bap! Bap! Bap!
She pays tribute to her strong Rastafarian mother, Doris Ray Ricketts on The Best, her personal favourite on Charka because the intro and the outro are done by her mom, who she shared sends her affirmations through voice notes every day.
The evening started with a reasoning with emcee Coleen Douglas and Hempress Sativa, during which those who didn’t know learnt that the artiste is an advocate of legalising ganja globally and has a solid fan base in parts of the States and Europe which she tours annually with her Unconquerable band.