Thursday, March 20, 2014

Linton Kwesi Johnson - "Bass Culture" (sound file & words)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a sound file of and the words to Linton Kwesi Johnson's dub poetry composition "Bass Culture". Information about Linton Kwesi Johnson is also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All content remain with their owners.

Thanks to Linton Kwesi Johnson for his musical and literary legacy. Thanks also to the publishers of this sound video on Youtube and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT LINTON KWESI JOHNSON
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linton_Kwesi_Johnson
"Linton Kwesi Johnson (aka LKJ) (born in Jamaica, 24 August 1952) is a UK-based dub poet. In 2002 he became the second living poet, and the only black poet, to be published in the Penguin Modern Classics series.[1][2] His performance poetry involves the recitation of his own verse in Jamaican Patois over dub-reggae, usually written in collaboration with renowned British reggae producer/artist Dennis Bovell. His middle name, "Kwesi", is a Ghanaian name that is given to boys who - like Johnson - are born on a Sunday."...

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From http://www.biography.com/people/linton-kwesi-johnson-20903749
"Linton Kwesi Johnson was born on August 24, 1952 in Chapleton, in the parish of Clarendon, Jamaica. After moving to London and attending the University of London's Goldsmiths College, he began writing politically charged poetry. He is known as the creator of "dub poetry," a blend of reggae music and spoken verse. Johnson is the author of three popular books of poetry, and has worked as a journalist, recording artist and radio host...

Some of Johnson's distinguished awards include an Honorary Visiting Professorship at Middlesex University in London (2004), and a silver Musgrave medal from the Institute of Jamaica for distinguished eminence in the field of poetry (2005). His work has been translated into several languages and he has toured extensively throughout Europe, Japan, South Africa, Brazil and other nations.

Commenting on why he started to write poetry, Johnson said, "The answer is that my motivation sprang from a visceral need to creatively articulate the experiences of the black youth of my generation, coming of age in a racist society" (The Guardian; March 28, 2012).

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLE: Linton Kwesi Johnson - Bass Culture



RastaChaka, Uploaded on Nov 22, 2009
-snip-
"Bass Culture" is track #14 on the album Independant Intavenshan." That album was released in 1998.

For more information about that album click http://www.discogs.com/Linton-Kwesi-Johnson-Independant-Intavenshan-The-Island-Anthology/release/611450

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WORDS TO "BASS CULTURE"
(Linton Kwesi Johnson)

muzik of blood
black reared
pain rooted
heart geared

all tensed up
in di bubble an di bounce
an di leap an di weight-drop

it is di beat of di heart
this pulsing of blood
that is a bubblin bass
a bad bad beat
pushin gainst di wall
whey bar black blood

an is a whole heappa
passion a gather
like a frightful form
like a righteous harm
giving off wild like is madness

BAD OUT DEY

hotta dan di hites of fire
livin heat doun volcano core
is di cultural wave a dread people deal
spirits riled
an rise an rail thunda-wise
latent powa
in a form resemblin madness
like violence is di show
burstin outta slave shackle
look ya! boun fi harm di wicked

man feel
him hurt confirm
man site
destruction all aroun
man turn
love still confirm
him destiny a shine lite-wise
soh life tek the form whey shiff from calm
an hold di way of a deadly storm

culture pulsin
high temperature blood
swingin anger
shattering di tightened hold
the false hold
round flesh whey wail freedom
bitta cause a blues
cause a maggot suffering
cause a blood klaat pressure
yer still breedin love
far more mellow
than di soun of shapes
chanting loudly

SCATTA-MATTA-SHATTA-SHACK!
what a beat!

for di time is night
when passion gather high
when di beat jus lash
when di wall mus smash
an di beat will shiff
as di culture alltah
when oppression scatta

Source: http://www.releaselyrics.com/058c/linton-kwesi-johnson-bass-culture/

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