Benjamin Zephaniah - the People's Laureate Goes Digital

The empire strikes back and waves<br/>Tamed warriors bow on parades<br/>When they have done what they've been told<br/>They get their OBEs. <br/>(from 'Bought & Sold' by Benjamin Zephaniah)<br/><br/>STRAIGHT TO WEB PLEASE!

Feature by Bram Gieben | 16 May 2006
When Benjamin Zephaniah refused Tony Blair and the Queen's offer of an OBE, it was already a matter of poetic record what he thought of such awards. But his bold, public, two-fingered salute to outmoded monarchic and imperial concerns struck a chord with the public – he received many letters of thanks and expressions of support from all corners of the world, and his reputation as the true 'People's Laureate' was cemented. An outspoken activist against racism and police brutality, Zephaniah's public work is mirrored in the themes of his remarkable dub poetry; potent rallying calls to the consciousness of multicultural Britain that resonate strongly with anti-establishment activists, broadsheet-reading liberals and of course his subjects: the disenfranchised and dispossessed; those dead in police custody or locked up and branded with the tag of 'asylum seeker.'

Committing his powerful lyrics to beats is no new enterprise for Zephaniah, having previously collaborated with a plethora of Jamaican musicians, and the legendary dub producer Mad Professor on the LP 'Belly of De Beast.' Indeed, he says on his website that dub poetry as a genre is inherently musical: "Dub poetry has its roots in Jamaica and is closely linked to Reggae music. Sometimes we dub poets perform solo, at other times we may be accompanied by a couple of drummers and at other times we may have a nine-piece band with us, but even in solo performances you should be able to hear its music."

His new LP 'Naked' charts new territory for dub poetry, by incorporating the slick, modernized production work of Trevor Morais. Over a selection of polished dub, hip-hop, two-step and drum and bass beats, Zephaniah updates the template of his poetry for a younger audience, engaging the political issues of the day head on. His lyrics have been tougher, more acidic in previous work – on 'Naked,' quite frequently Zephaniah chooses to play devil's advocate, challenging the liberal attitudes of his Guardian-reading audience and turning them on their heads. Nevertheless, Morais' confident handling of the various electronic styles grounds the more obvious tracks, and a collection of dancefloor-orientated remixes by Rodney P on 'Naked & Mixed Up' will surely win kudos from the London hip-hop set. Exquisitely packaged, 'Naked' is also accompanied by a book of lyrics, with photographs from acclaimed street artist Banksy.

While not every single sonic experiment on 'Naked' works, those that do are masterful. The title track in particular, with its stripped electro bassline, serves not only as a powerful manifesto and statement of intent from Zephaniah, but is also a stunning reinvention of the dub poetry template, opening the ears of his listeners to new possibilities and combinations of lyrics and riddims. A fine album in and of itself, it could well serve to inspire an entirely new generation of bedroom producers and poets to come together and vent their collective ire. As Zephaniah proclaims joyously at the end of Rong Radio – "Keep this frequency clear!"



The 'Naked & Mixed Up' EP by Benjamin Zephaniah & Rodney P is out now, 'Naked' released April 3 on One Little Indian. All quotes from www.benjaminzephaniah.com.
http://www.benjaminzephaniah.com