THE UK CORNER MUSIC REVIEW: Queen Ifrica 'Montego Bay'

     *On first listening to Sing-Jay Queen Ifrica's debut VP Records album Montego Bay, she strikes me as a Jamaican India Aarie with patois laced spiritual anthems! The drums that rumble through T.T.P.N.C (Tribute to The Pitfour Nyabinghi Center) are the bed for her lyrics.
 
     A complex Rastafarian voice, she is preachy as appropriate, for me, conjuring up memories of being at my grandmother's church in Jamaica. As the album progresses Queen Ifrica AKA Ventrice Morgan flies the flag for Jamaica and her hometown notably on the catchy Welcome to Montego Bay.

     As if a newscaster, this mother and daughter of pioneering Ska singer Derrick Morgan, provides social commentary on contemporary Jamaica, exploring issues such as poverty, slackness and a lack of facilities for children.

     With meaningful and poignant writing and versatile delivery, Ifrica is a welcome addition to the reggae scene. Hailed as reggae's 'fyah (or fire) mama' she is hot like pepper sauce and not afraid to court controversy. Giving a voice to the voiceless, her profound yet tactful track Daddy, produced by Kemar 'Flava' McGregor (Sizzla, Luciano, Beres Hammond), is about child molestation. It is part of her campaign against abuse and incest. There was an attempt to ban it in conservative Jamaica and some DJs shied away from promotion.

     "I wanted corporate Jamaica to realise that if a society is engulfed by violence, we have to look at the homes where these violent tendencies are coming from," remarks Ifrica. For Ifrica, this is more than a PR stunt. She is involved in several youth outreach programs in Jamaica's inner-city counseling abuse victims and other disadvantaged individuals. She also performs at various charity events shows where proceeds are donated to the cause.

     Named "Artist of the Month" for November 2007 by The Gleaner newspaper, Ifrica has also worked with UNICEF.  She says, "When politicians want to win elections they run surveys to find out exactly where the most violence is coming from; if they tried to break this problem down from that angle, we would get more solutions."

     Traditionally a deejay, Ifrica exudes her fyah on Coconut Shell and Yad the East. Calling Africa, with African inspired choral chants, provides the most dancehall inspired offering. The uplifting Lioness on the Rise, produced by Donovan Germaine (Buju Banton, Morgan Heritage, Wayne Wonder, Beres Hammond), is a standout track on a one-drop rhythm where we hear the true potential of her honeyed vocals.

     Indeed, on Far Away produced by Rickman Warren, she invokes an essence of Lauryn Hill as she sings her reggae infused romantic ballad. In My Dreams allows her husky tone to echo that of Des'ree.

     Ifrica got her big break through uniting with Tony Rebel's Flames Crew in 1998, following her performance at a concert honoring the late reggae singer Garnet Silk. Ifrica's performance of two Silk tunes so impressed Rebel (who had mentored the beloved Silk early in his career), that he offered to cultivate her talent through his Kingston based Flames Productions.

     "I saw the same qualities in that performance I have seen in others who became big stars including Garnet Silk," comments Rebel, who produced six of the thirteen songs on Montego Bay, several of which, he co-wrote with Ifrica.

     She earned her stripes performing at talent shows including the esteemed Reggae Sumfest, Summer Jam in Germany, the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival, the Bob Marley Festival, Reggae on the River in California and the Reggae Sundance Festival in Holland. Hits such as Randy, Jus me Brethren and Below the Waist have helped to make her name. After 14 years in the music industry I am glad to have finally discovered her!

Track Listings
1. T.T.P.N.C
2. Welcome To Montego Bay
3. Coconut Shell
4. Lioness On The Rise
5. Yad To The East
6. Far Away
7. Don't Sign
8. Daddy
9. Keep It To Yourself
10. Calling Africa
11. In My Dreams
12. Streets Are Bloody

13. Daddy (Spanish version)

Montego Bay available on 16 June
www.myspace.com/queenifrica

The UK Corner covers urban entertainment from a British perspective and is compiled by Fiona McKinson. She is a freelance journalist and creative writer based in London. Contact her at info@thetalentshow.co.uk.