Zion has been a reoccurring theme in the music of oppressed peoples for a very long time. This can be seen in the plantation spiritual as well as the Nyabinghi chant. Zion represents freedom and calm beyond the sufferings and horrors of Babylon.
The Zion-themed roots reggae classics such as “By the Rivers of Babylon” (performed by the Melodians), “Jerusalem” (performed by Alpha Blondy), “Satta Massagana” (performed by The Abyssynians), and “Dreamland” (performed by Third World) awoke our thoughts and hearts and touched our souls.
Queen Makedah follows in these racial footsteps in her new single Holy Mount Zion, where she uses her golden voice over a mesmerizing hip-hop infused contemporary reggae riddim composed by the genius of late Jamaican bassist producer Christopher Meredith (Sugar Minott, Amy Winehouse, Lauryn Hill, Stephen Marley). Queen Makedah follows in these racial footsteps in her new single Holy Mount Zion.
Makedah says, “This song represents the collective prayers of mothers and all peace lovers who seek peace, equal rights, and justice for our youth and families” in response to the tragic cases of police brutality and racial injustice that plague ghetto youths (like Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, and countless others) and innocent civilians in the United States and around the world.
Listen on Spotify.
