SIZZLA RELEASES FOUGHT FOR DIS!

BY BRIAN BONITTO
Associate Editor —
Auto & Entertainment
bonittob@jamaicaobserver.com

AHEAD of next month’s release of Life Of A Ghetto Youth comes another new album from Sizzla Kalonji.

Fought For Dis, a 10-track set, was released last Friday. Produced by Anthony Senior of Balaclava-based Altafaan Records, the album is distributed by French company Baco Records.

The St Elizabeth-based producer said he is not concerned about other projects.

“That nuh bother me. A di best album count, so mi jus’ a do my thing… A 10 years it tek me and Sizzla to work on the album, as I wanted the songs to be proper. Sizzla tek his time fi do things and mi neva rush him… so is a song a year we do,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Senior said his hard work has culminated in a “decent” album.

“The songs dem proper an’ have a message. Sizzla touch on a couple of different topics dat everybody can relate to, like love and protect the children. It is an all-round album for the conscious mind. I hope the songs reach every ears and resonate that it becomes one of Sizzla’s top albums.”

Sizzla Kalonji (given name Miguel Collins) is known for his high number of releases. To date he is credited with more than 45 solo albums. They include Rise To The Occasion, Black Woman & Child, and Da Real Thing.

The Firehouse Crew, Live Wyah Band, and saxophonist Dean Fraser are some the musicians who played on Fought For Dis.

Sizzla

According to Senior, the title track struck a personal chord.

“Our ancestors fought for the freedoms which we are taking for granted and are throwing away… Look how we are killing one another? Look how we are bleaching out our skin — a jus’ madness.”

The album also boasts Love You Jah Jah, Show More Love, The Children Are The Future, and Much More.

German artiste Gentleman is featured on Don’t Worry along with Mark Wonder, while Happy For You (Capleton and Vershon), Jamaica (Sugar Cane), Take My Breath (Nakeisha), and Freedom featuring American rapper M1 from Dead Prez are the other collabs.

Life of A Ghetto Youth is scheduled for a July 7 release. Sizzla is on a seven-date tour of the United States to promote the album.

Started in 1996, Altafaan Records has produced a number of acts including Junior Kelly Take This Love and Receive and Tanya Stephens Can’t Breathe.