Roots empress Dezarie blessed the reggae community in 2003 with the deliverance of one of the most potent musical albums of all time “Gracious Mama Africa.” Released on the Afrikan Roots Lab record label, this album emerged from the seeds planted on her amazing debut album of 2001 “FYA”.
Gracious Mama Africa transports the incredible voice of Dezarie to a whole new level – the highest heights. Her foundation is firmly established on songs such as “Travelers” and the title track. The brilliance and clarity of Dezarie’s voice is reverently unveiled on “Exhalt.” Gracious Mama Africa abounds with pleas for social justice and racial equality with selections like “Poverty,” “Strengthen Your Mind” and “Justice”.
But to this listener, the strength and power of Dezarie is most strikingly displayed in her condemnation of ‘so-called’ civilization. “Gone Down,” “Not One Penny,” “Law Fe De Outlaw”, “Slew Dem An Done” and “Judgment Come” all deliver conscious punches that penetrate the soul. After receiving Atlanta’s “Best New Female Reggae Artist” award in 2001, Dezarie returned to her native island of St. Croix. Since that time, she has been working closely with Midnite’s Ron Benjamin.
2008 saw the release of “Eaze The Pain,” an album in which Dezarie’s devotion for H.I.M. provide the book-ends for poignant political and social messages on songs like “The Truth,” “Set Da Flame” and “For The People By The People.” A similar template is employed on the 2010 release “The Fourth Book.”
Her newest release “Love In Your Meditation” takes the music of Dezarie to an even higher plane with outstanding vocals and harmonies punctuating powerful lyrics on selections that include “Download De Criminal,” “Return To Sender” and “Constructing Destruction.” Once again, Ron Benjamin provides exquisite instrumentation, production and vocal harmonies on this album that includes the hair-raising ballad “Stronger.”