Jah9

Jah9
Birth name Janine E. Cunningham
Born Montego Bay, Saint James, Jamaica
Origin Falmouth, Jamaica
Genres Reggae, roots reggae, dub poetry
Occupation(s) Musician, vocalist, songwriter, poet, social activist
Years active 2008–present
Labels VP Records / Steam Chalice Records
Website Jah9.com

Janine "Jah9" Cunningham is a Jamaican reggae vocalist, dub poet, social activist, and yogi.[1] After starting her artistic career in the Jamaican progressive poetry scene, she began to release music in 2009 and has since been "credited as the creator of the 'jazz on dub' genre."[2] Her lyrics cover topics such as social activism, Rastafari, Jamaican culture, culture of the African diaspora, and gender, among many others.[3] After releasing several singles and mixtapes, her debut album New Name was released in 2013.[1] Described by United Reggae as "a straight cultural roots album," it was voted album of the year by AchisReggae.com.[3] In 2013 she began performing on stage with her band The Dub Treatment,[3] and she has since toured the United States and Europe multiple times, performing at events such as the Dour Festival.[4] United Reggae listed her upcoming album on VP Records & Steam Chalice Records one of the "most anticipated reggae albums in 2016."[5]

Early life and education

Janine Elizabeth Cunningham was born on May 23, 1983 in Montego Bay, Saint James in Jamaica.[2] Her father was a Christian preacher,[6] while her mother was a teacher and social worker.[2] Spending her childhood in the rural town of Falmouth, Jamaica,[7] Cunningham recollects being a creatively-minded "introvert" growing up, often spending her time writing and reading.[8] She was also interested in singing with her family,[9] and according to Cunningham, "by the time I was six years old I knew maybe hundreds of hymns already and choruses."[10] In 1991[2][3] she moved with her family to Kingston, Jamaica,[9] where she joined church and school choirs for fun and continued to work on her poetry.[10] Cunningham was nine years old when her older brother died of leukemia.[11]

She attended college[6] at the University of the West Indies in Kingston,[3] where she was introduced to Rastafari, roots reggae, and artists such as dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson.[7] Writing poetry since she was a little girl, she also started writing her own lyrics and songs in school[9] while studying psychology, human resource development, criminology, and philosophy.[10] After graduation she began working corporate jobs in the private and public sector.[10] In 2005, she co-created a non-profit youth and arts advocacy group known as Manifesto JA.[3]

Career

Poetry and first releases (2008-2011)

She retired from the corporate sector to focus on music at age 25,[6] and by 2009[3] she had become known in the Jamaican progressive poetry scene under her childhood nickname Jah9.[7] She was soon pursuing art as a full-time career, while also continuing to work with and support the youth group Manifesto Jamaica.[1] As her poetry began to increasingly incorporate dub and jazz, Jah9 began recording demos with the Jamaican producers Sheldon Bernard and Beres Hammond. She released several singles before starting work on her debut album,[7] and in 2010, she recorded the singles "Warning" and "Keep Holding On" with producer Donovan Bennett.[7]

In 2011 she released a nine-track free mixtape titled 9MM-Message Music, which was her first multi-track musical release.[2] The "mm" signified "message music."[8] Among the singles were "Mr. Right" and "Intentions," as well as the Donovan "Don Corleon" Bennett-produced track "Warning."[2] "Warning" received heavy local and international radio play,[2] and Riddim Magazine in Germany voted the track Song of the Year.[1][2] In early 2013, she released her track "Brothers."[7]

New Name debut (2012-2013)

Main article: New Name

After working with reggae producer Rory "Stone Love" Gilligan[2] throughout 2012,[12] her resultant debut album was released on his imprint Rorystonelove[7] on February 26, 2013.[2] Themes in the album are diverse, touching on topics such as community and spirituality among others.[8][10] About its meaning, Jah9 stated that "I think New Name is kind of a statement to say: I am a Rastafari woman, first and foremost, seeking the Kingdom and this personal journey is foremost."[8] The official album launch took place in St. Andrew, Jamaica near the end of February,[13] and featured Jah9 performing with a 14-member band.[1][13] Jamaica Observer described it as "one of the largest crowds seen at a local album launch." Singers Chronixx and Protoje were guest vocalists during the show.[13]

New Name peaked at No. 3 on the iTunes chart in France, No. 7 in Switzerland,[13] and No. 9 in Germany.[1] A deluxe edition was released on CD and digital download in 2014.[14] Described by United Reggae as "quite simply, the superb sum of its parts: a straight cultural roots album," it was voted album of the year by AchisReggae.com[3] and named to a midyear "KDHX DJ top 10 albums" list in 2013.[15] High Times later wrote that New Name was released "to warm acclaim in the reggae community,"[11] with the Washington City Paper writing in 2015 that Jah9 "quickly developed a following among roots reggae fans with her 2013 debut album."[16] Reggae Vibes wrote that New Name "has a very distinctive vibe as it expertly blends conscious reggae riddims with classic jazz grooves and dub overtones."[2]

International touring (2014-2015)

In 2013 she began performing on stage with her band The Dub Treatment, appearing at a number of major reggae festivals[3] such as Garance Festival in France in 2014.[17] By April 2014 she had released her For the Love of Kush mixtape for free download. According to Jah9, the mixtape is "a great conversation about marijuana and Jamaica and Rastafari." The mixtape was released as part of her Healing of the Nation campaign, which also included videos for "Taken Up" and "Steamers a Bubble."[11]

After performing at venues in Brooklyn[10] and the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C. in early 2015,[16] that summer she toured Europe for the fourth time. After playing at Festival de Néoules in Neoules, France, she performed at the Dour Festival in Belgium, the [ouleur Cafe in Brussels, Rote Fabrik in Zurich, and gigs in Munich.[18] In Italy and Malta she focused her shows on connecting with African refugees, teaching some yoga and breathing exercises along with the music.[3] She made her second visit to the United States that summer as well,[10] hitting a number of east coast cities[4] with gigs at venues such as SOB in New York.[10] Other stops included Delaware's Festival 4 Peace in Wilmington, Norfolk's Virginia Reggae Fest,[4] as well as Albuquerque's Globalquerque that year.[19]

Recent projects (2016-present)

External video
Jah9 - Steamers A Bubble (Official Video) - Shamala/Hit Bound Records (Nov 1, 2013)

In 2016 she released the Dennis Brown single "Bloody City."[7] The track will later be included on the VP Records compilation album We Remember Dennis Brown.[20] Her full-length album Rebellion was originally expected to be out by the fall of 2014,[11] after she had started working on the tracks in 2007.[11] As of early 2016, the Rebellion project was still pending. Despite the delay, Jah9 stated "I’m so excited about that album. I feel it will be timeless because there’s nothing that has dated it. The realities are still the same."[17]

On January 15, 2016, United Reggae listed her unnamed, upcoming album on Steam Chalice Records one of the "most anticipated reggae albums in 2016." With multiple producers, the album is expected in the second quarter of 2016.[5] Later that year, the name was announced as 9, a reference to the divine number in Rastafari.[3] She continues her "Healing of the Nation" public awareness campaign for marijuana use and education.[4] She also offers free yoga classes in the inner-city.[21]

Style and themes

"I’ve always called [my musical genre] jazz on dub because my vocal style is heavily influenced by jazz. It is literally defined by your breaking the rules. Pushing the envelope is what I really loved about jazz and dub is very similar — it’s a post-production treatment. That kind of freedom, I think those two music styles are very very similar to my personality and my journey. So jazz on dub is the sound."
— Jah9 in 2015[8]

Jah9's music has consistently been described by music critics as a "jazz on dub" style.[4] Jamaica Gleaner wrote in 2013 that "Jah9's choruses embody the jazz melody of a Billie Holiday and the deejay attack of Sizzla during verses, while the band provides a heavy dub that ebbs and flows."[1] Originally a poet, her lyrics are often deeply spiritual[3] and cover topics such as social activism, Rastafari, Jamaican culture, culture of the African diaspora, and gender, among many others.[3] Her live shows incorporate "elements of the culture and envisionist arts and Rastafari."[11] David Jeffries of Allmusic wrote that her music has a "thick and rootsy sound, but an edge that suggests she's a Burning Spear or Mutabaruka for the 21st century."[7] Her vocal stylings have also been compared to artists such as Ella Fitzgerald,[4] Nina Simone,[3] and Erykah Badu.[3]

Personal life

Based in Jamaica, Jah9 is a certified teacher[3] and practitioner of the eastern Yoga tradition,[6] and is trained in Kemetic, Ashtanga and Iyengar methods.[3] She also curates "Yoga on Dub," an "organic rhythm-based yoga experience."[3]

Discography

Albums

Solo albums by Jah9[22][23][24]
Year Album title Release details
2013 New Name
  • Released: Feb 26, 2013
  • Label: Rorystonelove
  • Format: CD, Digital
2016 9

Mixtapes

Incomplete list of songs by Jah9[22][23]
Year Title Release details
2011 9MM-Message Music Self-released
2014 For the Love of Kush Self-released
2016 9MM Vol. 2: Groundings Steam Chalice Records

Singles

Incomplete list of songs by Jah9[22][23]
Year Title Album Release details
2012 "New Name" New Name Rorystonelove (Jun 12, 2012)
"Mr. Right" Rorystonelove (Aug 28, 2012)
"Jungle" Rorystonelove (Dec 4, 2012)
2013 "Steamers a Bubble (Dubstep)" Single Shamala Productions (Jul 31, 2013)
"Steamers a Bubble" Shamala Productions (Aug 5, 2013)
2014 "Revolution Lullaby"
(feat. Sheldon Bernard)		 Lost Ark Music(October 26, 2014)
2015 "The Marijuana" Biggy Music (Sep 25, 2015)
2015 "Feeling Irie" The Biggest Reggae
One-Drop Anthems 2015		 VP Music Group
2016 "Bloody City" We Remember Dennis Brown VP Music Group, Inc (Feb 19, 2016)[23]
2016 "Humble Mi" 9 VP Music Group, Inc (Jul 1, 2016)[23]

Guest appearances

Selected songs featuring Jah9[22][23]
Year Single name Primary artist(s) Release details
2015 "I R 35 Galdino Dub (Transparente Remix)"
(ft. Jah9 and Tapedave)		 Indigenous Resistance Atuadub (May 29, 2015)
2016 "Herb Must Legalize Now"
(ft. Jah9, Chronixx, Kabaka Pyramid, DJ Sojah, etc.)		 Mystic Revealers VP Music Group (Jan 22, 2016)
2016 "Rejoice" (ft. Jah9) Sara Lugo Oneness Records (Feb 26, 2016)

Further reading

Discographies

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Jah9 album launch signals growing popularity". Jamaica Gleaner. March 2, 2013. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Mr. T, Teacher (2016). "New Name". Reggae Vibes. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Biography". Jah9.com. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rose, Kristy (July 16, 2015). "Jah9 to embark on U.S. East Coast tour". TopShelf Reggae. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  5. 1 2 Magni, Erik (January 15, 2016). "Anticipated Reggae Albums in 2016". United Reggae. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Amadori Ketola, Justine (February 26, 2013). "Album Review: Jah9 - New Name". Reggaeville. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Jeffries, David. "Jah9 Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 "Jazz on Dub is The Sound of Jah9". ZANJ / Zanj Radio. March 30, 2015. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  9. 1 2 3 "Reggae Singer Jah9 Finds Inspiration at Breakfast in 'Avocado' (Exclusive Video)". Wall Street Journal. November 12, 2014. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Eyre, Banning (July 20, 2015). "Jah9 on Roots Reggae, Preaching and Rastafari". Afropop Worldwide. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Six, Mary Ought (April 29, 2014). "New Flame: Jamaica's Jah9 Lights Up the Reggae World with Her Own Special Fire". High Times. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  12. ↑ Duffield, Jack (November 1, 2012). "Jah9: New Name". Wordplay Magazine. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Walters, Basil (March 1, 2013). "Jah 9: New Name in roots-reggae". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  14. ↑ "Jah9 – New Name". Discogs. 2013. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  15. ↑ Rhythms, Ital (July 8, 2013). "Midyear 2013: 88.1 KDHX DJ top 10 albums". KDHX. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  16. 1 2 Jones, Caroline (February 5, 2015). "ToDo ToDay: Jah9, House of Desires, and Viceroy". Washington City Paper. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  17. 1 2 Taylor, Angus (May 15, 2015). "Interview: Jah9 in Kingston (Part 2)". United Reggae. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  18. ↑ "Jah9 laces up for European gigs". Jamaica Observer. June 21, 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  19. ↑ Globalquerque 2015
  20. ↑ S. Chang, Richard (February 18, 2016). "Premiere: Jah9 Covers Dennis Brown's 'Bloody City'". Red Bull. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
  21. ↑ Artiste gives free yoga classes (Jamaica Star)
  22. 1 2 3 4 "Jah9". Discogs. Retrieved 2015-07-06.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Jah9 Discography". Allmusic. Retrieved 2015-07-06.
  24. ↑ "Jah9 releases". iTunes. Retrieved 2015-07-06.
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