Kabaka Pyramid still has lots to say

There is still a rebel in Kabaka Pyramid. Fifteen years after the Rebel Music era first introduced audiences to that particular side of his artistry, the Kingston-born musician has chosen to revisit familiar territory — but he is not quite the same man who entered it. Though the lyrical sharpness and the instinct to make music that says something beyond simply sounding good remains, time and a few battles of his own have added new layers to the story. That evolution is recognisable in his latest single A Warrior’s Pain, a collaboration with American rappers R-Mean and Styles P. The track serves as the foundation for Rebel Music 1 & 2, a new lyrics tape marking 15 years since the beginning of the entertainer’s Rebel Music chapter. For Kabaka Pyramid, the return was not the result of an elaborate master plan. In fact, it was almost accidental. “We knew the 15-year anniversary of Rebel Music was approaching and also the 10-year anniversary of the Accurate mixtape,” he explained. “So my team and I were floating around ideas since the start of the year. We were keeping it simple — samples and hip hop drums,” he said. “I just wanted something that inspired me to be lyrical.” That instinct reignited something the artiste said had perhaps become dormant. “It felt like I had suppressed a part of my craft and it needed to be reawakened,” he said outlining that the first few tracks were a hit with his manager, who remarked that they sounded like the Rebel Music days. “That moment was when we knew what had to be done,” he said. “Everything flowed easily from there.” That renewed focus on lyricism sits alongside another important thread in Kabaka Pyramid’s current work — vulnerability. On A Warrior’s Pain, the entertainer brings together reggae and hip hop through a shared appreciation for substance, storytelling, and resistance. But beneath the lyrical exchanges and musical chemistry, A Warrior’s Pain speaks to a more personal kind of battle Kabaka Pyramid points to his own struggle with confidence in his voice and singing ability as part of the experience informing his contribution. “I was always being told I need more melody, songs need to be more catchy, simplify the music,” he said. But, rather than resist the criticism, he used it as motivation. “So I put in the hours to train myself and be ready for anything when called upon,” he explained. “Overcoming challenges is the best way to build confidence and strength comes from there naturally.” That growth is perhaps one of the clearest differences between the Kabaka Pyramid of the early days and the artiste he has become. “The message is still the same, just more mature now,” he said. “I think more people can relate to what I’m saying. It’s not music only for hip hop heads that love to dissect lyrical patterns.” With that said, Kabaka Pyramid shared that the response to reggae and conscious music from international audiences continues to surprise him, particularly in Africa, Europe, Japan, and the United States. This is sees as not cultural appropriation, but an opportunity to observe how others interpret and conduct business around Jamaican music. “When others incorporate our music I like to learn from them, and see what aspects they connect with and also how they conduct the business of touring,” he said. There is, however, one boundary: “If you sample my record I want what is rightfully mine,” he said with a laugh.