by Dave Rodney, Contributing Writer
A New Jersey-based dancehall DJ and his 16 year old hip hop daughter have just released separate music videos on the same day.
New Jersey reggae ambassador Ras Emmanuel who is no stranger to the dancehall space officially released his new music video.
Emmanuel’s new single and video is called ‘Christian King’ and his recording on the Central Village Voice label is a collaboration with New York-based reggae singer Mikey General. Ras Emmanuel is a Rastafarian and a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. His new release is spiritual in orientation. Ras believes that the recording is a forceful endorsement of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie, pointing to his heritage from the line of biblical kings David and Solomon.
In the videoclip loaded with bright and radiant outfits and multi-colored flags, Ras Emmanuel chants, “Haile Selassie tek communion, him honor the resurrection”. The beats are bouncy with an easy skanking, sing-along pace that make the song a very catchy gem.
On the other side of the spectrum, Ras’ daughter spits an entirely different vibe. She’s a tenth grade student at Arts High School in Newark, NJ. Her stage name is RastaGirl Loyal and her debut single/ video is called L-O-Y-A-L. Her song is an inspirational message that speaks to her teenage fans, and her style is confident and commanding.
Naturally, the daughter has been guided and influenced by her watchful and supportive reggae ambassador father. “Music is my life’s passion”, RastaGirl Loyal told Caribbean Times. “I’ve been doing music since 5th grade, since I was 11 years old. I write my own lyrics and my dream is to make a big career out of music”, she emphasized.
Father and daughter are currently working on EP sets that will be released at the start of summer, both on the Central Village Voice label.