Songs on the Songbird Riddim released in 2013 from the US Virgin Islands

One day I was watching Tempo and I saw some familiar faces like Pressure and Niyorah from the Virgin Islands were performing in a music video. I tuned in closer and realized that it was a riddim track which uses one melody but features several artists. The music was quite mellow and the lyrics seemed positive so I ran to the computer to get some more information.

The riddim is called "Songbird Riddim" and the album was released on May 21, 2013 by I Grade Records as "Zion I Kings Riddim SeriesVol. 1". The music writers are Laurent Tippy Alfred and David Goldfine. Sixteen (16) reggae artists hailing from the Virgin Islands, Jamaica and the US sang on this riddim.

The music video that I watched featured the VI artists, Pressure with "The Rain", Niyorah with "War Is Not The Answer", Junior P with "Times Ah Get Hard", Miseal Gonzalez with "The Power of Love", Dushane with "Holding On To Freedom" and Ras Batch with"So Beautiful". Midnite from St. Croix also performed "A New Overstanding" on this riddim.

The track list is with snippets of the lyrics are:

1. She's Got Soul - Lutan Fyah

"Because she's blessed with the gift of love, she's got soul".

2. The Rain - Pressure

"The rain is no different from my tears, when I look at what my people bear, I swear, I never give up the fight and show no fear"

3. So Beautiful - Ras Batch

4. I Know - Danny I

"I know that I never, ever walk alone, in Jah presence Rasta build his home and me know from me little and me grow".

5. Bumpy Ride - Glen Washington

6. War is Not the Answer - NiyoRah

"Waris not the answer, create love always".

7. Best in Life - Jahdan Blakkamoore

"Looking forward to the best in life, nah bother with no stress in life, so many valleys to walk, rivers to cross and so many mountains to climb".

8. A New Overstanding - Midnite

9. Tension - Jah9

"There is tension building inside I and I'm trusting my spirit to guide I, even if no one else overstands, I have got to do what it demands".

10. Times Ah Get Hard - Junior P

"Time ah get hard...through this money thing people hand get sticky".

11. The Power of Love - Misael

"Caring for each other is what it's all about, I don't care where you've been living, as long as you can feel it, together we can make it grow".

12. Don't Let Go - Shay

"Goodbye is too easy, to give up so freely nowadays, it's a fight to stay but don't let go".

13. Holding onto Freedom - Dushane

"I'm holding on to freedom, seeking out Jah face".

14. JAH Preserve - Reemah

15. Call on JAH Name - Duane Stephenson

16. Birds of Praise - Tuff Lion (riddim only)

The artists definitely put time and energy into the music because lyrically, the album is well done. If you love reggae, then this is an album that you need to have in your collection.