Freedom Cry

Sizzla

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 17, 1998)
• Original Release Date: November 11, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Vp Records
• ASIN: B00000DMYQ
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #173,682 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

No matter what you think of this singer-deejay's extremist politics, you cannot deny his immense talent. Sizzla first grabbed the attention of the reggae world with his '95 "Black and Comely" hit "combination" with tenor Mikey General, in which the then-19-year-old Sizzla managed to demonstrate the radical potential of reggae deejay (rap) style with the brief line "I and I a pure African." The following year Sizzla swept the scene with the force of Hurricane Georges. Two albums, released simultaneously in August '97 by dueling labels, Brickwall's Black Woman and Child and Xterminator's Praise Ye Jah, collected a mere fraction of the rapturous black redemption Sizzla songs that made him a reggae obsession and object of hip-hop fascination. Equipped with the reggae deejay's requisite bluster plus the singer's ability to pitch a note anywhere on the scale, Sizzla subsumes even those considerable gifts to the riddim God, dropping the words to his resonant lyrics like the lightning-swift polyrhythms of a master drummer. Sizzla's aesthetic compass is precisely on course and his craft even further refined for this set of hit singles from Xterminator (which precedes the release of another album from Brickwall). For many frustrated reggae fans, though, the near sacramental awe Sizzla evokes here is undermined by those off-the-record public harangues against Christians, white people, and other "Babylonians." --Elena Oumano

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This album is so tight, May 28, 1999

By A Customer

It just may be the greatest reggae album I have ever heard. The only competition comes from early Yellowman and Sizzla's other albums. When he hits that high note in "Lovely Morning"...

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Truly Spectacular. . ., November 27, 2002

By	Achis (Kingston, JA/Philipsburg, SxM) - See all my reviews

Going through the annals of my collection of Sizzla Kalonji records (about 20 now) I came across Freedom Cry and its UK/Jamaican counterpart "Kalonji" and I realized that I hadn't really ever sat down and listened to it, even though I pretty much already knew just about every tune by heart except for the title track. Anyway, I put it on, and it put out such an incredible vibe that everybody in my house was just sitting around knocking their heads and just feeling the beautiful lyrics on this one. Everybody already knows about Black Woman & Child, and Praise Ye Jah, which both were released the year before this one, and this one went pretty much overlooked. (I bought it, and overlooked it for about 3 years) But its an album like this one and Burning Up, and Good Ways, and Royal Son of Ethiopia that helps build Sizzla's legend outside of his 2 legendary, classic records. This one is absolutely cleansed of all bad tunes and just truly a wonderful record. My favorite tunes include, Freedom Cry, the wonderful Saturated, the hit Rain Showers, which was so good that it was released as a download single in the US and did pretty well, Till It Some More, Real, and my absolute favorite Ancient Memories, which he does so well in concert. Overall, I say, if you like Sizzla and you don't have this one, then certainly pick this one up, if you haven't already. And if you have it, then put it on, its truly a wonderful project.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Undoubtedly a roots classic; lyrics & riddims for the ages., March 26, 1999

By A Customer

To state the obvious would be moot. Just listen to "Made Of" & "Dem Ah Try Ah Ting" & tell me you don't feel the fury & fire of this young prophet. All killa no filla, this is his strongest output to date; supa props to Xterminator for beats & production. The Righteous shall stand, the weak heart shall drop. Prince Far I & Peter Tosh are smiling gleefully right now. Praise H.I.M.!!!!