(4.5stars)

If you go through the bargain bin of any Caribbean record store or the bottom of the crates and boxes of any avid reggae collector, you're almost certain to find something which you didn't even know existed. I myself have run into similar situations (ESPECIALLY since moving back home, I seemingly missed out on nearly a decade of Caribbean only releases) in local stores, finding pieces which I had NO IDEA were ever released on labels which I had heard of, but just never seemed to pop up on my radar. Although I have to admit that this has become a more and more rare occurrence in the past couple of years, as reggae albums (specifically albums) have ran and gone east it has happened to a greater degree. There have been SO MANY big name to mid-level big names in reggae and dancehall music over the past three years who have released albums exclusive to Japan (which is apparently reggae-STARVING as it seems almost weekly that artists, even without albums, are heading to the far east for tours and other promotional ventures as well). Now, while I'm not at all going anywhere near out of my way to track down albums from the likes of Chino, Sadiki, Terry Linen, Kiprich or Voicemail (like three times now) (yet I got each and everyone of their albums); when I start looking at release charts and seeing them filled with the likes of Spragga Benz, Ward 21 (even though their own album was rubbish, they have also kept a steady stream of riddim releases as well), Kris Kelli, Da'ville, Hero, Mr. Vegas, Alaine, Ce'cile most recently even Busy Signal and Aidonia and a whole heap of others (including Burro Banton) have also taken the Asian route and I CANNOT possibly be expected just to let it go! These releases will almost NEVER make their way to the west in full, for one reason or another and fans in the west will have access to them through HUGE imports rates for just one album (and all the reggae heads STILL paid the costs anyway, myself included). Now out of everyone of those albums what was lacking was a bonafide reggae superstar taking that route to release an album which would almost HAVE TO make its way across the waters and onto store shelves. The Buju Banton's, the Sean Paul's, the Shaggy's, the Bounty Killer's, the Elephant Man's, and even the Sizzla's of the world never took the route (because seemingly none had a problem finding a western distributor to distribute an album for them). That changed with Concept of Life, when, arguably the most familiar name of them all, not only went Japanese but did so with one of his finest albums EVER.

Enter Beenie Man. Without a doubt even over Sean Paul, Shaggy and Buju Banton, the name Beenie Man has been the one most commonly associated with hardcore dancehall and reggae internationally (locally it would be Buju, Beenie and Bounty) over the past decade plus. He has kept himself relevant by scoring mid to BIG level hits internationally, releasing relatively successful albums on a major label in Virgin (relatively speaking in terms of regular major albums, reggae speaking, he has done phenomenal) and by keeping himself surrounded in just enough hype and just enough controversy to keep his name one of the very few living worldwide household names from reggae music. Locally speaking, Jamaica has NEVER seen a more consistent hit-maker on local scales. It may be another decade even before Beenie Man fails to score at least a single number one song. Thus, perhaps, most importantly in a genre which features a virtual revolving door of talent in and out almost annually: Beenie Man, the self proclaimed current King of the Dancehall, has succeeded in maintaining his throne for such a long period of time, where his two predecessors (King Yellowman and Shabba Ranking), did not. Also its worth mentioning that really and truly Beenie Man may be THE MOST gifted and talented all around artist the dancehall has EVER seen. Therefore, it was no great surprise for me to see that FINALLY an album which I had been telling people a great deal about from the time I received it in its original Japanese release form (which I THINK would have been mid-late 2006). If you have strictly been a Beenie Man fan based on his album releases then (internationally speaking) you might have to go all the way back to late 1997 to find a release which matches Concept of Life in quality (that release would have been the Grammy winning MAMMOTH Many Moods of Moses, more on that in a bit, also check 2000`s BIG Trendsetter album). Concept of Life is highlighted by the return of the once much hailed `Ras Moses' persona of Beenie Man; which was the artist in him who, when given the chance and proper opportunity, could deliver top notch rootical tracks mirroring the dancehall boomshots of `Beenie Man' himself. Produced almost completely by the perhaps equally just as much once hailed Kingston based Free Willy Music headed by Neil Amos (and his brother Arthur), Concept of Life was THE album most hardcore reggae heads had been looking for in the place of albums like Art & Life (although that one, I liked), Tropical Storm, Back to Basics and Undisputed. All of those albums (in my opinion and with the exception of Tropical Storm, by far the worst of the bunch) were decent, yet somewhat uneven in retrospect, but were all geared toward the international market and latent with crossover attempts and combinations. Free Willy had none of the such shenanigans with Concept of Life and not only built the album with tunes which had been proven on the Jamaican scene, but with tunes which were FAR more familiar in terms of vibes with the typical hardcore reggae heads. Gone were the Janet Jacksons and T.I.'s, they had been replaced with Lady Spice and Don Mafia instead. Concept of Life was also a step up for Free Willy itself as they had also helmed the controls for the very strange 2006 VP Records release from Sizzla Kalonji, Ain't Gonna See Us Fall as Concept of Life finally gave someone a reason to kick in a little extra funds for the import.

If you were patient, however, and did not run out and order it up, you now have your reward as the album, which did just as much damage as it reached France (where it literally became an underground hit) as it had in Japan, you probably saved about half your money (you also missed four tracks which are gone on the western version). Concept of Life is ran through by the familiar French based Corner Shop Records (which I believe has distribution in the states through the well known Koch). Concept of Life is a VERY healthy mix of dancehall and roots material, much like Many Moods of Moses and just like that well renown album is certain to be a highlight of Beenie's catalogue at the end of his career. The album opens with the very familiar and very Beenie Man typical clever Do Supmmm which flows over the lovely He Speaks riddim (same riddim from Sizzla's Ain't Gonna See Us Fall). Were you to just listen to the riddim alone, a big and lushly beautiful guitar driven composition with nice horns, you might not expect Do Supmmm to be what it turns out to be. The song isn't a slow inspirational or spiritual vibes (which is what Sizzla did with it), instead, it's a rather entertaining `recounting' of Beenie's mythical bedroom conquests of the likes of Mariah Carey, Serena Williams, Brittany Spears and a whole heap of others. The tune grew on me, I used to hate it, but I now see its power, its hilarious and really NO OTHER dancehall/reggae artist could have made the tune work the way Beenie does (and a man can dream, cant he?). Up next is the title track and really one of the signature tunes of the album and its first combination alongside the very first King of the Dancehall, Daddy U-Roy over Free Willy's relicking of an old studio one riddim, the I Hold the Handle. The tune is really a BIG tune, besides the historical significance of the combination, the tune is just BIG with the message being man and woman together and simply how that love can make the world a better place (the real concept of life). As expected the two legends both play their parts to class and near perfection, the result is easily one of Concept of Life's biggest efforts (not the biggest though!). Closing the opening of the album is the least impressive of the three, but the still decent Love You, over another old Studio One redo, the Love Me Forever. The tune carries a nice enough vibes but features in its chorus a rather odd and ANNOYING over singing/whining Beenie incidentally, its the second time he recorded on the riddim, a young Beenie Man had his chance voicing on the original Love Me Forever riddim on the very nice tune Show Fi Flop).

The real highlights here come in the combinations in my opinion as they are some of the more interesting and powerful tunes on the piece altogether. Try the first two after the title track Settle Down and Hot alongside Gringo (Don Mafia) and Lady Spice, respectively. Good luck getting sequels to either tack as Beenie has since had very public fallouts with both artists but here, they make it work to a degree with Settle Down definitely being the stronger of the two. Gringo was a former songwriter (and business partner and friend) of Beenie and the two have (obviously) always worked well together. Hear they combine with the pounding dancehall style which suits them both fine (although the riddim is kind of odd) over the tropical/easy yet addictive Happy Living riddim. The X-rated Hot is another weird vibes, the riddim here sounds like `circus dancehall', but really and truly Spice is one very talented artist on her own merits and she combines with the Doctor to a nice vibes. It probably will NEVER happen, but I'd love to see the two relink on a far more conventional dancehall tune someday, it could be a master class. Those two combinations are topped by two later combinations which produce the highest level of mastery on the album altogether. Check the WICKED Imagination alongside longtime Beenie Man spar and label mate at Shocking Vibes, singer Devonte. Imagination was longtime one of my favourite tunes from the Ras Moses side of Beenie Man and a real winner. The tune speaks directly on a social nature and does so to such a strong degree that you'll literally wonder why you hadn't heard it sooner and it shows just what a real all around master in reggae can do given the proper chance, in this case a wicked Amos relick of an old Bunny Lee riddim, the Every Body Needs Love. It is ONLY topped by the MAMMOTH shot that was One Pound a Day alongside classic reggae singers John Holt and Cornell Campbell. That tune was probably my absolute favourite tune for about a year! The tune is (of course) an herbalist anthem and one so LARGE that it would definitely rank in the top five that I've heard on that vibes (and I've probably heard literally thousands at this point). The elders also more than hold their own and I would love to hear a new combination with just the two of them taking it. Flowing DIVINELY over the popular Father Jungle Rock riddim, One Pound a Day has been keeping dancehalls packed and smoky for almost three years now. BIG BIG TUNE! The balance of Concept of Life is full of solid material which, although it never reaches the heights, is still more than well solid. The best of the rest is probably the wicked Politrix, a tune which is very much on the same vibes as Imagination but it is Beenie flying solo. The tune is very solid and really is the type of tune which, had you thrown it on any of the recent releases from Beenie would have been the type which received little attention but would've been amongst the biggest tunes on either of them. Very nice tune. Both No Promise and Nah Resign carry in solid more usual style hard dancehall vibes for the dancehall heads with the better being Nah Resign over Free Willy's ultra-creative and bouncy Prado riddim on which Beenie Man, both literally and with the wicked level of his flow reminds all just how easy this whole dancehall thing has been for him and who is the REAL big man in the business. The album closes going back to the reality vibes with God Black and the BIG From Birth. God Black is cool and sweet old vibes and is quietly BRILLIANTLY, definitely have to check that one where From Birth is the bigger sounding feel good vibes closing the album wonderfully alongside singer Zahair. The tune reminds all to be thankful for what we have and really focus on the goodness and strength of His Majesty. Very good way to end an album.

Overall, if you happen to be a bigtime reggae head who was just quite sour and disappointed with Beenie Man's most recent out puts (in terms of albums) then Concept of Life was made JUST FOR YOU. There aren't any crossover attempts and Janet Jackson is NOWHERE to be found. This would actually be Beenie's first full dancehall/reggae release since the WICKED and hard to find Trendsetter album for Shocking Vibes and its probably even an all-around better strike than that album (which is 100% for the dancehall heads(except for the AWFUL Believe in Me tune). So much on point reggae-wise is Concept of Life that I can't even recommend this one to newer fans (you should check either Back to Basics, Art & Life or Undisputed for a wholly more digestible vibes for newcomers). Concept of Life is hopefully the first in a long string of solid releases making their ways over from Japan and it is WITHOUT A DOUBT, one of the biggest albums of Beenie Man's long and storied career.

In his music, Beenie Man advocates killing gays. More than

30 gays have been killed in Jamaica where he comes from.

His music has lots of influence there. In some cases mobs

sang his anti-gay songs while they killed a man who might have been gay.

When asked to apologize and change his ways he wrote a song about how he

would not apologize. If someone advocated the killing

of Blacks or Jews, they would not be tolerated. It seems strange

that in the 21st century the world still tolerates someone

who advocates the killing of gays. Please don't support him by

purchasing his music.