IYAH PROFILE

PROFILE OF

RAS IYAH

SINGER / SONGWRITER / OBSERVER OF LIFE.

CURRENT ALBUM:RASTA SOUL-JAH

Greetings to all in the blessed and divine name of 'His Imperial
Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I The 1st' and for Iver.
The beginning without end.
Haile I,Selassie I.

As a young child I always enjoyed singing along to music.I and I sister would sing together.
There was always music in our house and I and I parents brought records whenever they could.
They brought mainly 'Reggae,Soca,Calypso and Soul'.Out of all the musical styles that they brought
I and I found myself drawn to 'Reggae' music,even from those early days.

As I Ah grow,I was taken by a relative to a couple of 'Rastafari' meetings.
It was meeting with these Rasses which strenghtened the vibration I was getting from listening to
'Roots And Reality Reggae' music.

Going through I lasts years of middle and high school the 'Roots' music touch I heart and light I
towards the truth of I and I existance,of I and I tradition through time and creation.
It was at this time that I and some bredrins who were feeling the same vibes came together and
built a sound system called 'Tigerman';this was about 1980-81.

My bredrins start call I 'Rizla'.
I never sang at all in those days,I only used to DeeJay with the sound.
I continued to M.C for three years.

As Jah would have it I visited a drop in centre for the unemployed youths where such skills as
carpentry,plastering, pottery,videofilming,photography and music could be learned.
The centre was called 'First Base' and this is where I experience with live music was to begin.
Upstairs there was man and man playing instruments in the music room,so I went up and listened
for a while.
I was asked to join in,but due to the fact that I could not play an instrument I took the mike and
started to M.C,vibes was irie.
The musicians then started to play another rhythm,I never feel to chat but I felt the vibe to sing,so
I did sing.
When the rythmn stop the musicians to my surprise asked I to sing in their band,a 'Roots' band
called 'Mutamba',I had never seriously thought about singing until this time.
After a few days consideration I took the opportunity and became a member of 'Mutamba'.
This was in April 1984.

Things went well for a while and in the same year (1984) we had a release called:
No Where To Run'
on a compilation L.P. consisting of local bands.'Mutamba' continued for a couple of years before
we sadly split.

Between the years 1986-1988 I was lightly involved with a couple of local bands,one being known
as 'Riddim Squad' and the other called 'Livestock'.
After I involvement with these bands I went back to sound systems,one being 'Universal' and the
other 'Maverick International' both being Leeds based.
I link up with I bredrin 'Stallion' and together we used to perform in combination ina singer and dj
fashion.We also performed P.A's with the backing being supplied by a local band called
'Stone Roots'.
This continued until 1990, at this point I eased out for a year.

I came forward again in 1991 when I was asked to perform at the 61st anniversary celebration of
the coronation of 'His Imperial Emperor haile Selassie I The 1st.'
For this event I rehearsed with 'Dred & Fred' whom I had met through I bredrin 'Ras Natural'.
It was a very special time for me for I was returning to my first love,singing 'Roots & Culture' ina
live vibes.
It was at this celebration that the link was made with the 'Shanti-Ites'.I also made connections with
other Rasses who did forward good vibes to the proceedings.
It is a day I will never forget.I could feel the vibration of 'King Rastafari's' love shining out from all
the assembled.
Since returning to singing I have had a couple of single releases:'More Warrior' on the 'Dread Beat'
label and 'Jah Will Never Let I Down' on the 'Dub Venture' label.

Yes,let I now hail and gives praises to the almighty I 'His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile I Selassie
The 1st' and for iver.
Beginning without end.For the most high is truly worthy to be praised.Let all I & I that have the breath of life.
Hail and Glory to H.I.M

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