Review: I Kong meets the Tabernacle Posse

An astounding encounter between a 70’s Jamaican legend and a deep rural based Jamaican collective of artists, I Kong meets the Tabernacle Posse embodies on I Kong’s vow of “pass it on”. This eight track showcase album was recorded in St. Elizabeth Jamaica by Shaquille “Skunga” Kong son of I Kong and grandnephew of reggae pioneer Leslie Kong and in house musician Damar “Jah Keyz” Marshall and accompanied on special occasion by ranking guests like Felix “Dub Caravan” London based musician & producer on synthesizer an guitars, Cyprus Dub chemist Med Dred on melodica and Canada’s Jah Servant on percussions.

The album opens with the uptempo Tun dem Back track Ft. Hoopa Jan and followed by Its Dub Version. Tun dem back Touches the poverty issue that’s still very relevant in Jamaica these days.

The next set is the roots reggae track Reggae Rocking featuring Ijah Reece and this one also got its Dub Version. Reggae Rocking is an easy going old skool track about the love for our beloved Reggae Music.

The 5th track on the album is This is A Cry with I Martell & Vetaran and touches the struggle that Black People still have in nowadays society. As they sing “This is the Cry of my people, this is the cry for my black brothers”. This track also comes with his dub version.

Rain Drops featuring Natty Knox is is a slightly more uptempo ska-like track filled with a melodica Mood (by Med Dred) and makes you wanna dance. The lead guitar on this track is played by the legendary guitarist Courtland “Gizmo” White.

The 8th and last track is called Give Thanks featuring Phe-Nom and is a more Rocksteady, easy listening like track that does what the title says, Giving thanks for the life we live and the world we are living in.

The powerful rhythm section and the melodic richness blending immensely with I Kong’s compelling voice comes together to form a whole, crucially mixed by the said international guests at their respective studios with vintage analog gears from the stores the dub versions tells. 

Through I Kong meets the Tabernacle Posse, I Kong visits various topics that matters to him and are relatable to fans. This accomplished album is a continuity of his 1979 album The Way It Is and its predecessors. The album will be released on April 26, 2019.