Junior Kelly describes himself as a perfectionist. “I’m really critical of my work” he said back in 2010, “It keeps me hungry.” This may explain why, when Sizzla is announcing his 70th album, the lanky, late blooming Rasta rebel is bringing out his 10th. Yet despite portions being known to singles buyers, ‘Piece of the Pie’ is worth the wait. And with Jamaica now publicly acknowledging its live roots revival, his timing is perfect.
Previous effort ‘Red Pond’, released in 2010 on the tail of the Gully and Gaza era included forays into autotune and commercial hip hop sounds – and whatever the “not on my watch” forum fanboys might say, these were executed well. This record goes back to the rootsier template of 2005’s patchwork of European and Jamaican productions ‘Tough Life’ – with a more unified project feel.
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