It’s 2014: Get to Know Jah Banks

Words by LargeUp Crew—

We got put on to Jah Banks last summer when he touched the mic with DJ Gravy at the Dream Sessions Dancehall Edition out in Montauk (a/k/a “The End,”), and we’ve been waiting for the right time to put the world on to him ever since.

He’s just sent us some new music for 2014, from his Jah Making Music EP, to premiere here on LargeUp—and he’ll be stopping by The LargeUp Sessions tonight—so it appears that time is upon us.

The Brooklyn-raised, Jamaican MC makes music influenced by vintage reggae and hip-hop, but not in the sort of way you’ve heard in a while. His raggamuffin flow reminds us of late ’80s/early ’90s staples like Poor Righteous Teachers, Fu-Schnickens and Shinehead—acts from well before Jah’s time (he’s in his early 20s)—but with a global, boundary-less 2014 twist.

For an introduction to Jah’s world, we suggest starting with “Come Again,” a swaggering redux of some vintage Dennis Brown with a super-fun Coney Island-set video. Follow that with his Jah Making Music “PSA” video featuring his tune “Chalice,” then “Dis Year,” a raggamuffin interpretation of U.K. house producer Julio Bashmore’s “Battle For Middle You.”

Tune into the LargeUp Sessions tonight from 6-8p.m. EST on RadioLily.com, and look out for Jah Making Music later this month via $WPT$ Money.