Time is Now: An Interview with Pressure Busspipe

Words by Kaya.lah, Photos by Martei Korley—

As an artist makes progress in their career, a defined path tends to takes shape. Artists of a certain level of dedication lay their tracks literally and metaphorically, routing them to their desired destination. We like to keep our radar up for such venerated occasions and, from the shores of the Virgin Islands, that is happening presently.

With the new album The Sound out and receiving stellar reviews, a tour in progress in Europe, and U.S. dates on the horizon, including a LargeUp-sponsored NYC album release event at SOBs, the path of Pressure Busspipe is looking bright. The reggae star from Rock City—St. Thomas, U.S.V.I—has switched gears and taken it back to the grassroots for his latest release.

The Sound is a deep album, fully ushering in a side of the artist seen on his debut LP, The Pressure Is On. Pressure’s catalog is full of great culture songs to uplift the soul, but with a higher grade of music production and the absence of any lover’s rock or dancehall on this release, The Sound has us asking, ”ah what is dis yah?”

LargeUp got an opportunity to speak with Busspipe while he and Tippy of I-Grade Records/Zion I Kings, the album’s executive producer, were in Jamaica for album release events at popular roots reggae sessions Kingston Dub Club and Dubwise Jamaica.

Click here to read the interview.

LargeUp: Listening to the album, you sound like you are on a mission, vastly different than the last venture.

Pressure BussPipe: I’m glad… This one carries a frequency the world yearns for right now. There is nothing really pretty about the album and I like to say that. This album is raw and grassroots, earthy in its nature. It’s foundation—nothing about romance, sorry ladies— being about real uplifting movements. Talking to and about the people on a larger scale.

LU: Does this come at a particular time in regards to the Virgin Islands?

BussPipe: Fortunately JAH will saw it fit to make Tippy and I link up at the proper time. For us to be able to hold the same head and heart at the same time and manifest positive works is a powerful thing. That feeling came through on The Sound, while JAH was in the midst the whole time. Everything from the first release “VI Nice,” up until now has been so timely and fitting to the moment.

Click here to read on.

LargeUp: How did you get to the point of looking more towards the roots? Of course, Tippy I-Grade would be a great resource for that…

BussPipe: Well, for years Tippy and I had this in our hearts to do, ’bout 10 or so, and with us being in separate places it was rough. You know when artists come together it is a powerful thing. As far as the other artists on the album, we are all friends. To have people in the studio that you can vibe with is an amazing thing. When Ras Batch, Niyo [Niyorah] and I were all in the studio at the same time with a proper riddim sparking, it was a great feeling, with something great coming out of it.

LargeUp: The song “VI Nice” has really taken on a life of its own. First off, the youth have drawn to it making it their VI anthem. I heard there were “VI Nice” presentations in the majority of schools here in the Territory.

BussPipe: Certain things come around at the right time and sometimes they don’t and the message is lost. When it comes to the youth, providing them with someone to look up to in a positive light is important to me. There will be songs for the ladies because that is part of love and life, but a big part of my platform is to provide inspiration. The song came about at a perfect time, when they were looking for it. It makes me humble greatly to know that the community is listening and receptive to my words. When the youth can sing the whole song while understanding the message, it provides me the inspiration I need to keep going. It is a blessed exchange. To hear four and five year olds singing the song word for word means this music will live on for more generations. That is how true music lives, and I am thankful to be in this position.

Click here to read on.

LargeUp: The Virgin Islands has been without a popular cultural icon in its recent history. We’ve had our calypso monoliths like Nick Friday, a multitude of high-profile gangsters unfortunately, but nothing like what TnT, JA, or DA has. Is that where you are headed?

BussPipe: At this time I am probably the most recognizable or popular cultural entity the VI has, but there are those who got me to where I’m at that have never sung a song. These are the martyrs that paved the way for a spot like that to be created. When I wrote “VI Nice” it wasn’t about the pretty beaches and scenery, it is about these people that allowed me to have the freedom to be an inspiration to others.

More Pressure will be applied come May 22 with Pressure appearing on the LargeUp Sessions on RadioLily.com. And set your calendars for African Liberation Day, May 25, at SOB’s for the New York album release show for The Sound, presented by Ghetto Roots NYC in association with I-Grade and LargeUp. For a glimpse of The Sound live, watch the videos of Busspipe in his hometown here and here to catch Busspipe opening up the Virgin Islands Carnival Village backed by the Zion-I Kings Band in a  packed downtown Rock City.