Words by Kaya.lah
One of the culture warriors of the Virgin Islands, Niyorah is set to reaffirm his place in reggae with an upcoming project, entitled Rising Sun. The album’s title track, produced by Denkenesh Records and Harmonics Group, is a strong re-introduction that sees Niyorah finding his groove. The song is a combination with the House of Shem, a reggae harmony trio comprised of Carl Perkins and his multi-instrumentalists sons Te Omeka Perkins and Isaiah Perkins out of New Zealand—or, as the Maoris call it, Aotearoa.
The song itself is a remarkable testimony to the endless global effect of reggae music. Visually it further displays that Island life is a distinct global cultural identity as well. Scenes of the expansive beauty of St. Thomas, including the annual Bordeaux Farmer Ras Tafari Agricultural Fair in the island’s western mountains, are alternated with those of the Maori homelands—and, at times, it’s hard to distinguish which is which. Directed by Virgin Islands native Dwight Winston.
Stay tuned as LargeUp is set to bring some more in-depth KultJAH vibes directly from Niyorah as well as new music from his album Rising Sun set to release later this month. You can check out more from Niyo here and, for more authentic culture out of the USVI, be sure to check our Virgin Islands Nice series.