Don’t say we told you so but 2014 has been a breakout year for reggae’s “Palace Pikney,” Jesse Royal. Following high points like his Royally Speaking mixtape with Major Lazer and performing with the Bad Brains at Brooklyn’s Afropunk Festival, he’s closing out the year with the release of his first single for his Palace Pikney label.
“Feel Your Pain” is an intimate lovers tune with a cultural twist, as the singer addresses a reticent lover over Nyabinghi-inspired hand drums. The tune shows a softer side to Jesse that’s not exactly new but might not be familiar to those who only know him from his breakout hit “Modern Day Judas.”
Read our interview with Jesse Royal here, and catch Jesse in parts One and Two of our Meditations video series.