Reggae, 2020, October 2020
REGGAE | Reggae Superheroes
Oct
Reggae Superheroes
Keeping it IRIE
Back in July of 2013, IRIE was just an idea floating around in Nicholas Da Silva’s head. For the mixed-media artist who works under the name ZOOLOOK, IRIE was going to be a new music publication dedicated to reggae music but it was going to be different. You see, ZOOLOOK is the creative type who prefers to take the road less traveled. He doesn’t find pleasure in doing something that’s already been done before. He readily welcomes the challenge to disrupt the old to create something entirely NEW.
For IRIE, ZOOLOOK wanted to create a publication that edutained (educate and entertain) the reader. He also wanted to create a publication that was inclusive and provided equal coverage for the men and women of reggae music. Together, with his partner, Michelle, they launched issue #1 of IRIE on Boxing Day, 2013, featuring Jamaica’s Reggae Ambassadors, Third World, on the cover, to celebrate their 40th anniversary as a reggae band. The rest is history.
Flashforward to October 2020…
ZOOLOOK is back and up to his old tricks. His latest project, Dread & Alive: Nine Night, celebrates his first love… a love for comic books. A diehard comic book blerd (a slang term for black nerd), ZOOLOOK also happens to be a huge fan of horror films. ZOOLOOK created Dread & Alive to be a reggae-themed supernatural horror series because zombies are rooted in black culture. “In reggae, we sing about duppies, vampires, and zombies. I feel that the African contribution to the zombie world has been erased by popular culture. The core characters of the series represent Ashanti history and beliefs. From Drew’s mother, Maria McIntosh, who comes from a long line of Obeahwoman that traces back to the Ashanti Empire, to the antagonist, the Obeahman, Shadowcatcher, I want to give our history and beliefs the respect it deserves.”
Xana Romeo, Dub Empress
For Dread & Alive: Nine Night, ZOOLOOK, approached Xana Romeo about the series. Having worked with Xana as a designer for one of her album covers (RATE RASTA), ZOOLOOK suggested that she become the face of Brandy Savage, Drew’s soulmate, in the story arc.
In Her Words:
“It feels great to be a part of the Dread & Alive series which represent our Jamaican culture and covers different Jamaican experiences. I’m happy that I was selected to portray Brandy Savage in the upcoming comic book series, Nine Night. There is a lot about Brandy that reminds me of myself.”
Xana Romeo has emerged in this time as a prolific reggae siren with a powerful and distinctive message that resonates strongly among her generation of revolutionary youth.
Awakening the senses with the contrast of her soothing melodies and energetic instrumentation, Xana flutters soulfully atop cool dub rhythms and electrifies the beat with potent lyrics that energize hearts and minds. Xana Romeo and ZOOLOOK are working on several original dub reggae trax for the Dread & Alive: Nine Night soundtrack series.
G-INA
We first introduced bassist, vocalist, and music composer, G-INA, in the July 2020 edition of IRIE, with the release of her single, ‘Who Me A Beg,’ a collaboration with Umberto Echo, a German Record Producer. Her lyrical flow and message about the countless assassinations in Jamaica caught the immediate attention of ZOOLOOK, which prompted him to reach out to G-INA and invite her to join the series.
G-INA is currently working on a new track for the Dread & Alive: Nine Night series.
In Her Words:
“My new track is inspired by the Dread & Alive superheroes and the human power of the Jamaican Maroons to stand up for justice. It is in great recognition of their accomplishment to outsmart those who claimed they were superior based on color, creed, civilization, and character.
The Maroons demonstrated that they could not be conquered by violence and that the British colonial power and army could be defeated, by freeing themselves from slavery.
Break Your Silence has been created with the deep wish that we will bring up the Maroons’ strength and courage NOW, in order to fight today’s inhumanity and oppression of ethnic and racial minority groups. Especially now when we have such powerful forces amongst us that try to sow hate and division against us.
I am deeply concerned about the current state of racial equality and social justice. Seeing racism as a relic of the past is a deadly problem and the ongoing legacy of racial injustice must end. The human suffering has to be voiced and condemned. For the fear of causing someone’s conflict, we often keep quiet. This encourages wickedness, corruption and social evil. To remain silent knowing that a crime is being committed is being an ally to the perpetrators.
There is an old saying: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Let’s stand up for justice together and call all the good spirits for help.
I deeply believe in the positive and the power of humanity and that we will one day witness a world where justice and compassion will triumph over injustice and cruelty.”
NINE NIGHT: Hide Your Soul, Part 1 (February 2021)
It’s October 30, 2016, and the country is in a very bad place. It’s two tribes go to war as the nation is deeply divided with the upcoming presidential elections only nine days away. For Drew McIntosh, the politricks of the country have awakened the ‘Soul Rebel‘ inside him. More importantly, he ovastands that the rise of dystopia in this country has always been the ‘Black Reality’.
The time is now to ‘Mash Down Babylon’. Drew must strike down evil wherever it rises, wherever it hides. But before he can take action, Drew will have to deal with a greater evil close to home, one that will only escalate the War inna Babylon.
Break Your Silence has been created with the deep wish that we will bring up the Maroons’ strength and courage NOW, in order to fight today’s inhumanity and oppression of ethnic and racial minority groups. Especially now when we have such powerful forces amongst us that try to sow hate and division against us.
To pre-order your copy today, visit the Merch store links below.
Iriemag.com LINK | Iriemag.com/comic-books
DreadandAlive.com LINK | Dreadandalive.com/shop
Official Website:
Spotify:
FOLLOW ZOOLOOK on Spotify | ZOOLOOK on Spotify
