Greetings,

Did a search on Discogs.com

Who is the man Ras Tafari Makonnen?

To millions of devotees Mr. Makonnen became Emperor of Ethiopia and revealed as the embodiment of Christ – Haile Selassie I

The Negusa Negast, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Elect of God ever living God. Earth’s Rightful Ruler. The Head Creator and Power of the Trinity.

Smile Jamaica celebrates his life and legacy in song every week. But especially noted on his birthday: July 23, 1892.

For 34 years, more than half of every song featured on Smile Jamaica are Rastafari* gospel tributes.

*Not Rastafarians – that is an ism and schism

In a far flung province of Harar in Ethiopia a child was born. Ethiopia. Ancient Axum and Abyssinia of antiquity. In the Horn of Africa where Arabia meets Africa.

Selassie’s royal lineage goes all the way back to the Old Testament by virtue of his father’s mother.

The Hebrew King of the Jews Solomon linked up with an Arabian princess in the ancient province of Sheba. (Most likely in Yemen). Often called the Queen of Sheba, her name was Makeda.

After some palace intrigues, the young Makonnen commanded an army from the provinces and marched on the capitol of Addis Ababa. The Empress, Zewditu, either “died of diabetes” or was poisoned, making way for the 38 year old prince to become Emperor – Haile Selassie I – Power of the Trinity. First of his name.

Not bad for a governor warrior of a minor province, commanding armies at only 5 foot 2. From victory to rule in two short years (1928-30)

Known as the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, he led his people into modernity. Fought off a cruel invasion and occupation by Fascist Italy from 1935-1941 and eventually became an inspiration to those in Jamaica yearning for a return to the glories of Africa after 400 Years in Babylon.

And true to his nickname, Selassie had pet lions. Some of which rode in automobiles with HIM (His Imperial Majesty).

***

Wheel it back to Jamaica. The black nationalist, Marcus Garvey, was trying to initiate a movement of impoverished Caribbeans  to leave the West and return to Africa. Make reverse passage out of the diaspora to build lives and industry in the Mother Continent.

The prophet Garvey said, “look to Africa where a King will be crowned as the symbol to begin repatriation.” Within years that prophecy was fulfilled.

Jamaicans, especially in the slums around Kingston, took to this notion and merged bedrock Christianity, mixed with Hindu ideals of reincarnation, into a syncretic religion that became known as Rastafarianism or Rastafari worship if we aren’t abiding “isms and schisms”

Why Hindus and reincarnation? After slavery was abolished in 1830 in Jamaica, freed blacks didn’t want to work the plantations. They were content to be small farmers.

So the British plantation owners hired workers from India to do the brutal work of cutting sugar cane. Living by blacks, Hindus brought some important ingredients to Rastafari workship

If you want to read the best book on the Rastas, it is Leonard Barrett’s The Rastafarians.

Alas, Haile Selassie I met an unfortunate end. During the 70’s a terrible famine took hold in East Africa. The 80 year old Emperor was out of touch in the capitol, while thousands were starving to death in the provinces. Even though his governors and courtiers told him everything was fine. Plenty of food. “Two negative growth cycles in a row are not a recession”

That sort of gaslighting doesn’t work now and didn’t work then. In an era of world wide revolutionary movements, Ethiopian Communists – armed to the teeth by the Soviet Union – overthrew HIM in 1974.

Imprisoned in the basement of the palace, never to be seen again. And Ethiopia has been at constant war ever since. Right now a war in Ethiopia, every bit as vicious as Russia v. Ukraine, is killings thousands.

Of course, to Rastas in the early years of Reggae, were devastated and refused to believe the news. “You can’t kill God!”.

Through that I ‘n’ I celebrate that legacy through Bob Marley’s “Jah Live” to Burning Spear’s “Jah No Dead”

bless, Bobbylon

Jah Live – 7″ commentary on Selassie’s demise.

Set 1:

Set 2:

Set 3:

Set 4:

Set 5: Vinyl is Vital Set

Set 6:

Set 7:

Set 8: