Online Reggae Magazine

Articles

Articles about reggae music, reviews, interviews, reports and more...

7 Year Itch by Protoje

Home
Articles
Reviews
7 Year Itch by Protoje

7 Year Itch by Protoje

By Angus Taylor on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 - 1 comment

Not since Pressure has a male singer gelled so well with the Don.

Sampler

Oje “Protoje Diggy” Ken Ollivierre is the son of the St Elizabeth singer Lorna Bennett: famous for her cover of Dusty Springfield’s Muscle Shoals track Breakfast In Bed, but also responsible for lesser known, arguably superior Harry J sides such as her haunting take on the Bells’ Stay With You A While. Concurrent with her career Lorna studied to become a successful attorney. Wanting the best for her son, she enrolled Oje at the prestigious local boarding school Munro College to further his education.

But music, it seems, was also in his blood, so instead of lawyer he became a deejay (although he has a burgeoning singing voice too). Again, family would prove crucial. Protoje - 7 Year Itch Lorna's brother is the father of Donovan Bennett aka Don Corleon whose Vendetta sound allowed Protoje to impress the crowds. It was almost a decade, however, before Oje's cousin would produce this his first album, perhaps Corleon's finest work with a male vocalist since Pressure Buss Pipe in 2007.

Protoje has plenty to say about himself. On the title track he explains how his mother sent him to study when he wanted to be musician like the Marleys (one of whom, self-confessed black sheep Kymani, sings on the hip hop flavoured Rasta Love). He loves the girls and the ganja: DJ Karim produced breakout hit Arguments deals with the downside of being an object of desire, while both Roll and No Lipstick reveal a potentially dangerous predilection for smoking in bed. He also confesses to selling herb in the past but on third single JA he confesses "I've never been a shotta" – leaving the gun talk alone.

As you’d expect from Don Corleon, this is slick radio friendly hip hop and R&B kissed one drop that may not be tough enough for some reggae fans. And Protoje's disarmingly confident and open lyrics are not so much sufferers songs as the thoughts of a culturally minded young man enjoying life. In the end, like most of Don Corleon's one drop output, this is quality pop music - that can compete with any around the world.

Unlike his mother Oje has decided not to fall back on a profession during the rough and smooth of the business. One thing's for sure though - like her, he has the talent to last the course.