ROYAL BY JESSE ROYAL
Royal is the highly anticipated sophomore LP from Jesse Royal. This LP is rich with collaboration and in addition to Vybz Kartel and Protoje featuring on singles, he taps reggae singer Kumar, Ghanaian afrobeats artist Stonebwoy, Jamaica’s rising singer Samory I and the island’s latest talent Runkus for guest features. Jesse delves into a more colorful palette of genres on the album, ranging from reggae, dancehall, afrobeats, soul, jazz and trap. As his sound evolves, so does his subject matter. Whether it is an open-letter to his daughter on “Home,” empowerment on “Rich Forever” and “Black,” corrupted politics on “Dirty Money,” love dilemmas on “Like Dat” and “Differences” or Rasta social commentary on “Natty Pablo” and “LionOrder,” the singer explores a combination of varying themes. The LP will arrive four years after Jesse Royal’s debut album Lily Of Da Valley.
Release Date: June 11, 2021
“Most people think of reggae as a vehicle to address social ills, but the genre has internal power, too. Case in point: Jesse Royal’s new album ‘Royal,’ which is as much a long talk to himself as a message to the world.” – GRAMMY
“Jesse Royal is one of the most critical acts behind the modern movement of reggae. No conversation can be had with the mention of him and all that he does for his community…Undeniably, he is one of the most potent voices in reggae that this generation has to offer.” – Notion
“Royal offers up razor-sharp grooves, glistening atmosphere, triumphant horns, and an arsenal of catchy hooks…Jesse pulls obvious influence from the roots era, but he also incorporates hip hop, electronic music, and other modern sounds. It blurs the line between retro and futuristic, and it’s an instantly-satisfying album that just hits harder with each listen.” – Brooklyn Vegan