Third World is without ques­
tion one of th world' pr mi r
Reggae bands, yet to simply lab I
them as a Reggae unit is to deny
their uncanny ability to fuse
variety 0 musical influences into
a sound that is uniquely Third
World's own.
Whether the music is roots
"Reggae, or a soulful blend of
Caribbean and R&B, or perhaps
a unique cover of a Pop music
classic, Third World's ability to
brea all the rules has made them
one of Reggae music's most in­
fluential - and internationally
popular - bands. Their music is
global, their message universal.
The release of the newest
Third World album, Committed,
on Mercury Records, continues
their work as Reggae Ambas­
sadors. Their thirteenth album
provides a fresh sampling of the
variety of Third World sounds.
The sound of Committed effort­
Ie sly incorporate heartfelt
vocalizing, solid musicianship,
and a vibrant beat, with inspired
lyrics touching topics from
romance hUPlin ri
Committed i produced by
Third Wor,ld, Geoffrey Chung,
Stephen Stewart and Milcie Ben­
nett. One can safely admit that
this i just another Third World
album, which is to say that as
usual, it breaks all the rules. In­
deed, to simply label Third World
a reggae unit is to deny the band's
unC8MY ability to fuse its various
musical influences.
ole both fes­
tiv "Give The People What They
Need" and the constant "Mi
Legal" find Third World' reggae
roots at full sway. Howev r, the
soulful title track explores the
band' pench nt for finding that
musical nirvana between the
Caribbean and Afro-American
roots rhythm nd blues only
Third World can.
alb
Track like the pulsating
"Living For The Sunshine" easily
demonstrate just why Third
World remains a staple of the in­
ternational mu ic scene; their
music effortlessly encompasses
the heartfelt vocalizing and in­
spired mu icianship absent in
much of today's pop music.
Third World has made a long
and impressive journey since the
band' genesis. Founding mem­
bers Stephen "Cat" Coore and
Michael "Ibo" Cooper shared a
Singular, powerful creative
vision, and agreed to build the
band's career without com­
promising their concepts or prin­
cipals. Music wa an integral part
of their lives and spirituality, and
they found great inspiration in ex­
tending their horizons through
experimenting with music.
THE SOUND AND style for
which they trove would be dif­
ferent from anything out there,
and would carry the messages of
responsibility, social conscious­
ness, and love. "We wanted to be
r bo.
wanted to be innovative. It Their
vision Is now shared by the other
members of Third World, Wil­
liam "Bunny Rugs" Clar e,
Richard "Richie" Daley, and Wil­
lie "Root" Steward. '
Third World has taken its
musical message all over the
world, in the Caribbean, North
America, Europe; Africa and
,S THIRD WORLD, 82
L-R: The Grand Architect Traxtitioner Paradise, Bab Professor X The
Overseer and The Grand Verbalizer Funkin-Lesson Brother J.
e
re beat is countered by the
occasIOnal slicing rock guitar.
From the very beginning,
Third World has naturally been
hit-oriented, as evidenced by the
catchy, swaying "Love Needs A
Little More Love." But whether
singing about romance or human
rights, as during "State 0ISlege"
and "Ridim Haffe Rule," Third
World is forever captivatingly
.proltfic.
"'
I
The Solution -'Revolution •
Evolution
The Conclusion -The
Trigg�r ...
-From "Fire & Earth"
A new generation is taking up
the challenge thrown down on the
likes of Marcus Garvey, Malcolm
X and the Black Panther Party.
Thi is· the rhythm of new-age
raptivism: the sound of the future
led by Polydor's X Clan tribe.
Consisting of Baba Professor
X The Overseer, The Grand Ver­
balizer Punkin-Lesson Brother J.
and The Architect Traxtitioner
Paradise, X Clan are hip hop mes­
sengers from Blackwatch, a
Brooklyn organization working
for self-help in Black inner cities.
, "We have a purpose that con­
tinues beyond our records," says
Professor X. "Our message is to
prepare to stop talking. "
Xodus is X Clan's Polydor
. debut To The East Blackwards,
their first album on 4th & Broad­
way, presented the belief that the
roots of civihzation are Black;
tracks like "Punkin' Lesson" led
li teners through a walk along
Bgypt' Nile. With raw, Afro­
conscious tyle, they journeyed
into the past before dropping back
into the cruel realiti of modem
racism ("A Day of Outrage -
Operation Snatchback")
Oppression continues, and
X Clan is back to busin on
Xodw. The leadoff Ingle, "Fire
&.Earth," tears apart "intellectual
masturb ting" and the truggle
for civil rights. A warrior men­
'taliry is paired with such ex­
uberant samples as Jimmy
Castor's "Troglodyte" and B.B.
King's "The Thrill Is Gone. "
"FUNK IS as Black as you're
gonna get unless you go blues,
says Professor X. "Our music
falls in line with the vibe of what
we're trying to get across. "
. .
I
• I
were protesting our school sy -
tern, which was beginning to look
like a penitentiary. From a shared
concern for our community, we
decided to get together as a group.
Blackwatch has been behind
voter registration drives and
protests for several racial attacks.
The native son of activist Sonny
Carson, Professor X (a.k.a.
Lumumba Carson) is the leader
of Blackwatch and X Oan. The
group's name, he says, symbol­
izes the fact that Black people are
at a crossroads: "We've made it
to this point, now what?" '
X aan' answer, directed at
their brothers and sisters, i "Or­
ganizel" - inspired by their
hackled state, their mu ic
bri tl with brutal rear m. A
combination of pro-Bl ck
knowledge and funk wi dom,
Xodus is a hard-line agenda with
hard beats. It' free your so
your mind can follow.
Ian
mho ze
e·
fac that
lac people
arealthe C 0
•
•
"
e made
•
•
?"
l
,
•
-Prof
orX
Professor X and Brother J. rap
with patience and pas ion on
Xodus. Other "vangloriou "
tracks on the album include "Ver­
bal Pap," which layout the in­
gredients necessary for true
knowledge; ''A.D.A.M.,'' and the
title track, a map of the road to
Black freedom.
Walking thi trail for years, the
members of X Clan met up at a
community meeting in 1985.
"Seven years ago we came to a
point, " ay Professor X. "We