With 'Deh Pon Dem' and 'Deh Pon Dem In Dub', Ras Teo unveils the third instalment in the EP series that kicked off in 2024 with 'Ion Man' and 'Ion Man In Dub'. What we initially announced as a triptych has meanwhile grown into a four-part cycle.
By Jah Rebel
This time, the sleeve designs don’t feature a portrait of Haile Selassie, but instead Marcus Garvey - once again the work of David ‘Raw Pencil’ Williams - whose life story is aptly summarized in title track ‘Deh Pon Dem’:
You don’t know mister Garvey
See the rise of the black king
Gave us the Negro paper
Taught us about repatriation
Teacher Garvey, prophet Garvey, leader Garvey deh pon dem
He was a true black leader
Unify all black Africans
Gave us the Black Star Liner
Chosen son of Saint Ann
Teacher Garvey, prophet Garvey, leader Garvey deh pon dem
The first hero in Jamaica
Edgar Hoover was afraid of Garvey-ites
So them made up lies
Send him to jailhouse
Overcome Babylon
Teacher Garvey, prophet Garvey, leader Garvey deh pon dem
You don’t know mister Garvey
See the black king shall rise from the east
Oh Africa
We go back back back
Once more, ‘Deh Pon Dem’ delivers eight fresh cuts, with Zoe Brown’s flute taking centre stage (except in the title track, where Don Fe briefly takes over) and the nyahbinghi closer ‘We Ah Step’ standing out as something of an outlier.
As before, David ‘Jah David’ Goldfine provides superb dub reinterpretations of the material on ‘Deh Pon Dem’, with only closing track ‘We Ah Step’ left out of the dub track list.
Founder alongside Jah Shakespear who transitioned to this role in late 2014. Previously worked as critic and reporter, balancing passions for music and Haile Selassie spirituality.
September 16, 2025