A rebellious spirit brought up under the Rastafarian faith, petite, fierce and truthful with conscious lyrical chants that are firmly anchored in Africa and delivered in such a captivating and hard-core refined manner. She is revitalizing reggae with her unique personality, carving out her own lane with bold, uplifting and quirky flair.
She has already amassed positive reviews and a growing audience, with listeners particularly appreciating the distinct lyrical flow and arrangement; thrilling and entertaining, a blend of top-tier, quality songwriting and music production, in addition to having appealing visuals that accompanies her style and flow.
Jalifa, the multi-genre singer and songwriter hails from the West Indies in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. It shares maritime boundaries with Barbados to the northeast, Grenada to northwest and Venezuela to the south and west. The island is well known for its African and Indian cultures reflected in its large and famous Carnival, Diwali and Hosay celebrations, as well as being the birthplace of steelpan, the limbo and music styles such as calypso, soca, rapso, parang and chutney soca.
Reggae can now be included as part of the musical tapestry of Trinidad and Tobago, thanks to the small sound men, DJ’s and promoters who started pushing small reggae events, and with the likes of Jah Melody, Khari Kill, Marlon Asher, Queen Omega, Isasha & Million Voice, King David, Jah Bami, just to mention a few helped build a door for uprising Trinbago Reggae artists like Jalifa to forward through and that is when Reggae started to develop even more.
Somewhere on the Island – about 1,9 km from the capital city, Port-of-Spain, in the region of San Juan/Laventille you will find the Gonzalez Bobo Yard, a small Rastafari camp led by Jalifa’s father, Roy (Ekechi) Theobalds, the Bobo Shanty leader of the community. This is where the journey of Jalifa begins, as told to MzansiReggae by the Fire Princess, the master of self awareness herself:
Jalifa:
I rep Gonzales “Bobo Yard” the people of my community, and elsewhere refer to my home as Bobo Yard. My father was a huge public figure to the people in our community, and worldwide. He was also the Bobo Shanty leader in our camp, a small gathering house, appointed by the founder of Bobo Shanty faith King Emmanuel Charles Edward in the year 1983.
My upbringing around my father and mother was always an enlightening one. They are very strict, “livity wise” they both play a major and dutiful role in my life spiritually making myself, and siblings to be the strong individuals we are today. I am forever grateful for their presence in our lives, we’re truly blessed.
My Father and my mother started trodden Rastafari from their teenage days, up until this present time, holding the livity firm and strong. So you can say from the womb I was ordained a child of Rastafari.
This is evident when you take in her music, the imagery she employs to convey her message, and the premise that Rastafari is ingrained in her name.
Jalifa:
My name is Kalifa Nataki Alexis stage name Jalifa. I created the name from my original name Kalifa, meaning “successor” “leader” “ruler”. I removed the K and added the J to get Jah because he carries similar qualities like the meaning of my name, and there we have (Jalifa) “Successor” “Ruler” and master of self-awareness.
I was brought up under the Rastafarian (Bobo Shanty) faith, meaning first Gods and Goddesses of creation. I live a scriptural life, laws,commandments, high morals, principles and statutes of is Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I the 1st, Melchizedek order.
She grew up in a big and loving Rastafari household, being the seventh of nine children; four brothers, five sisters. Same mother same father. They had a regular childhood as well as being homeschooled, something that is evident in her view of the world and profoundly influencing her outlook on life in general.
Jalifa:
My childhood growing up was like any youth growing up, the only difference is, I was birthed in the world, but not of its worldly lifestyle. Growing up in a full household where there’s never a dull moment, we have our differences like any other regular family, but that blood bond and family love forever remains. I think growing up in a home with a “large family” is one of the greatest blessings and I am truly fortunate to have such.
She gravitated towards music at an early age because her father, who was an MC/DJ would host celebrations, like the Black holy-days and victory like the Earth strong of the King of Ethiopia, Prophet Marcus Garvey and so on; to hosting just small reggae vibes at their home for free. These sessions would be attended by many people from different walks of life, from around the world.
Jalifa:
My father and two eldest brothers would mc, and chant on the mic, he would always give me the mic, and my only song I sang back in those times was Bam Bam by Sista Nancy.
This was at a time when Reggae was not enjoying so much popularity as compared to today. because the spotlight was mainly on calypso and Soca. Jalifa describes here how the musical landscape looked then:
Jalifa:
Well back then in the late 90’s and 20’s local reggae music never really did get the attention, and push it really needed back here in our country; mainly foreign countries would be interested in what Trinidad reggae artists were bringing to the table. So you would hear more soca, calypso, or foreign productions being played on the radios back then.
At home, however, things were different because Jalifa’s father and her second-eldest brother Adiel (Abba Shanty) Alexis, who is also an artist and deserves the majority of the credit for her musical accomplishments, had a bigger impact on her. She continues to list Ras Michael, Burning Spear, Turbulence the Future, Sista Nancy, Lauryn Hill, Eminem, Sizzla Kalonji, and Capleton as some of her key influences.
MUSIC
She continued to hold a mic at various sessions and started performing at live shows for a couple of years before she even had an official recording. Without any real plan as to when or how to officially enter the industry as an artist, Jalifa put her faith in Jah and trusted the hard works and process. Since the start of her first recording she has been very active either sharing the stage with acclaimed names or featuring on hard hitting Riddims and working with serious producers who either seek her out or she seeks them out, it works both ways because she believes that “Beside the passion and art-form, music is a serious business, talent without strategy is no talent.”
To date, Jalifa has released twenty five singles with various productions which included singles under her record label HOJP.
All her music is beautifully evocative, asked if she were to choose one favourite, Jalifa listed ten instead, showing that her craft is her passion and she puts her all in it. Each song is a masterpiece, and is in a class of its own.
Jalifa:
I don’t have one lol I’m kidding, I actually have ten favourite songs, released and unreleased.
Born Ready, Talk Bout, Ganja Banquet ft Lutan Fyah, Unite ft Reddy Muzic. Savage ft. Ninjah, Hear Ye, Whereas, Direction, and Ibration. There is a lot lol
In 2014 she released her first recorded single “When I Chant” with the House of Music Enterprise, based in Claxton Bay Trinidad. The track is featured on the Bongo Riddim Blessings Flow Album with various artists.
In 2018 she dropped the lauded Born Ready Mixtape curated by Suns on Dub. The mixtape was a showcase of the young ‘Jalifa’ already considered as one of the female artists at the forefront of Trinidad & Tobago’s Reggae Movement. Born Ready Mixtape debuted the combination track Ganja Banquet which is a collaboration track with Lutan Fyah produced by Suns of Dub & Pressure Dub Sound. Born Ready aptly describes who and what Jalifa is all about, the carefully selected tracks speaks of a fyah princess attuned to her true self and her place on earth and in the music industry.
Four years later, on April 1st 2022, she released the critically acclaimed Album Incient Ras produced by Zion High Kings Production,
The Irie Roots Reggae Review gave it a 9.6/10 rating and echoes what most discerning Reggae music listeners feel when they say:. “It’s exciting to discover new Roots Reggae Artists, even more exciting when they come blazing out of the Gate. Remember her name! .
But it is The Review from the online Reggae and Dancehall Magazine, Reggae Vibes, that seals succinctly what Incient Ras is about.: “The spiritually charged Incient Ras, of which the title is derived from the saying “Old soul”, reflects Jalifa’s being, not just as a musician but, more of her cultural background and spiritual journey as a young Rasta youth within this time and space, by trodding the ancient order of Melchizedek and living a natural way of life“.
This EP is highly recommended for Deep Roots Reggae Lovers.
Roots and Spirituality
The one thing that really stands out and is impressive about Jalifa (she walks the talk) is that she is unapologetically African, inside and out, and that comes across all in all her visuals.
Jalifa:
I embrace Afreeka with pride. I was born Afreekan it doesn’t matter the distance far apart, if my skin is black, I am a child of Afreeka. A lion originated in east africa is still a lion even if you take it and put it in another continental. Action carries a greater power than words in itself and I have a way I love my actions to do most of the talkin.
It is also clearly evident that Jalifa is a spiritual person and that has an influence on her craft and she describes that as thus:
Jalifa:
Rastafar I is life within itself, living righteous pure and original as from creational birth, spiritual, naturally connects us with our divine creator, the universe and others. I am no different from what the eye perceives. No mask, Real Rasta no Pasta. LOL. Music is life, I am my music, and my music I am.
In closing we wanted to find out if Jalifa is any different from Kalifa, how does the personal blend with the public persona, and as it turns out, there is no difference. She is single, full of life and loving it to the fullest and enjoys a vegan Trinbago “Sunday Lunch”
Jalifa:
Jalifa is the same on and off. I love to make people laugh, and bring joy and spread love everywhere I go. People also like to call me an “Old Soul” because they think I’m not from this time lol But besides music, I’m also into photography/videography/culinary art and graphic designing.
It is a great privilege and blessings to be able to share my gift with you all. I want to shout out my amazing team HOJP for their immense work. Team work really makes the dream work. And let love lead in everything you do. Peace and prosperity. One love Rastafari.
More life, more music, and more vibes.!