Steppas Records

Burning Spear (1979)

Alpha Steppa & Nai-Jah - Omo Kibish #streetdub

If you don't know what or where Omo Kibish is, now is the time to find out 🌍 #dub #reggae #roots #music #soundsystem #soundsystemculture #bass #steppas #vinyl #jamaica #rasta #livemusic #mixing #messagemusic #beatmaker #dubwise #bassculture #streetdub #omokibish

Barrington Levy, Old Grey Whistle Test (1984) #barringtonlevy #dub #reggae #roots #music #soundsystem #soundsystemculture #bass #steppas #vinyl #jamaica #kingston #rasta #livemusic #mixing #messagemusic #420 #dubwise

DUBPL8-004 Alpha Steppa - Snake in the Eagle's Shadow

Drops tonight @ 20:00 (gmt) http://smarturl.it/DUBPL8-004 #dubpl8

Alpha Steppa, Nai-Jah, Don Fe & Ras Tinny - Rice Traffic #streetdub

New #streetdub!! 🚐🚐🚐 The life cycle of our food, from conception to consumption, tells a story of exploitation, environmental destruction and corruption. Operating under such fancy names as: CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) in the EU, Farm Subsidies in the USA, rice subsidy schemes in Thailand or Allocations in Nigeria, farm subsidies were originally invented to protect local production and local food self sufficiency. However, such policies have everywhere been found vulnerable to corruption; often disproportionately benefitting large powerful corporations over small-scale producers and farmers. ‘Rice Traffic’ locates this issue in a Nigerian context where subsidies allocated to support indigenous production are used by large corporations to buy in rice from neighbouring countries (usually imported from Asia) to be illegally trafficked into the Nigerian market rather than growing rice locally; and therefore distorting the market and disadvantaging local small farmers. But the unholy alliance between corrupt politicians and corporations does not only disadvantage small farmers in Africa. Today farmers represent only 3% of the EU population and produce 6% of the EU GDP yet receive 30% of the EU’s total budget through CAP handouts. However 80% of CAP payments go to only a small 20% of farm holdings. The average farmer’s income is only half the EU average wage. The use of farming subsidy programs has not only failed small farmers worldwide it has also failed to stop the wholesale devastation of soil and biodiversity in its ecosystems. Roughly 37% of Earth's land is today employed for agricultural purposes; these fields are thus a big part of our world and what happens in them will increasingly affect our personal lives. Whether agricultural subsidy programs are inherently good or bad is debatable however these programs are subsidised by the public and we advocate they be used to deliver public goods like food security and biodiversity and soil health and not the enrich

Alpha Steppa & Nai-Jah - Chanting #streetdub

- Join us in London 22.9.18! £5 TICKETS: http://smarturl.it/launch-tickets - Full album out 21.9.18 Alpha Steppa & Nai-Jah - 'The Great Elephant' Vinyl, CD, Download: http://smarturl.it/TGE This song talks of cultures stolen and histories rewritten and of the ones who have been persecuted for challenging the status quo. From Africa, America, Asia, Australia to all corners of the globe, and we still see it today, the so-called-powerful prey on the so-called-weak, in order to monopolise resources and consolidate political and economic power. Today, history repeats itself in places like Tibet, Myanmar, South Sudan, and Palestine. What I've been asking myself is, why? How can these patterns continue despite the teachings from the past of the devastating effects. And can we do anything to break the cycle? Is it enough to starve the system, leave the system, or strive to develop and demonstrate a functioning alternative? Somebody came to me in a session recently and said 'to leave babylon, you must first find yourself', I agree. I encourage activism and practical steps towards progress but understanding and tackling the root of the problem should be a priority. Throughout human history we have evolved or developed socially to differentiate 'us' and 'them', this was probably crucial to our survival at times. It's good to think of animals as your family, but if you pull a trapped lion from sinking sand in the wild, and she's hungry, chances are she'll still eat you. Dualistic thinking is an evolutionary legacy, one which is now causing far more damage than good. I believe in the cliched phrase; evolution over revolution. Revolution even in name implies something of a cyclic nature, we've seen how revolutions often displace one ruling elite with another and before you know it the pigs have moved into the farmhouse. Evolution suggests a linear fluidity, as conditions and variables change, so too life changes to adapt. I believe that the next stage in human evolution is to tr

A&O009-R TP's // for those who know!

How to Build a Sound System in 10 Steps!

'Steppas Stories' Episode 1: How to Build a Sound System 🔊 This is the 1st in our new series 'Steppas Stories' exploring sound system culture across the globe, we start with the foundation; the sound system.

Playing Vinyl Through An Electron Microscope!

This is what your vinyl being played looks like close up 🔎

Alpha Steppa & Nai-Jah - London Album Launch - Powered by Real Roots Soundsystem

Looking fwd to this! Pls book ahead and tell your friends 🐘 TICKETS: http://smarturl.it/launch-tickets ★ Limited advanced tickets: £5 & £10 OTD ★ TICKET INCLUDES FREE & EXCLUSIVE INSTANT DOWNLOAD OF 'REPATRIATE YOUR $' (+ DUB) FROM THE NEW ALBUM! (WAV & MP3) ➤ Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/283072295816130/ #thegreatelephant

Alpha Steppa & Cian Finn - 9 Years (ft. Don Fe) Old Scotland Yard [Dub Dynasty] #streetdub

Beneath the gleamingly well-polished 'New Scotland Yard' sign aka the Metropolitan Police Headquarters and a stone's throw from the 'Ministry of Defence' Main Building, London. Cian wrote this song in 2010, relating to the 9 years of war in Afghanistan at that time, since then this number has nearly doubled. The truth is, war has no number, the impact of war is unending, enduring and affects everyone. During its history, the UK's forces have invaded and controlled or fought conflicts in 171 of the world's 193 countries that are currently UN member states, that is to say, 90% of the entire world. Clearly, it's good for business. You just need to skim through this list of wars involving the UK (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_United_Kingdom) to see the published gains, let alone the unpublished gains. In exchange for tragic loss on all sides. This doesn't look like the actions of a Ministry of Defence, but rather a Ministry of Offence. I think Cian articulates this better than I could ever dream of, so I leave you with his poignant lyrics. Track: Dub Dynasty & Cian Finn - 9 Years (mixed live by Alpha Steppa, ft. Don Fe on the flute!) 9 years of war soldiers don’t know what they're fighting for in the middle east 9 years of war weapons of mass destruction that never were 9 years of war multi national forces kicked down the wrong door 9 years of war 9 years endured fire fights light up the sky every day and night civilians are terrorised innocence murdered in the crossfire bombs drop destroy entire communities, good families, yous and me’s private contractors hire mercenaries conscription is unnecessary psychology works sufficiently troops fueled on amphetamines teenagers armed with m16’s half the world watches on the T.V screen where things are not what they seem 9 years of war soldiers don’t know what they're fighting for in the middle east 9 years of war weapons of mass destruction that never were 9 years of war multi national forces kic

Alpha Steppa & Sista Awa - Whip Lash Crack (ft. Ras Tinny) #streetdub

We filmed this video by the beautiful Bristol Harbourside, it's beautiful but this place has a serious history. Bristol played a major role in the transatlantic slave trade, known then as the 'slave capital' of Britain, due to the relative volume of owners in the port city, for a time it was the biggest slaving port. Not so long ago merchants would sail from here to Africa in order to trade goods for enslaved Africans, they then travelled across the Atlantic to the American colonies where the Africans were sold for sugar, tobacco, cotton and other produce. The goods were then transported back to Europe. The slave trade galvanised the industrial revolution and profits were used to build a rich and prosperous Europe; the UK's financial industries, including banks such as Barclays, Lloyds, HSBC and the Bank of England, the steam engine and the railway network, Oxford's famous Codrington library, tea, coffee, sugar, chocolate, the UK's cultural institutions, the legacies of the slave trade are impossible to avoid. The British school system teaches us to have pride in the scientific, political and industrial revolutions, but fail to mention that all of this was only made possible because of the blood, sweat, tears and bounty exploited from nations across the globe where people had darker skin. Slavery was eventually abolished, but the amount of money borrowed for the Slavery Abolition Act to compensate slave owners was so large that it wasn’t paid off until 2015. Which means that living British citizens helped pay to end the slave trade, which also means that descendants of slaves (who never got any compensation) have been paying for the compensation paid to slave owners. It is fallacy to believe that the impact of slavery ended with emancipation. Descendants of enslaved Africans in the west are still subject to racial inequalities in every area of social life and are even far more likely to be incarcerated or killed by the very state that is supposed to protect them. A

Alpha Steppa & Ras Tinny - Call On Jah #streetdub

Ras Tinny @ break-neck speed! Filmed outside the derelict Bank of England building in Bristol, UK. Somehow these twisted little organisations have been around for hundreds of years, surviving scandal after scandal. Since the financial crisis of 07/08 not one of the rulers of this rotten culture of fraud have been barred from the financial services industry, let alone prosecuted. The ones who resigned didn't stay unemployed for long, they just moved along to other creepy little gangs. The shamed ex-CEO of Barclays for example, Bob Diamond (real name!), who was forced to resign after the crisis and was quick to let us know "a time for remorse is over" is now focused on acquiring banks across Africa for his company Atlas Mara. When banks can rig the system and win billions in tax payer bailouts through failure and corruption what’s the incentive for them to obey the rules & regulations? Last year the Serious Fraud Office closed a criminal investigation into the conduct of the Bank of England at the onset of the crisis, finding them not guilty, shortly after, new evidence emerged implementing BoE in a major interest rate rigging scandal. These institutions are clever, resilient, ruthless, immoral and will probably be around for a while, but one day, all of their offices will look like this one. Perennial weeds will one day conquer their concrete. The imbalance and corruption we see in the world is overwhelming and it's hard to know what to do. When Ras Tinny says 'Call on Jah', he is asking you to have compassion for yourself, for one another and for the ecosystems. Every spade we sink in the soil, every bird we feed and every conscious lifestyle choice we make big or small is a call to something much greater. A call for positive change and a recalibration of humanity. #streetdub

Alpha Steppa & Sista Awa - Chain Breaker #streetdub

Under the Great Dutch Elm of Lewisham (Ulmus Hollandica), this old tree is said to be the only known British specimin of this cultivar. Most Dutch Elms were killed off by Dutch Elm Disease in the 60's, over 20 million in one decade, in the UK alone! This tree reminds me of the juxtaposing fragility and resiliance of life. Pretentiousness aside, mad respect to this tree! Mad respect to all trees, they have to put up with a lot of s**t... disease, pests, storms, floods, fire and most recently and devistatingly; humans. Many trees are mashed down everyday, but many remain, somehow through all this tribulation, for hundreds and even thousands of years, in stillness, standing tall, growing, just minding their own business, rooted & grounded. I wrote this song as a kind of prayer in veneration to those throughout history who have come to understand the simple wisdom of a tree. Be like a tree firmly planted by the rivers of water. Glory to the King & Queen Glory to the King & Queen Chain Breaker Chain Breaker There was a man who was born with the knowledge of a tree, a man who was born in the valley of the free, He died before he died and was again free, Now he sits in the shadow of a tree, Under the name of I, you and we, Veneration to his name; I, you and we Glory to the King & Queen Glory to the King & Queen There was a woman who was born with the wisdom of the sea, a woman who was born in the valley of the free, She died before she died and was born again free, Now she sits in the shadow of a tree, Under the name of I, you and we, Veneration to her name; I, you and we Chain breaker Chain breaker There was a man who was born with the knowledge of a tree, There was woman who was born with the wisdom of the sea... Past the sand where the sea meets the land, Standing hand in hand in the valley of the free. Glory to the King & Queen Glory to the King & Queen

Due to very popular demand and for the first time we’ve finally printed a limited run of ‘Certified Green’ hoodies, made from ethically traded organic cotton! These hoodies are extremely high quality, Eco-printed & Earth Positive, sustainably and ethically traded. www.steppas.com/steprec/product/hoodie-alpha-steppa-black/ The print is made using eco-inks and two screens, the 1st layer is super fine and a second layer covers and finishes, this makes for a very durable print, these hoodies will last years!

A very special hand-printed mounted numbered and unique print from Alpha Steppa's 3rd Kingdom, only ten available! www.steppas.com/steprec/product/3rd-kingdom-print/ - LIMITED EDITION, ONLY 10 PRINTS! - LINO PRINT - DURABLE BLACK INK ON HIGH QUALITY PAPER - 42x52cm - PROFESSIONALY MOUNTED & SLEEVED - HAND PRINTED - HAND NUMBERED BY ARTIST (EVE)

In the dub-shop now! www.steppas.com/steprec/shop/ ‘Certified Green’ T-shirts made from ethically traded organic cotton! These T’s are Eco-printed, 100% organic cotton, sustainably and ethically traded. Leaving Babylon is a volunteer-led non-profit international collective, working towards steadily reducing dependency on unsustainable systems and learning skills to become more self sufficient in a more sustainable way. All T-shirt profits go to the Leaving Babylon initiative.

Alpha & Omega - Rough & Tough ft. Joe Pilgrim (Mixed live by Alpha Steppa) #streetdub

In lesson with Professor Pilgrim! "Regain freedom, and dignity, for I & I livity, teach young people to live together, and preserve their humanity" No matter where you are from in the world and regardless of your beliefs, if you are involved with or enjoying reggae music, out of respect for the art and culture, please take the time to research the roots. Know that this music is rooted in spirituality and the fight for freedom from oppression. As a pale faced man in a predominantly pale faced country I will never truly understand the struggle of those who were taken from Africa and oppressed generation after generation. I will never truly understand the struggle of the Jamaican people which led to the subsequent birth of the music we love. But the very least I can do is to try, by reasoning with the diaspora and my friends from Africa, listening to the elders and reading the teachings of those who fought for freedom and dignity. Haile Selassie I, Marcus Garvey, Leonard Howell, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X, Dorothy Height, Gloria Richardson, Maya Angelou, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Nina Simone, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Dennis Brown and the list goes on and on... as I still discover and learn each and every day. Respect due. ~ Alpha Steppa Track: Alpha And Omega - Rough & Tough ft. Joe Pilgrim Music (Mixed live by Alpha Steppa) #streetdub

Reforestation

@sista_awa in London !

JahYu - Lineage of the Sun

VINYL + FREE DL ➤ http://smarturl.it/JahYu-Vinyl JAHYU’S DEBUT LP FINALLY ‘PON WAX, DUE TO VERY POPULAR DEMAND! JahYu: “A perfect fusion of meditative Eastern instrumentation with 21st century sound-system vibration.” MIXMAG JahYu: the Korean word for ‘freedom’, this is an artist whose music is rooted in the notion of freedom, freedom of sound, freedom of expression, freedom from mind and freedom of the soul. JahYu uses his creative freedom to connect directly with his ancestors and create music that somehow transports the listener through time and space. Oriental flute and string melodies slide effortlessly amongst powerful roots-based dubstep, creating a sound that is unique and full of flavour. This enigmatic Korean-German producer blends both sides of his heritage, the digital steppers that emerged from Europe in the 1990’s alongside the traditional oriental music of his mother’s homeland, Korea, augmented by a deeper exploration of contemporary bass music. It is said that JahYu’s family descend from the same lineage of Go Jumong, the founder of the great Goguryeo Kingdom of the Far East, a people renown for their ancestral worship and unique musical expression. Goguryeo music was even adopted as official court music for the powerful Sui and Tang dynasties of China, many times throughout history these Chinese dynasties were at war with Goguryeo, however, the music of the enemy, Goguryeo, was still able to flourish in China and has been consistently performed across Asia for hundreds of years. Perhaps this explains the majestic qualities of JahYu’s music. JahYu’s productions provide us with the opportunity to discover our ancestral roots through music. Roots music is not a sound, it is a feeling and a feeling that JahYu is able to evoke with profound intensity. Vinyl Track Listing: A 01 Inner Truth 4:47 02 Shamanic Dance 4:42 03 Legacy 4:53 B 04 Humble Minded 5:04 05 Hallasan 4:41 06 Three Legged Crow 5:06 C 07 Relief For The Poor 4:59 08 Tree of Life 4:41 09