Roots Archives Forum

"Jacob gotta be one of the most overrated singers in all of reggae music, even considered a folly boy in those times, and it is easy to see why"-Ites

You've got to be kidding right? You must have meant underrated. I'd actually say that Bob Marley has gotta be the most overrated. I mean people act like reggae was born, lived, and died all within that mans life and music. The standard narrative of reggae history is bullshit and gives little credit to some of the most influential in the genre. It needs serious revision. The standard narrative assumes that Bob was most popular in Jamaica-not the case at all. Its also always said that when Bob died it was Peter who
"took over" but that the music began to decline in general. It shits on dancehall, probably because it can't understand it. Marley is credited with bringing reggae international always always, but this is misleading also (Dekkar's "Israelites" proves an ample example here). Anyone who knows anything about reggae realizes that Bob was good, but is often overemphasized in discussing the music. This overemphasis on Bob completely denies the role of many of his contemporaries, predecessors, and those who would follow. Here's a very short list: Toots Hibbert (coined 'reggae' for gods sake), Burning Spear (recorded throughout Marley's career and beyond, much better song writer), Gregory Issacs (Cool Ruler, need I say more), Killer Miller (I'm a Rocker, you're a Rocker), Wailing Souls, Black Uhuru. And what of Augustus Pablo, Lee Perry, King Tubby, Scientist, Sly and Robbie, Roots Radics, Barrington Levy? Tosh's Bush Doctor album? Things like this are just pissed all over and put down by people who only know the damn blasted same ol' Marley tunes from Legends. Its like, don't say you like reggae if you're going to be so dumb and closed minded about it. Its frustrating and annoying when these Dave Matthews Banders try to act like they like and know the music. In my opinion, if you truly love and know reggae/dancehall music you will listen to nothing else, as you will have seen that for the most part Western genres are contrived bullshit. Bob is like pop's U2 and Bono, for real. People like to act self-righteous just for listening, and don't really understand whats happening in the music itself, and in U2's case these trilobites can't even see how bad the music really is. In conclusion, Killer Miller could never ever be overrated: He hasn't been rated in the first place. Revise the standard narrative of Reggae, don't believe this shit they feed you about the genre's death w/ Marley's, if anything it simply got better.

I cannot pass on this topic. Lately i have been a little bit lethargic to contribute to this site as often as i would want to but hey...this topic is about my favorite all time reggae singer.
Many who doesn't know Jacob "Killer Miller is the man whom could have been the king of reggae if not for his to soon death. Even the great Bob Marley (and i am not here to compare the two) loved the singer. To me his music was ahead of it's time (Tenement Yard, Mix Up Moods) to name a few. I also feel that he was the most outspoken artist of his time. He even dare walk on stage and criticize the government and Police in Jamaica. In the year 1979 he was Jamaica's most popular singer even surpassing Marley.
Also for those who don't know he is the Father of Fanton Mojah.

R.I.P Jacob Miller, you live forever in our heart.

You said it cooldownbabylon.
"Bob is like pop's U2 and Bono, for real."
Exaclty what i tried to say!

(and for me the real reggae king is Winston Rodney, just before Jacob)

Not kidding, d(r)eadly serious

It's true there is a too great anonimat about Miller since some people wrote about reggae and i think the commercial success after Bob's death is well orginazed like the Killer's anonimity. Why the most loved singer in Jamaica in the golden era, JACOB MILLER is in the shadow today? Journalists from NATTY DREAD magazine in France (the best reggae magazine) surely have an idea because after 40 numeros, there is no one article about him & INNER CIRCLE. 'Died too young and a too short career' they said to me by phone in 2005. Ok, but since 1997 i try to wrote his biography / discography and there is more than 150 pages... I hope it will saw release in 2008 for the 40 years of INNER CIRCLE BAND. It will be named JACOB MILLER & THE INNER CIRCLE BAND 'FORWARD JAH JAH CHILDREN'. If you want more infos or debate you can here or send me a mail:
italdub@hotmail.com

There is a lot of topics in roots archives or blood & fire about MILLER's songs and his afective relation with BOB. They were like friends and a tour was prepared in 1980 together.

ITES-MILLER OVERRATED,GET A GRIP.HIM TAN TUDDY

Guys let's keep this topic going..
I love the fact that a lot of my bredren here have the same love for Jacob Miller as i do.
This guy was a great singer and a real live entertainer. For his size he was very active on stage.
Also i may also say that no matter what success he could have had the man was only about his music.

One Love..

Raw D

JACOB was not only an exceptional artist, he was a very good person. He don't know hate and every time he tried to help his friends in the ghetto or in the reggae community. For that reason INNER CIRCLE became one of the top recording band in 75-81 and made records with ALTHEA & DONNA (the former was his girlfriend), DAVID JAHSON, RAY I, WINSTON MCANUFF, DEAN FRASER, DEVON IRONS or TYRONE TAYLOR. LEWIS brothers canalized their very good potentiel with MILLER's energy & made good dub LPs.
His philosophy is 'EVERYTHING IS GREAT', never you can see something wrong in him, even in hard time and his personality was so loved by people in Jamaica in every social class, downtown & uptown.
He was at the point to make a break internationaly in 1980...very sad. Today Jamaicans said he's missing too much...
Ironicaly, he made his last aparence on concert with THIRD WORLD, ex INNER CIRCLE's musicians!

I don't think it's necessary to undermine 1 artist in order to highlight another 1 and that is why i hate versus discussions unless a clear rivalry existed between the 2 artists or it's an indirect appreciation of both artists especially for artists like Bob n Miller who's styles are significantly different.Jacob is underexposed i agree especially since he had an accessible style that could have put roots reggae into greater prominence.But someone's underexposure shouldn't be a reason to resent someone else who is more successful.Face it...if not for Marley a lot of current,new Miller fans wouldn't know who he was...including me to be honest. As a young person who has just recently gotten into 70's roots i can attest to this. My interest in reggae probably began with Bob and other contemporary reggae artists.Except unlike other people i refused to believe that he was the only roots artist in the world in his era. But even then like u,once i really got into roots rockers etc and noticed how underexposed a lot of talent was i developed a resentment for Marley! and the basis for this resentment is so useless!Did previous miller fans stop being Miller fans coz of Bob.No.And Bob's legacy has no obligation to improve Millers. so if Marley is percieved as the end all of reggae...it just means a lot of non-Miller fans remained just that.Non-miller fans...and would have without bob.On the other hand there r those who used Marley as a reference point to explore and found Miller.
In summary.Was Miller a better artist than Bob?Useless argument coz it's subjective and to be honest it's not worth the brain cells thinking about it. Did Bob's legacy hurt the 1's of Miller et al.No.Did it help it for some few like me.Yes. If u look at the tours of some normal roots artist from Prince Alla to Yabby You you'll see many young faces like mine.This people prolly started with a successful artist as a reference point.
I'm also a bit pissed of at the rarity of Miller material. But i can say that about almost everyone i listen to these days!It's not Bob Marley's fault. Why should Babylon's views and opinions make u lose sleep. Miller,Mundell,Congos,Cornell,Culture et al are blazing from my speakers. That's all that matters.Whether the rest of the world is or should be listening to doesnt matter as long as nobody is giving the genre a bad name by making bullshit and calling it reggae.Even that shoudlnt bother me but i guess that it also puts my reputation as a public roots fan at stake. But if some Metallica fan out there thinks bob is all and doesnt know about winston and toots...tuff.As long as bob isnt giving my genre a bad name.And his legacy isnt.