Reggae fans need to brace themselves for Richie Spice’s upcoming album Together We Stand. If the first two singles are anything to go by, the album is poised to be on Gideon Boot and Spice of Life levels. Following the release of the album title track back in 2019, Richie dropped his latest single “Valley of Jehoshaphat (Red Hot),†along with its music video.
Clive Hunt produced the VP Records cut while Samo Kush-I Johnson delivered a cinematic video filled with relevant messages. He leaves his audience with a powerful Hallie Sellasie quote which appears ever so relevant.
“We must become bigger than we have been, more courageous, greater in spirit, larger in outlook. We must become members of a new race. Overcoming petty prejudice, owing our ultimate allegiance not to nations but to our fellow men within the human community.” Hallie Sellasie
The poignant message is signature Richie Spice when you think of his popular songs which include World Crisis, and Earth a Run Red. Richie was in line for special praise for his preceding single. It was adopted as the theme for Telethon Jamaica- Together We Stand. The telethon was held to raise money for COVID-19 relief in Jamaica and was a huge success. Richie had this to say in light of the gesture;
“This is such a great feeling. It’s the kind of feeling you want to have when you are facing such as a crisis as this coronavirus monster. While I am deeply honoured and happy that this song is pushing the message behind the Telethon, I can’t help but express deep concern for what is going on. It dawned on me that when I had been singing about the world being in crisis for many years, that this is the manifestation of it; we are living through it now. The prophecy is fulfilling. But we will learn important lessons from this and if we stand together, we will overcome.”Â
Good things come to those that wait patiently. It won’t be long till we have Richie’s 9th studio album. Check out Valley of Jehoshaphat. It’s another Spice classic that will evoke a lot of nostalgic roots reggae emotions.
