The Break Up

Album Review

Perhaps because of his name and the dreadlocks he sports, singer/songwriter BenJah is sometimes classified as a reggae artist; he is also claimed as a Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) performer. On the basis of his second album, The Break Up, both characterizations turn out to be accurate as far as they go, but inadequate as complete descriptions of his music. Musically, he might better be thought of as a hip-hop artist who incorporates elements of rap, reggae, and rock into his beats. Some of the percussive, dance-ready tracks on The Break Up easily could be used as beds for raps by, say, Jay-Z or Eminem; for BenJah, they provide support to his combination of expressive singing, rapping, and reggae-style toasting. As the album title suggests, the set has an overall lyrical message having to do with the dissolution of a romantic relationship. In "Sinking Ship," BenJah gives the impression that some sort of moral failure has given rise to his decision to break off with his significant other, but he seems conflicted. Over the course of subsequent songs, he muses about philosophical/spiritual issues, with "Not Alone" declaring that "We are not alone," and "3rd World Family" looking at global social issues. BenJah only gradually brings in a specific religious element, at first using the euphemism "love" for what's needed, but eventually acknowledging that the Lord is the crucial element. Still, he goes back and forth right to the end of the album, with "C.N.L.Y.G." standing (more or less) for "cannot let you go," while in "Orphan" he repeats, "Save me." Happily, he turns out to have a sense of humor about his romantic/religious troubles, ending the album with a hidden track in which his personal trainer leaves numerous phone messages wondering whether he's finally gotten rid of that girlfriend and is ready to go back into training. BenJah might describe himself as a work in progress on the basis of The Break Up, and a listener is liable to feel the same way.