We talked with Meta about his earlier musical influences, his experiences over the past few years and the new album, "Ancient Power", which is set to be released on April 30, 2013. Meta and Sidney Mills of Steel Pulse produced the album, which was recorded at the legendary Tuff Gong Studio in Kingston, Jamaica. Meta and The Cornerstones have also joined VP Record's fold as the first African reggae artist signed to the label.
AfroMuzik: Thank you Meta for joining us.
Meta: Thank you for having me.
AfroMuzik: How did you get started in music?
Meta: When I was younger I practiced Tajwid, which is the art of recitation of the Quran, and from the Arabic singing I was introduced to melody so spirituality is what lead me to singing. When Hip-Hop hit the scene in Senegal every neighborhood had a Hip-Hop group. Two of my cousins started rapping and when I saw that I got into it and picked it up very quickly. It was fun and we all wanted to be like the Hip-Hop guys we saw on MTV. We would go to school with the baggy jeans, Nikes and all that vibration.
AfroMuzik: So Hip-Hop was a major influence early on. I read that when you started performing you were recognized as one of the top Hip Hop voices in Dakar and your group won the best Hip Hop/Reggae award from the French Cultural Center.
Meta: Yes. Every year they did a competition with the 10 best hip-hop artists in the country and that year we got the best hip hop artist award. That was in 2000.
AfroMuzik: That’s amazing! What were some of your earlier influences in hip-hop?
Meta: The real inspiration came from Positive Black Soul1 (“PBS”). When we started seeing PBS in our cultural center and at school they totally inspired everyone by showing us that it is possible to find a hip-hop beat and to voice on it.
AfroMuzik: Did you know then that you wanted to be a musician?
Meta: Definitely! I knew then that I loved it and wanted to be a musician but I was not sure which direction I was going with. My uncle used to play guitar and I always messed around with the guitar. Another uncle played harmonica and my mom also sang and played a lot of the reggae music in the house so I was always surrounded by music.
AfroMuzik: Moving on to 2002 when you moved to the US. Where you purposely pursuing a music career?
Meta: Totally! I was very excited but when I started understanding the hip-hop in the US the reality was different. In Senegal hip-hop was more of a social movement. I tried to find the conscious rappers like Mos Def and Talib Kweli but the masses gravitated towards something else. I started going to open mics in Detroit knowing that Detroit was a good place for hip hop at the time because of Eminem and Obie Trice and I wanted to be close to where hip hop was at the time. I had a problem with my accent, as I didn’t speak English when I came to the US so it was very difficult. While there I met a Jazz musician by the name of Shawn Blackman who saw me perform. He thought that I had a good voice and encouraged me to sing more. It was an empowering moment and from there I focused on singing.
AfroMuzik: How did you deal with the cultural shock during your early years?
Meta: The cultural shock was huge but also a major inspiration. You can never forget where you come from so you take that and harmonize it with what you are learning from a new culture.
AfroMuzik: Once you got over the language barrier were you able to appreciate the music more?
Meta: Definitely! “Coming in from the cold” I felt it before I understood what it said. When I heard again and understood the lyrics I just got hooked on listening to more Bob Marley: Ambush in the Night, Man to Man and all his other songs. I was also listening to Buju Banton, Gregory Isaac… and I knew that this was the music I wanted to do.
AfroMuzik: Can you tell us more about your experience in finding your reggae voice?
Meta: When I came to the US the goal was to learn English, rap and spread my message. Reggae just took me along the way and I carried on with it. I am still learning and discovering reggae so I am still going with the flow.
AfroMuzik: So in 2002 you moved to the US, learned English and within a few years you were sharing the stage with some of your idols and by 2008 you released your first album, “Forward Music”. Can you tell us more about that experience?
Meta: It was like a baby born. The album was something that also surprised me because I did not expect it that quickly.
AfroMuzik: How was the process of putting together your band?
Meta: From early on I found out that there were a lot of musicians hanging out in the East Village. I met David from Venezuela and Ragga from Trinidad who had a reggae band by the name of Conga I and they took me to my first reggae rehearsal. I went to their rehearsal and saw these guys perform and as an artist seeing the mic I jumped in and started singing. He really liked my voice and asked me to be part of the band as a backup singer. I really enjoyed the experience of being part of the band and at one point I realized that I wanted to get my message out there so I decided to put my band together. I called the musicians I knew and told them I wanted to put together a band and we set up a rehearsal. I played them some demo tapes I had and we started the band.
AfroMuzik: What were some of the key highlights for you in getting the "Forward Music" album out to the world?
Meta: The album was made independently and it took some time for it to be discovered. At first it was only friends in the East Village (NY) that knew about it. As more people came to see the shows in NY they would take it back with them to Europe and around the world. As the album reached those places we started getting more feedback.
AfroMuzik: When you were on tour for the album what were some of the places you had the chance to perform and which one was your favorite?
Meta: We performed in Belgium, France and Holland. New York is my favorite place to perform. The base is New York and the fans are in New York so it always feels good to perform here.
AfroMuzik: National Geographic calls you the future voice of reggae music. How does that make you feel?
Meta: It makes me feel very good. All feedback is part of the motivation so I am thankful to hear that. As an artist you like to hear feedback, both good and bad. It just makes you push even more.
AfroMuzik: The new album, “Ancient Power” will be released on April 30, 2013.
Meta: The second baby!
AfroMuzik: What was the inspiration behind the name of the album?
Meta: The biggest inspiration is the Most High. I always wanted to refer myself to the root so I wanted to give Homage to the ancestors. That is where the name comes from.
AfroMuzik: What should the fans of the first album expect to hear on the new album?
Meta: The story continues with the same message of love, peace, harmony, travel and discovery.
AfroMuzik: Who did you work with on the album?
Meta: I co-produced the album with Sidney Mills from Steel Pulse. We went to Jamaica, Tuff Gong Studio and pretty much the magic started happening there with Damian Marley, Capleton, U-Roy, Squidly Cole, C-Sharp, Mickey Chung, and Axman. There were a lot of musicians and it was amazing to see the exchange.
AfroMuzik: How did it feel to record at Tuff Gong studios?
Meta: When you get there you feel so much and you have to absorb the whole place and feel the vibrations. There is a story behind it and that is what automatically comes to mind. Artists are emotional so there is a lot going on inside of you. For me it was a lot of reflecting back to Africa and the Jamaica I envisioned for a long time. Not only I am here but I am also in Bob Marley's studio and the first time entering the studio I see one of his sons. There were a lot of emotions going on. It took me a couple of days to take it all in.
AfroMuzik: How was it working with the Marleys?
Meta: As an underground artist doing Reggae music and you find yourself in the studio with one of Bob Marley’s sons it was beautiful and overwhelming.
AfroMuzik: I am sure the feelings will translate into the music we will hear on the album. Are there any other artists that you would like to work with in the future?
Meta: I have a long list. Gael Faye is one artist whose writing I really like and we have been in touch and plan on doing something together in the future. In Senegal there are some hip-hop artists whose writing I really enjoy like PPS Writah, Witness and Books (Sen Kumpe). Damian Rice is one artist I would like to work with in the future. There is Emicida, a Brazilian artist with whom I would like to work with as well. I may not understand the language but I feel the vibration.
AfroMuzik: So your connection is more so on the writing.
Meta: Yes - the writing and the color of the music.
Afromuzik: With the release of the new album you plan on hitting the road and some tour dates for the European leg have already been announced. What else do you have coming up?
Meta: At the moment we have tour stops planned for Europe and Africa and the US. If everything works out well we hope to make tour stops in Brazil this summer.
Afromuzik: Can you tell us what was different working on the second album compared to the first one?
Meta: My English was much better this time around and I was able to express myself better. I have traveled and discovered new places and cultures. I also met a lot of people along the way and all this inspired me on this new album.
AfroMuzik: What advice would you give to the up and coming artists out there?
Meta: The message is always going to be the same. Peace, Love, and Harmony and making the connections. I would also advise to travel and discover. Be open to learn from one another and from that balance comes understanding; tolerance and we will reach higher.
AfroMuzik: Thank you Meta and the wonderful team at VICRAE Inc for taking the time to speak with us. We look forward to getting our hands on the new album, "Ancient Power".
Meta: Thank you!
If you are in the New York City area, be sure to catch Meta and the Cornerstones at Le Poisson Rouge on April 30, 2013 for the official album release party.
Meta and The Cornerstones
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 7:00 PM
Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10012
Stay connected with Meta and the Cornerstones:
www.metaandthecornerstones.com
www.facebook.com/metaandthecornerstones
www.twitter.com/metacornerstone