Midnite was a

roots reggae Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of Africans and those in the African Diaspora, including the spiritual side of Rastafari, black liberation, revolution and the honoring of God, called Jah ...

band from

St. Croix Saint Croix; nl, Sint-Kruis; french: link=no, Sainte-Croix; Danish and no, Sankt Croix, Taino: ''Ay Ay'' ( ) is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincor ...

, U.S. Virgin Islands, which started playing in 1989. The band's music follows in tradition with the roots reggae bands of 1970s

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

. The lyrical portions of Midnite's compositions are characterized as the "chant and call" style which gives their music a spiritually intense and an overtly

Rastafari movement Rastafari, sometimes called Rastafarianism, is a religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control o ...

feel. The lyrics are centrally focused on the plights of the oppressed, the inherent faults of the current political, economic and social settings on a global scale, and the redemption available to mankind through a life dedicated to Jah. In 2015, the band reformed around co-founder Vaughn Benjamin as Akae Beka without bassist Ron Benjamin. Ras Elyments took Ron Benjamin's position on Bass. Suren Felton replaced Ras L on keys. The reasons for the reformation have been stated as due to ''"''life changes, convictions and revelations". Stated on the band website was "due to a medical emergency the tour is postponed". Members of the band themselves won't even say during the recent Akae Beka Coronation Tour in November 2015. '. Akae Beka's first performance took place in Denver, Colorado on July 17, 2015 in honor of

Nelson Mandela Day Nelson Mandela International Day (or Mandela Day) is an annual international day in honour of Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on 18 July, Mandela's birthday. The day was officially declared by the United Nations in November 2009, with the ...

History

The band was started by Benjamin brothers Vaughn (vocals) and Ron (keyboard, but later switched to bass) circa 1989 according to an interview with one of the former Midnite drummer Ambrose "Amby" Connor by

Midnight Raver ''Midnight Raver'' was a website dedicated solely to the promotion and preservation of roots reggae, culture and dub. Contributors include authors and journalists, historians, record producers, broadcasters, lecturers, archivists, collectors and ...

. Vaughn and Ron invited Joseph Straws, Jr. to be their bassist and Dion "Bosie" Hopkins was the original drummer. The rhythm section was original as was all of Midnite's music--no covers or already created rhythms. The brothers were raised in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, the sons of Antiguan musician Ronnie Benjamin, Sr. Vaughn Benjamin cites

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

Peter Tosh Winston Hubert McIntosh, OM (19 October 1944 – 11 September 1987), professionally known as Peter Tosh, was a Jamaican reggae musician. Along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, he was one of the core members of the band the Wailers (1963� ...

Bunny Wailer Neville O'Riley Livingston (10 April 1947 – 2 March 2021), known professionally as Bunny Wailer, was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and percussionist. He was an original member of reggae group The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. ...

The Abyssinians The Abyssinians are a Jamaican roots reggae group, famous for their close harmonies and promotion of the Rastafari movement in their lyrics. History The vocal trio was originally formed in 1968 by Bernard Collins and Donald Manning. Their firs ...

, and bassist

Flabba Holt Errol Holt (born 19 July 1950), also known as Errol Carter and by his nickname Flabba, is a Jamaican bass guitar player and a singer who was a member of The Morwells and the Roots Radics and has played on hundreds of Jamaican albums. Biography ...

as his earliest influences. http://midnightraverblog.com/

"
Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...
has had a big impact. And the drum and the bass from like
Flabba Holt Errol Holt (born 19 July 1950), also known as Errol Carter and by his nickname Flabba, is a Jamaican bass guitar player and a singer who was a member of The Morwells and the Roots Radics and has played on hundreds of Jamaican albums. Biography ...
. Sometimes I listen to the bass man alone or the drummer alone."

The group's debut album ''Unpolished'' was released exclusively in Namibia in December 1997. The album would not see a proper U.S. release until the Rastafaria label released it wide in 2001. They recorded ''Ras Mek Peace (Before Reverb and Without Delay)'' while living in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

during the mid-90s, and it was released in November 1999. The album was named so, because it was reportedly recorded live in one room, straight to two-track analog tape. It was mastered without the use of compression or corrective equalization. ''Ras Mek Peace (Before Reverb and Without Delay)'' is recorded using no mixing board, no filtering, no compression, no equalization, no noise reduction, multitracking or overdubbing, giving it a raw sound. The album was recorded using only two-tracks at Mapleshade in Upper Marlboro, MD with studio engineer and owner Pierre Sprey whose recording style is summed up in the phrase he had printed to green Mapleshade T-shirts to promote the studio: ''NO Mixing Board, NO Overdubs, NO Noise Reduction, NO Compression, NO Multitracks, NO Reverb, NO EQ, Nothing BUT The Excitement of Live Music, MUSIC WITHOUT COMPROMISE.'' Later, they returned home to St. Croix in the late '90s to play with local musicians and record at their music studio, Afrikan Roots Lab. Midnite frequently collaborates with new artists and has played as the back-up band on a number of Afrikan Roots Lab artists' releases, such as

Dezarie Dezarie is a female roots reggae singer born in St. Croix Saint Croix; nl, Sint-Kruis; french: link=no, Sainte-Croix; Danish and no, Sankt Croix, Taino: ''Ay Ay'' ( ) is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent dis ...

's ''Fya'' and ''Gracious Mama Africa'' and Ikahba's
Trodding to Zion
'. In September 2011, Midnite released their first professionally produced music video for their song "Mongst I&I". The video features members of the band in casual settings and depicts the Rastafarian culture in

Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands Frederiksted is both the town and one of the two administrative districts of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. It is a grid-planned city, designed by surveyor Jens Beckfor, originally to 14x14 blocks but built 7x7 to enhance the island commerce i ...

(referred to as "Freedom City," St. Croix), and

Kingston, Jamaica Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley Inter ...

. Singer Vaughn Benjamin featured on

Tribal Seeds Tribal Seeds is an American reggae band based in San Diego that was formed in 2005 by the Jacobo brothers, singer Steven Rene and producer Tony-Ray. Biography Formation (2003–2005) From San Diego, California, award-winning reggae group Trib ...

' 2014 album ''Representing''. The band was featured in the 2014 documentary film ''Escape To St Croix''. Vaughn Benjamin died in Port St. Lucie, Florida, on November 4, 2019, at the age of 50.

Critical acclaim

In its Top 50 Reggae Albums of the 2K list, reggae news and information website

ranked Midnite's ''Jubilees of Zion'' as the best album of the new millennium and ''Beauty for Ashes'' as the third best. In its review of Akae Beka's ''Homage to the Land'',

referred to Midnite as "the most revered, influential and prolific reggae act in two decades."

Discography

*1997 - Unpolished *1999 - Ras Mek Peace *2000 - Jubilees Of Zion *2002 - Seek Knowledge Before Vengeance *2003 - Intense Pressure (dub) *2004 - Scheme A Things *2004 - Ainshant Maps *2008 - Live 94117 *2010 - What Makes A King ? *2011 - Anthology *2013 - Lion Out Of Zion Midnite & I Grade collaboration *2001 - Nemozian Rasta *2002 - Assini *2003 - Vijan *2005 - Let Live *2006 - Jah Grid *2007 - Rule The Time *2011 - Kings Bell *2014 - Beauty For Ashes *2014 - Ride Tru Midnite & Branch I collaboration *2003 - Cipheraw *2003 - Geoman *2003 - He Is Jah *2004 - Project III Midnite & Mystic Vision collaboration *2006 - Current *2006 - New 1000 Midnite & Ras L collaboration *2004 - Full Cup *2006 - Thru & True Midnite & Groundbreaking collaboration *2007 - Aneed Midnite & Lion Tribe/Fifthson collaboration *2007 - Suns Of Atom *2008 - Standing Ground *2010 - Momentum *2011 - Standing Ground Dub *2012 - In Awe *2013 - Be Strong Midnite & Desmond Williams collaboration *2008 - Kayamagan Midnite & Rastar collaboration *2007 - Better World Rasta *2008 - Supplication To H.I.M. *2009 - To Mene *2009 - Ina Now *2011 - Treasure *2011 - The Way *2012 - Children Of Jah *2013 - Children Of Jah Dubs *2014 - Better World Rasta Live Dubs Midnite & Higher Bound Prod collaboration *2007 - Bless Go Roun *2010 - Ark A Law (Lion I) *2013 - Free Indeed Midnite & Iaahden Sounds collaboration *2014 - Stand The Test Midnite & Lustre Kings collaboration *2007 - Infinite Quality *2008 - Infinite Dub Midnite & Natural Vibes collaboration *2008 - Maschaana Midnite & Youssoupha Sidibe collaboration *2008 - For All Midnite & Various artists collaboration *2002 - Weep Not *2008 - New Name *2008 - Gather The Remnant *2009 - Defender Of The Faith *2009 - Kings Of Kush *2009 - Frontline Souljah

References

External links

*
Midnite Lyrics at vireggae.com
{{Authority control American reggae musical groups People from Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands