Ras Ceylon Releases New Mixtape

“While I site Ethiopia as my spiritual home, my direct lineage is from Sri Lanka so this project is a soundtrack for the current journey I’m on,” says the Sri Lanka-based, California-born hip-hop artist about his third album.

29 MAY, 2012

SUB-EDITOR

Mariyam Thomas

Ras Ceylon has released a mixtape exactly a day (May 11) before he left California to go to Sri Lanka to do post-war education infrastructure work. The 22-track album is called Gideon.ForceV2: Repatriation Timeand features a collection of brand new songs, remakes, and previously unreleased tunes. The mixtape is the second volume of theGideon.Force series and according to Ceylon, the music is “inspired by the Teachings and Principles of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Sellassie I.”

We spoke to Ras Ceylon to find out what inspired this album

Within the Rastafari movement is a focus on journeying forward to one’s roots. Within this context Repatriation is a mental, spiritual and physical path to return to your origin. While I site Ethiopia as my spiritual home, my direct lineage is from Sri Lanka so this project is a soundtrack for the current journey I’m on. I had my brother Dawit Justice and Arush help out a lot on the production and mixing. My folks June2 and @TheKingOfDope did the art and it features some new tracks with my musical fam(ily) such as Sinista Z of EastBayPolitix, Tragedy Khadafi of QBC, Mandeep Sethi (who recently released a mixtape and two videos – one for ‘Unfilmed Fantasia‘ and the other for ‘Bird Flu’), Bobo David of Judgment Yard and others. I also used an interview I did on NewsTalk93 – a Jamaican radio show – that I recorded in Kingston with Miz @AnniePaul who is an Indian woman that moved to Jamaica many years ago, as the interludes. I put a few songs that speak on Sri Lanka on this (mixtape) including ‘My Island’ and ‘Heal Lanka’.

Ceylon also elaborates on his venture back to his motherland Sri Lanka

I am in Sri Lanka working for an NGO, focusing on rebuilding/supporting education infrastructure throughout the island, with a focus on the North and East that were most affected by the civil war. Being born and raised in California, while the war was going on in Sri Lanka, my whole life made it difficult in the past to connect with my island. But the time and conditions are right now, so here I am! I came here initially strictly for this work but the response from people in regards to my music has been overwhelming. I’ve only been here about three weeks and have already recorded songs, performed at clubs and festivals and connecting with musicians. Life in Lanka is blessed thus far.

Curious, we asked him about whether he would come over to the neighbouring Indian sub-continent for gigs too. He replied,”I don’t have any immediate plans to perform in India, although I can see it happening soon. Mandeep Sethi has just visited me here in Colombo after he did Coke Studio in Mumbai so maybe my lil brotha (sic) gonna link some stuff. I am totally open to come to India, especially since I live so close for the time being.”

Here is the album art and stream of his entire album below. You can also download it for free here.