This is roots reggae at its absolute best. The lyrics are powerful and challenge the common conception that Christopher Columbus was some kind of hero.
His legacy, to be clear, is not a good one. But what really does rankle to anyone who thinks about it, is that not only were many people already living in the areas he discovered – he’s not even the first European to ‘discover’ the Americas.
The horns lay down a strong retort, backed with one of reggae’s catchiest basslines. And that’s saying something.
You can find this masterpiece on Hail H.I.M., released 1980. H.I.M. stands for His Imperial Majesty, an honorific term for Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, venerated by Rastafari.