REFLECTIONS ALBUM BY PEPSIN
Artist: Pepsin
Title: Reflections
Featured Artists: Sfs, Reign Afrika, Nonie tha Queen, Hugo Flow, ItalisJunior Dread, Dred Lloyd, and Fruitystar.
Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered by: Junior Mangole (ML Beatz) at Maximum Stylez Records studios.
Genre: Ragga Dancehall Afrobeats
Released: 03 December 2021
Teboho Montse popularly known as Pepsin is a Maximum Stylez Records and Publishing founder, Recording Artist, Actor, Model and Brand Ambassador, Traditional Healer, altruism, and a philanthropist in his own right. He grew up in Kimberly, the capital city of South Africa’s Northern Cape Province. It’s known for its 19th-century diamond mines, like the deep, hand-dug Big Hole moving to Gauteng in the early 2000s in search of a better life Maximum Stylez can be credited for playing a massive role in a lot of reggae artists' careers in Mzansi and is always looking for a fresh angle in promoting the genre. In the past few months, they have partnered with Blackness Blue Productions a new player in the industry to give a platform to talented reggae artists mostly female artists who desperately needed the exposure and resources.
The self-proclaimed "Raggamuffin King" has a catalogue that spans for a few years and boasts multiple singles and features. He launched his "Dlozified" Album under the "Mkhanyakude" banner back in April 2021, few months down the line he is back with his first official 16 track Ragga Dancehall Album titled "Reflections"; his 5th Studio Album released on his Birthday. The title of the album could deceive you into thinking the album would be polluted by extremely sombre, touchy tunes but lo and behold, it is a mixture of fun, funk with a touch of Pepsin's Raggamuffin swag. He teamed up with ML Beatz, Face Tha Muzik, and Lavoro Duro on production to produce an album reminiscent of the 90s heavy raggamuffin sound, reminding one of the likes of the legendary Shaba Ranks, Sean Paul, Buju Banton, and the likes.
"The album Reflections is inspired by just reflecting on where I come from with music, meaning my background and experience with Dancehall music, living in South Africa, how it has influenced my life and livity, and how I want to positively influence dancehall in South Africa, and call it Mzansi Dancehall. Mzansi Dancehall needs direction to commercial spaces and that’s exactly where this Album must be direct to." - Pepsin
Opening with "Down the Street" a 'prayer' for all the socials in the world, but not one of the strongest singing voices he effortlessly delivers the message on this intro. The whole album is worth a listen, it takes you through a journey of different emotions and moods, from pure reggae sounds to hardcore dancehall club bangers and leaves you with some of those melodic afrobeat sounds, but a few tracks that stand out are "Flight Mode" Ft. Nonie Tha Queen, a new name in the reggae circles, and "Divide" Ft. Reign Afrika, First Lady of Frontline Productions. On the track "My Love" Ft Italis, you would be forgiven to think he roped in the voice of the legendary international acclaimed Buju Banton, from the intro you distinctively hear that icon ruff voice only to find it's our very own African Buju, Italis.
"Reflections" reflects who Pepsin is in the reggae space, where he comes from, and which directions he is heading; not only as an artist but as an overall major role player in the industry. The album speaks volumes in terms of capabilities inflows, style, and pattern. Some of the songs in the album are inspired by Production houses such as Flyweh Records outta Cape Town and Blackness Blue Productions.
Reflections Album is available on all major digital stores.
