Ijahman Levi

Ijahman Levi

Ijahman Levi is a Jamaican reggae musician born Trevor Sutherland in Christiana, Jamaica, in 1946. He adopts the name Ijahman Levi after a religious conversion to Rastafari while in prison, where he is held between 1972 and 1974.

Recording career

His first album, Haile I Hymn, appears in 1978 on Island Records. The same year, the album is also listed as Haile I Hymn [Chapter 1] on Mango Records. He follows it with Are We a Warrior in 1979, Tell It to the Children in 1983, Africa in 1990, Live in Paris in 1995, Sings Bob Marley in 1996, and Roots of Love in 2003.

Themes and style

His early records present Rastafari beliefs and the Twelve Tribes of Israel doctrine. He is associated with reggae, roots reggae and dub, and his work sits within Jamaican roots music and Rasta culture.

Selected releases

Tell It to the Children is issued on Tree Roots, Africa on RAS, Live in Paris on Tree Roots, Sings Bob Marley on Com Four, and Roots of Love on Melodie. He also records Haile I Hymn for Mango Records and appears to use the title Chapter 1 for that release.