“Don’t Forget”
Rebel Souljahz
(Ray Jr. LLC)
The story of Rebel SoulJahz — Michael Ryan Maglinti, Faaigaelo “Tunez” Tagaloa Moananu, Jr., Andrew “Bubba” Hodges Jr., and William “Willz” Tuaefu Tauiliili-Sua — begins when the four friends were teenagers singing in Waipahu. It continues with the official founding of the group in 2006, and with their Hoku Award-winning debut album, “Nothing to Hide,” Best Reggae Album in 2009.
Three successful albums later, the last one released in 2017, Rebel SoulJahz is stoking anticipation for the next with this download-only single.
Catchy Afro-Caribbean rhythms and soulful African-American harmonies are key musicial components in this musical tale of a street gangsta’s request that the woman whose love has changed his life not forget him “even if the judge doesn’t show me no love.”
Can the love of a good woman pull a man out of the culture of gangsta street life? Maybe another song on Rebel SoulJahz’s upcoming album will provide the answer.
Visit RebelSoulJahz.net.
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“Melia”
Josh Tatofi
(Rockwall)
While Kelly “Kelly Boy” De Lima and his children carry on the name of the group Kapena, Josh Tatofi represents another important part of the Kapena story. Tatofi’s father, Tivaini “Tiva” Tatofi, and uncle, Teimomi “Timo” Tatofi, were the other members of the original group; Tiva and Timo came out of retirement for the group’s big 30th anniversary reunion concert in 2015. Josh has gone from success to success since that epic event.
In 2017, Tatofi won the Na Hoku Hanohano Awards for Island Music Album and Male Vocalist of the Year. In 2018, he was a finalist for Best Regional Roots Album at the Grammys; he didn’t win, but since very few Hawaii-resident recording acts even make it to the final ballot, that counts as a career milestone as well.
Tatofi has been busy performing, writing and recording since then. This download-only single, released on March 11, is a preview of his full-length album, scheduled for a June release.
The song challenges traditional definitions of Hawaiian” music,” because although the lyrics are entirely in Hawaiian, Tatofi sings them in the smooth, mainstream contemporary R&B style he has become known for.
The primary audience for “Melia” will be fluent in ‘olelo Hawai‘i. However, everyone else can appreciate the emotion evident in Tatofi’s voice. And, like Henry Kapono’s hard-rock Hawaiian album, “The Wild Hawaiian,” in 2006, Tatofi is showing with “Melia” that Hawaiian-language songs are not limited to a particular style of music.
“Melia” is available on iTunes, Spotify and other music download platforms.
Visit joshtatofi.com.
