AS he prepares for another journey to the motherland, veteran roots singer King Benj-I has released his latest album titled Racist Cop.

The self-produced album coincides with his performance at ‘Au Festival Lumiere D’Afrique’ which takes place October 5-6 in The Congo.

As its name suggests, the album was inspired by controversial police action against black people, especially in the United States where King Benj-I has lived for 40 years.

“Watching other people’s experiences throughout the world mean dem tune ya haffi sing. A lot a bad things happening to black people out there and wi haffi address dem,” said the New Jersey-based King Benj-I.

Racist Cop will be marketed in Africa where he has performed and done social work since 1998. King Benj-I has performed in Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Togo, and has also produced songs by artistes from across the continent.

Born in St Ann, King Benj-I was a patient at the Mona Rehabilitation Centre in Kingston as a boy. During his 16 years of treatment for polio there, he befriended three other wards who later became Israel Vibration.

His recording career started in the mid-1970s at Channel One studio where he did songs such as Crazy Lover, a ballad he co-produced with Raymond Smith. It featured an up-and-coming band called the Roots Radics.

In addition to recording over 25 albums, King Benj-I has produced albums and songs by acts such as Josey Wales, The Wailing Souls, and Sugar Minott.