By SHAILA A. MENTORE
As Morgan Heritage prepares to release its tenth studio album Mission In Progress, the group’s members are still enjoying the longevity and vitality that has helped them get to this point in their career.
WhereItzAt had the opportunity to speak to Una Morgan, the First Lady of the group, who says it’s definitely a blessing for the band to be here, especially since longevity in today’s music biz is hardly guaranteed. “What keeps us together is that we know the work of Morgan Heritage must live on; that’s what we stand behind,” said Una during an interview with WhereItzAt at VP Records.
It has been three years since Heritage’s last album, Full Circle, so they are curious to see how their fans will react to this one, which boasts a strong hip-hop influence. “I would have to say that this is probably one of the most aggressive pieces that we’ve ever put out,” said Una. “This album is going to reach out to other markets because we’re speaking their language now. They are probably going to say, ‘bwoy, Heritage vex pon some a dem tune deh,’ well maybe we are, maybe we’ve been through some stuff and seen some stuff that we want to talk about.”
Although their music is universal, Morgan Heritage is well aware that it needs to attract younger listeners to remain relevant with fans. Albeit, it doesn’t bother them that many young people find their music too brooding and preachy, Una hopes the young’uns will pick up this album because it was made for them also. “All young kids understand the language of hip-hop, so a song like ‘Houston Sheba’ is for them,” she assured.
Mission in Progress signifies the mental, physical and spiritual growth the group has experienced over the years and fully embodies the Rockers sub-genre—a blend of roots, rock, reggae, and the newly added element of hip-hop. According to Una, this album best describes Morgan Heritage as a unit. Some of its early influences comprise rock, reggae and R&B. Morgan Heritage members Una, Roy, Peter, Nakhaymah and Memo were all born in Brooklyn but grew up in the more suburban surroundings of Massachusetts. This enabled the group to develop its uncanny ability of bridging cultural gaps. Growing up in the 1980s—a time when embracing a variety of musical genres was not a stigma, but the norm—allowed Morgan Heritage to be exposed to groups like Van Halen and Duran Duran. It remains one of the few Black bands to perform alongside punk rockers on the national Vans Warped Tour. This year marked the Heritage’s second time on the bill. “That’s why Morgan Heritage is so diverse, because our influences were so diverse,” Una explains.
This album is unique in its ability to offer the public a glimpse into Heritage’s entrepreneurial and humanitarian world. The group has embarked on a journey to address Africa’s socio-economic dilemmas by using its celebrity status and music to bolster its altruistic call to arms. “We’re entrepreneurs, we’re statesmen, we’re ambassadors,” said Una, who along with her brothers, are involved in the Water for Africa campaign, which among other things, focuses on opening holistic hospitals in parts of the continent. Outside of creating great music and crusading for justice, members Lukes and Una are proud entrepreneurs. Lukes owns Prestige Talent, a booking agency, while Una owns a two-year-old management company.
Mission In Progress isn’t just a reflection of Heritage’s public persona, but a testament to the personal lives of its members.The group will be in Africa and Europe over the next few weeks. You can check them out on www.morganheritagemusic.com and on myspace at myspace.com/morganheritage.
