Reggae Rising Music Festival

UB40
Named after a British unemployment benefit form, pop-reggae band UB40 was formed in a welfare line in 1978, and its multiracial lineup reflected the working-class community its members came from.

Don Carlos
Sweet-voiced vocalist and composer Don Carlos (born: Euvin Spencer) has had his greatest success singing with Black Uhuru, the reggae trio he formed in 1974 with two friends -- Rudolph Dennis and Derrick "Duckie" Simpson -- from the "Waterhouse" district in Kingston.

Junior Reid
Junior Reid found himself in a difficult spot when he joined Black Uhuru in 1986. He replaced Michael Rose, who had become quite popular as a longtime Uhuru contributor. Though essentially a good vocalist, Reid's style was so close to Rose's that he didn't establish his own identity.

Sly & Robbie
Theirs is the ultimate musical marriage, a partnership that, once formed, re-etched the very landscape of not just Jamaican music, but the entire world's. Such hyperbole is oftentimes rolled out by publicity machines whenever two musical talents come together, but in the case of...

Beres Hammond
One of the most underappreciated reggae artists of his time, Beres Hammond was something of a throwback during his '90s heyday: a soulful crooner indebted to classic rocksteady and American R&B, one who preferred live instrumentation and wrote much of his own material.

Clinton Fearon
Like many reggae musicians who came of age in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Clinton Fearon was a country boy who migrated to Kingston as a teenager in order to seek his musical fortune amongst the proliferating studios and sound systems of the big city.

Sizzla Kalonji
Emerging during the latter half of the '90s, the enormously prolific Sizzla was one of the leaders of the conscious dancehall movement. Along with Buju Banton and Capleton, he helped lead dancehall back to the musical and spiritual influence of roots reggae, favoring organic productions...

Julian "JuJu" Marley
Julian Marley has been around music all his life. Born in London in 1975, he has been blessed both by his father's great talent and legacy and by the unique perspective that comes with an upbringing in a multicultural community.

Medicine Drum
The London-based electronic group Medicine Drum consisted of Chris Deckker, Andy Guthrie, and DJ Chrisbo. Deckker traveled to India, Bali, and Africa to study the rhythms, sounds, and styles of each locale, while Guthrie produced and wrote songs with Children of the Bong and Banco De Gaia.

Tanya Stephens
Tanya Stephens (born Vivienne Stephenson on July 2, 1973) was one of the most promising female reggae artists to emerge in the late '90s. Stephens caught her big break in 1996, when her ladies anthem, "Yuh Nuh Ready fi Dis Yet," caused quite a stir (later spotlighted on...

Mr. Vegas
Clifford Smith got the nickname Mr. Vegas from his schoolmates who thought he high-kicked the soccer ball like a Vegas showgirl. The dancehall singjay (someone who combines his singing with rapping, or toasting) started by singing cover versions of popular Jamaican tunes with little success.

Baby Cham
Born Dameon Beckett, Baby Cham took Jamaica by storm as one its biggest dancehall stars by the age of 20. Beckett got his name from his baby-faced appearance, which stands in stark contrast to his booming baritone voice.

Natural Vibrations

Soul Majestic
Soul Majestic, was formed in the late 1990's by lead singer and songwriter, Eric Iverson (a.k.a. Eric-I) who joined forces with singer Oriana Sanders, guitarist David Lyons, and percussionist Brian Jarvis.

Gentleman
German reggae singer Gentleman (born Tilmann Otto) fell in love with Jamaican music when he first visited the island at the age of 17. He had already heard and appreciated the sounds of Dennis Brown, Peter Tosh, and Bob Marley, but when he heard more contemporary artists like Sizzla and Anthony B.

Collie Buddz
Born in New Orleans but raised in Bermuda, dancehall singer Collie Buddz was entranced by the urban music of his island home. He favored dancehall the most, but soca and hip-hop were important too, all of which exploded out the speakers of his DJ brother.

Blue King Brown

Rebelution
Rebelution first united in Santa Barbara, California, built from a wide array of musical backgrounds. With Reggae as the focus, the group set out to create a fresh and vibrant sound which they dub California Reggae.