institutions

homegrown

A primary focus of my research was to examine the local institutions that the Reggae Revival is linked to. The intent was to identify the places and institutions that gave birth to the Reggae Revival and helped the movement grow in Jamaica. These include studios, venues for live music, colleges & universities, record labels, radio programs & stations, conferences, cultural hubs, and more.

I have focused on Kingston as the cultural melting pot of Jamaica, but there are many places throughout the country, and the list of institutions I list here is far from complete. It represents the institutions that I consider most relevant to the Reggae Revival as an homegrown movement and for the purpose of my research.

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Chronixx performing live at Jamnesia.
Image: Ishack Wilmot Photography

venues
live music

Venues for live music, acoustic sessions, concerts, and gatherings are to be understood as important institutions for the Reggae Revival movement. Away from pure sound system and club events, they prepare a space for live music and can thus act as a springboard for young artists and bands who want to try themselves out in front of an audience for the first time. In addition, venues serve as a place for making contacts and networking. 

It is interesting to note the mutual influence of the institutions with the Reggae Revival movement: On the one hand, an increased number of live venues paved the way for many Reggae Revival artistes, and on the other, the movement itself created and promoted such institutions and established events such as live sessions and concerts.

PROTOJE
PROTOJE
performing artiste
»

I would say [Jamnesia] is definitely Ground Zero, that’s definitely were we had to go; there were no other stages for us to go, there were no other live music all around the city like you seen 

[...]

This was like where we could get to go to be around each other and when you’re building something... a home, a spot, a place that you can have ideas, share ideas; this is important, so I would say it was very essential.

20th mar. 2018, Kingston
JAH9
JAH9
performing artiste
»

It’s so heartwarming to see how many spaces now are available where it’s just Reggae, Dub. It’s not Dancehall at all, it’s just Reggae, it’s just Roots music. You can go every day of the week, there’s Roots music.

Brahms 2015: 06:56–07:09 Min
PROTOJE
PROTOJE
performing artiste
»

[T]he government can be doing way more for local music. And local artists. If I go home and I have my CDs, they’re charging me duty. And I am an ambassador for Jamaica. And I am not treated as such a lot of times. So when [the government] says, ,Oh, you need to do this, you need to do that,’ what are you doing to help us to do these things? […] Where are you giving us free venues to perform? Where [are] you giving us [assistance] to bring down our keyboards, our equipment [...]? 

S. Cooper 2018

JAMNESIA

Jamnesia is a surf camp and hostel in Bull Bay, a few kilometers from downtown Kingston, and is run by the Wilmots, a well-known surfing family. It is run by Billy "Mystic" Wilmot, who was once the lead singer of the roots reggae band Mystic Revealers. Jam sessions are held every other Saturday, are open to all and are briskly attended. The stage at Jamnesia thus hosted the first public performances of Reggae Revival artistes such as the NoMaddz, Chronixx, Jah9 and Protoje.

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KINGSTON DUB CLUB

Kingston Dub Club is probably the best known reggae venue in Kingston. Reggae and dub is played here every Sunday by sound systems from all over the world, so this place has established itself as a hub for roots reggae. In addition to sound system shows, there are occasional performances by both Roots Reggae and Reggae Revival artistes. These performances can also be seen as an opportunity for the latter:
"'Dub Club is really what kick-started it, [...] sunday at Dub Club on the hill is great, but there needs to be something in Kingston City that people can go to,' Protoje told The Gleaner" (Small 2018).

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Most of the musicians of the reggae revival studied at the EMC
Image: Edna Manley College of The Visual and Performing Arts

training institutions
universities & colleges

The main function of Colleges & Universities is to train qualified musicians & producers who, in their own eyes and in the eyes of the artistes, meet a standard that can afford a globally successful representation of the Reggae Revival.

Also, these training centers offer local perspectives for young people in Jamaica who want to gain a foothold in the creative scene, go on tour with artistes, or be successful as producers.

In addition, these institutions train people in the creative industries, such as video creators, graphic designers, marketing professionals, and others. These people are of great importance to the Reggae Revival.

the environment and atmosphere at the universities and the campus as a meeting place for musicians, creatives and like-minded people are equally important.

LILA IKÉ
LILA IKÉ
performing artiste
»

[E]specially on campus here there’re so many talented young musicians. We jus naturally find our ourselves in the same habitat everyday, jus playin’ music. [...] And I’m thinking that is exactly what happened back in the day with Protoje and Jah9 then because they used to hang out here too what already was home.

26th Mar. 2018, Kingston
PROTOJE
PROTOJE
performing artiste
»

The youths that you see here touring with me, touring with Chronixx, touring with Kabaka Pyramid […], we started to form our own bands, we needed the musicians and when we need own musicians we turn to Edna Manley.

28th Oct. 2018, Mannheim
PARIS LAMONT
PARIS LAMONT
keyboardist | the indiggnation
»

A lot of [the Edna musicians] are good before they go to Edna. But it’s in being in that environ-ment that changes you […]. [B]eing around there, being in that in environment will definitely have an effect on you. You know, as a unit like… in a place like Edna where you hear so much you start to incorporate all of these extra things into yourself.

20th mar. 2018, Kingston

EDNA MANLEY COLLEGE

The Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMC) is located in the heart of Kingston and is an association of several schools. Today, the EMC includes the School of Music , the School of Dance , the School of Visual Arts and others. The School of Music was founded in 1961 and was initially influenced by the former colonial power, Great Britain. Gradually, however, the content of the studies changed and filled with content of Jamaican (music) culture. Almost all the bands that go on tour with the Reggae Revival artistes are largely made up of graduates of the EMC, which shows the significance of this institution for the movement. In addition, visual artistes such as Taj Francis, Yannick Reid, Nickii Kane and others play an important role in Reggae Revival as creative directors or designers.

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THE UNIVERSITY
OF THE WEST INDIES

The University of The West Indies is Jamaica's largest university and is located in the east of the city. Artistes like Protoje, Lila Iké or Jah9 studied here. The campus and university life form an environment where young people meet and get to know each other, as Lila Iké describes in the interview. Thus, this form of institution acts not only as an educational institution, as in the case of EMC, but also as a place for getting to know each other, for exchange and creativity.

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"Who Knows" single, produced and distributed by Overstand Entertainment.

labels
selfmade

Despite important major labels such as VP Records or Virgin EMI Records, it is noticeable that with their emergence and initial successes, many of the artistes and producers founded their own labels and released their music in this way. Thus, with the advent of the Reggae Revival around 2009, Overstand Entertainment, Bebble Rock Records, Rorystonelove and Zincfence Records/Chronixx Music Group, as well as the Delicious Vinyl offshoot Delicious Vinyl Island emerged over the years from the hands of the artistes or their producers. In addition, Ghetto Youths International by the Marley brothers and Don Corleon Records should be mentioned as important labels.

By establishing their own labels, it becomes clear how institutions are formed from the Reggae Revival movement itself in order to create distribution channels and platforms for their own music. Moreover, this action shows that, in addition to the production of music, the distribution and promotion of this music by the artistes also preferably takes place within a semi-closed circle and independently of other institutions.

PROTOJE
PROTOJE
performing artiste
»

I do this for my culture, for my heritage 

Gramps, Peetah Morgan and my relatives 

Oh, they robbed my mommy in the seventies 

Not a cent, no dollar, not a benefit (ayy) […] 

Look her right dead in her eye, tell her I will never make it slip 

"Mind Of A King"
PHILIP "WINTA" JAMES
PHILIP "WINTA" JAMES
producer / overstand entertainment
»

The big step was actually to form Overstand Entertainment und put out some music on my label which obviously gave you a certain control over what you really want to do. Especially the quality and dem kinda tings. So, it was in an effort to actually get out that outta me system that me really found my own label. 

Majestic/Heartical I.D 2016: 18:54–19:14 Min.

TUFF GONG STUDIO

Bob Marley's former studio is one of the largest and probably the best known studio in the Caribbean. Located on Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston's southwest, the studio is still an important hub for musicians, producers and artistes from all over the world - including artistes from the Reggae Revival. Protoje's studio albums Ancient Future and A Matter Of Time were recorded here, as well as a large part of the albums Kontraband by Kabaka Pyramid and Lily of da Valley by Jesse Royal. Philip "Winta" James is a frequently seen producer here for example. Tuff Gong's historical relevance and high reputation as a place where quality reggae productions have always been made thus carries over to reggae revival artists.

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SKYLINE LEVELS

Skyline Levels is another important spot for the Reggae Revival. Besides Tuff Gong, the Big Yard Studio and the Grafton Studio, the studio located here is also regularly visited by Reggae Revival artistes. In addition, a stage for live music, jam sessions (for example jussbuss acoustic) and rehearsal rooms can be found here - not far from the Kingston Dub Club, by the way. This cultural hotspot was created by Errol McDonald and Kerida Scott, who together have five children, including the two successful artistes Kelissa and Keznamdi.

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map
wake the town

This map shows some of the most important institutions in Kingston for the Reggae Revival and its development, as my research reveals.

Click on the markers to learn more about them.

bibliography / discography

  • Lila Iké. 2018. “Personal interview“. Interview by Luis Keppler. March 26, 2018. The University of The West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica.
  • Protoje 2018. “Personal interview“. Interview by Luis Keppler. October 28, 2018. Alte Feuerwache Mannheim, Germany.
  • ——— 2018a. “Mind Of A King”. A Matter Of Time. Overstand Entertainment, Mr. Bongo, In.Digg.Nation Collective. https://youtu.be/iPG7Wlluf_E.
  • Small, Kimberly. 2018. „Dubwise’s ‚International Essence’“. Jamaica Gleaner. February 13, 2018. http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20180213/dubwises-inter-national-essence.