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 Leroy Scarlett Returns to Reggae Hour | Reggae Powerhouse Band & Friends Series 2 Some conversations deserve another chapter. For Reggae Hour, welcoming Leroy Scarlett back is not simply another interview. It is an opportunity to continue documenting a journey that has helped shape reggae music across generations. As producer, bandleader, and founder of Reggae Powerhouse Band , Leroy Scarlett has spent decades working alongside respected voices in reggae while remaining committed to preserving the music's history, spirit, and foundation. Now he returns to Reggae Hour to celebrate Reggae Powerhouse Band & Friends Series 2 , a project that continues his lifelong mission of honoring reggae's legacy through music, memory, and meaningful collaboration. Join the live interview on Wednesday, July 8 at 1:00 PM Jamaica Time at ReggaeHour.com . [IMAGE: Leroy Scarlett live interview hero] A Lifetime Behind the Music Many reggae fans know the legendary voices. Fe...

Music travels. Culture takes root. Every so often, YouTube reveals more than a viral song. It reveals a movement forming in plain sight. Recent trend signals suggest that Dancehall is reaching new audiences across Africa while conscious reggae and roots playlists continue finding dedicated listeners around the world. These are not isolated moments. They point toward a bigger question for reggae culture right now: As Dancehall expands globally, who keeps the roots visible? At Reggae Hour, we believe the story is not simply about numbers. It is about origins, influence, and the sound that keeps traveling without losing its heartbeat. The Journey Is Bigger Than One Hit One of the strongest trend signals comes from Dancehall's international reach. Crossover collaborations are helping introduce new listeners to rhythms born in Jamaica, and African audiences are responding with serious energy. That matters because the conversation is bigger than one charting record or one viral h...

Some interviews begin before the first question is asked. They begin in the pause. In the silence between what the public has been told and what someone finally decides to say out loud. That is where this one sits. On Tuesday, July 7, 2026, Reggae Hour welcomes Anthony Brightly of Black Slate for a conversation that already feels heavier than a normal artist interview. Not because of hype. Not because of a manufactured headline. But because Anthony has promised to bring something serious to the table. He says he has devastating news connected to International Reggae Day . And when a man from a band like Black Slate says that, you do not rush past it. The Weight Behind the Name Black Slate is not just a name from a record shelf. It is part of the British roots reggae story, part of the sound that carried Caribbean memory through London streets, dance halls, community rooms, pirate radio, and family gatherings where the bassline did more than entertain. It remind...

  International Reggae Day 2026 Countdown — Day 10 Tomorrow, the world celebrates more than music. It celebrates a movement. For ten days, we've traveled through the remarkable story of reggae—from the sound systems of Kingston and the birth of ska, through roots reggae, Rastafari, studio innovators, dancehall, and the artists carrying the torch today. Every chapter has led to this moment. International Reggae Day. A day when millions of people across continents celebrate the music, the message, and the culture that Jamaica shared with the world. One Island. One Global Family. Reggae may have been born in Jamaica, but its heartbeat now echoes across every continent. On International Reggae Day, radio stations, festivals, community groups, musicians, educators, and fans come together to celebrate a music that continues to inspire unity, justice, peace, and cultural pride. Whether you're listening in Kingston... Dancing in Lagos... Teaching in London... Celebrating ...

 The Reggae Revival: A New Generation Carries the Torch For more than half a century, reggae has inspired movements, crossed borders, and given a voice to generations seeking hope, justice, and unity. With every passing decade, one question always returns: Who will carry reggae forward? The answer has never been found in a single artist. It lives within every generation willing to honor the music's roots while speaking to the world in its own voice. The twenty-first century introduced a remarkable new wave of musicians who embraced reggae's timeless message while creating music for a new audience. They didn't imitate the pioneers. They built upon the foundation. Together, they became known as The Reggae Revival . A New Chapter Begins By the early 2010s, reggae found itself at another crossroads. Dancehall continued evolving, global collaborations multiplied, and streaming transformed how audiences discovered music. Yet many listeners longed for the conscious sto...

International Reggae Day Special: Catching Up with Don Dada on Reggae Hour Celebrating Reggae, Africa, and a Global Journey of Conscious Music Every year on International Reggae Day , music lovers across the globe celebrate a genre that has transcended borders, languages, and cultures. Born in Jamaica, reggae has become a universal language of resistance, unity, spirituality, and hope. This year, Reggae Hour is proud to celebrate the occasion by welcoming back one of Africa's most influential reggae voices— Menelik Nesta Gibbons , better known worldwide as Don Dada . This isn't a first introduction. It's a reunion. Over the years, Don Dada has become more than a guest on Reggae Hour. He has become a friend of the program, sharing his musical journey, his vision for African reggae, and his unwavering commitment to conscious music. Our upcoming conversation continues that story as we reflect on another remarkable chapter in his career. A Landmark Year for Don Dada The past y...

International Reggae Day 2026 Countdown — Day 8 Reggae has never stood still. Every generation has added its own voice, its own rhythm, and its own energy while remaining connected to the culture that gave birth to the music. Few moments transformed Jamaican music more dramatically than the arrival of the digital era during the mid-1980s—a revolution that gave the world Dancehall. While roots reggae continued carrying messages of spirituality, resistance, and social consciousness, a new sound emerged from Kingston's dance floors. Faster, heavier, and driven by electronic rhythms, dancehall reflected the realities of a younger generation and introduced an entirely new way of making music. The revolution wasn't just musical. It changed global popular culture forever. The Digital Revolution Begins The turning point came in 1985 with the release of the now-legendary "Sleng Teng" riddim, created by producer King Jammy and performed by Wayne Smith . Built from a preset on...