Reggae-Hour | Reggae Interviews & History

ERIC WILLIAMS| Reggae Historian| Artist Interviewer
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Reggae-Hour is a roots culture podcast and media platform dedicated to reggae music, Rastafarian teachings, and deep dives into the history of the African Diaspora. We feed listeners seeking peace and I-nity (unity) through ska, lovers rock, and reggae while raising our voices for social justice across the globe. Each episode is purposefully filled with artist interviews, reggae history, and stories that bring the lyrics—and the movement—to life.🎙️ Past guests include: 🔥 I-Octane – Bringing fire to the mic! 🔥 Glen Washington – A legend in the game! 🔥 Jimi Watusi – Keeping the vibes alive! 🔥 Leroy Scarlett, Tony Roy, and many more! ✨ Whether you’re here to vibe, learn, or feel the energy, Reggae Hour is where you’ll find the pulse of reggae music. 🔊 So Tune In. Turn Up. Zone Out. And let’s shake up the world—one riddim at a time! 💛 Follow & Join the Movement: 📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReggaeHourPodcast 📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reggaehourpodcast/ 📍 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reggaehourpodcast 📍 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReggaeHourPodcast 🔥 Don’t just listen. Be part of the reggae revolution! 🔥 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reggae-hour-artist-interviews-music-reggae-history-with-mr-e--2646280/support.

  1. 4d ago

    Who Owns Reggae? Anthony Brightly's Warning Sparks a Global Conversation | International Reggae Day Special

    For more than five decades, Anthony Brightly has dedicated his life to reggae music. During our International Reggae Day conversation, he posed a series of questions that have echoed throughout the reggae community: What is International Reggae Day really about? Who owns reggae? Who controls reggae music today? Has Jamaica remained at the center of its own cultural creation, or has something been lost along the way? Those questions became the foundation of this special Reggae Hour podcast. Host Mr. E, together with Zionya and Judah Lion, reflects on the conversations recorded during International Reggae Day with artists and cultural ambassadors from around the world. Featuring insights from: • Anthony Brightly (Black Slate) — 54 years in reggae, challenging us to remember what reggae truly represents. • Don Dada (Menelik Nesta Gibbons) — discussing mentorship, artist ownership, Pan-African unity, and refusing to trade one master for another. • Iyagrade — reflecting on identity, Black pride, diaspora responsibility, and why reggae must remain rooted while reaching the world. • Kleva Roots — sharing the importance of conscious music, spiritual vibration, and preserving reggae as a cultural lighthouse. • Leroy Scarlett — continuing the conversation on reggae's legacy, community, and where the movement goes from here. This is not simply a celebration of International Reggae Day. It is a conversation about cultural memory. A conversation about ownership. A conversation about responsibility. And perhaps most importantly... A conversation about whether reggae's future is still in the hands of the people who created it. Featured Interviews & ArticlesAnthony Brightly (Black Slate) https://www.reggaehour.com/2026/07/anthony-brightly-of-black-slate-is.html Don Dada (Menelik Nesta Gibbons) https://www.reggaehour.com/2026/06/international-reggae-day-special.html Iyagrade Interview https://www.youtube.com/live/xi6HfRU074Q?si=y9Q5gE0cstBdWyrp Kleva Roots Interview https://www.youtube.com/live/akDrxtIpgFU?si=ZgpndaCkWPVMnZtb Leroy Scarlett Returns to Reggae Hour https://www.reggaehour.com/2026/07/leroy-scarlett-returns-to-reggae-hour.html Read More at Reggae Hour🌍 Website: https://www.reggaehour.com 📰 Blog Archive: https://www.reggaehour.com/search 🎙️ More interviews, reggae history, artist features, and cultural documentaries are published regularly on Reggae Hour. Join the ConversationWhat does International Reggae Day mean to you? Who owns reggae? Can a culture remain authentic while becoming global? Leave your thoughts in the comments and become part of the Reggae Hour archive. If you enjoy thoughtful conversations about reggae history, Rastafari, Africa, Black cultural memory, and conscious music, be sure to follow, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who loves reggae. One Love. 👕 Wear the CultureCelebrate reggae culture with officially licensed apparel and merchandise inspired by legendary artists and Jamaica's enduring musical legacy. Whether you're heading to a concert, building your collection, or simply expressing your appreciation for reggae, Old Glory offers a wide selection of officially licensed designs. Reggae Hour Community Offer Use promo code REGGAEHR on qualifying purchases through our affiliate partner. Shop: https://www.oldglory.com 🌿 Discover Plant-Based NutritionFor those interested in plant-based nutrition, ZivoLife offers nutritional supplements made from sustainably cultivated proprietary microalgae. Their products are designed for individuals looking to incorporate plant-based nutritional options into a balanced lifestyle. Reggae Hour Community Offer Use promo code REGGAEHR when available through our affiliate partner. Shop: https://zivo.life These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 🍍 Enjoy the Good VibesWhether you're listening to your favorite reggae playlist, spending time with friends, or celebrating International Reggae Day, Good Feels offers cannabis-infused beverages and related products for adults where legally available. Reggae Hour Community Offer Use promo code REGGAEHR on eligible purchases through our affiliate partner. Shop: https://shop.getgoodfeels.com For adults 21 years of age or older where permitted by law. Please consume responsibly. Effects may vary by individual. FTC Affiliate Disclosure Some links shared by Reggae Hour may be affiliate links. This means that if you purchase a product or service through those links, Reggae Hour may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support our independent journalism, historical research, interviews, educational content, and the continued preservation of reggae culture. We only recommend products and services that we believe provide value to our audience. Thank you for supporting Reggae Hour and helping us preserve reggae's legacy for future generations. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎙️ REGGAE HOUR ARCHIVE Preserving the voices, stories, and reasoning that continue to shape reggae culture. ▶ Origins Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4dIBvDlXWOC9_jw3UQwrhk7-GPnp6L7V 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReggaeHourPodcast 🌍 Follow Reggae Hour for more conversations exploring reggae history, roots culture, and conscious music. 💬 What did reggae teach you? One Love. Reggae Hour ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/reggae-hour/exclusive-content

  2. Jul 7

    Iyagrade on Black Identity, Reggae, Healing & Building a Legacy | Reggae Hour Podcast

    What does it mean to be Proud To Be Black in today's world? In this special Reggae Hour Podcast conversation recorded during International Reggae Day, Mr. E sits down with Jamaican-born, Toronto-based reggae artist Iyagrade for a wide-ranging discussion about identity, conscious music, reggae culture, the African diaspora, resilience, and why artists have a responsibility to leave a legacy. Iyagrade shares the deeper meaning behind his name, explaining that it represents Higher Upliftment and reflects his mission to create music that is positive, healing, educational, and rooted in purpose. Rather than chasing trends, he discusses blending reggae with hip hop while remaining true to his Jamaican identity and cultural foundation. The conversation explores: The message behind Proud To Be BlackWhy reggae is a vehicle for healing and resilienceBuilding on the legacy left by previous generationsThe importance of knowing your rootsJamaica's influence on Canada's reggae communityBlack identity across the global diasporaWhy unity is stronger than divisionHow every person's talent contributes to preserving cultureCreating music that motivates people instead of simply entertaining themWhy conscious reggae still matters in today's worldOne of the most memorable moments comes when Iyagrade reflects on the importance of using individual talents to serve others. Inspired by a speech from Lauryn Hill, he argues that broadcasters, artists, photographers, and creators each have a role in preserving culture and making history together rather than competing against one another. He also discusses why his music focuses on uplifting listeners, carrying messages of resilience, and encouraging people to know their history while continuing to build upon the foundation laid by previous generations. This episode is part of Reggae Hour's ongoing mission to preserve reggae history through conversations with today's artists while documenting tomorrow's cultural archive. Topics CoveredIyagrade InterviewProud To Be BlackConscious ReggaeInternational Reggae DayBlack IdentityJamaican CultureCanadian ReggaeReggae MusicAfrican DiasporaLegacy BuildingHealing Through MusicRoots ReggaeConscious MusicIndependent Reggae ArtistsReggae Hour PodcastSubscribe to Reggae HourIf you believe reggae is more than entertainment and serves as history, healing, education, and resistance, subscribe to Reggae Hour and join us as we preserve the voices shaping reggae culture for future generations. Every interview is another chapter in the living archive. One Love. One Voice. One Culture. One Legacy. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎙️ REGGAE HOUR ARCHIVE Preserving the voices, stories, and reasoning that continue to shape reggae culture. ▶ Origins Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4dIBvDlXWOC9_jw3UQwrhk7-GPnp6L7V 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReggaeHourPodcast 🌍 Follow Reggae Hour for more conversations exploring reggae history, roots culture, and conscious music. 💬 What did reggae teach you? One Love. Reggae Hour ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/reggae-hour/exclusive-content

    Iyagrade on Black Identity, Reggae, Healing & Building a Legacy | Reggae Hour Podcast

  3. Jun 18

    Juneteenth 2026. Freedom Won. Now What Happens Next

    Freedom was won. But what happens next? Mr. E, Judah Lion, and Zionya explore Juneteenth, liberation, culture, history, and the responsibility we owe future generations. LONG DESCRIPTION Freedom was won. But what happens next? In this special Juneteenth 2026 edition of Reggae Hour, Mr. E, Judah Lion, and Zionya take listeners on a journey through history, culture, identity, community, and responsibility. Through thoughtful discussion, humor, reflection, and reggae music, the panel examines the legacy of Juneteenth and asks what freedom truly means in today's world. Topics include: • Freedom vs Liberation • Juneteenth and Emancipation • Historical Memory • African American History • Economic Empowerment • Cultural Preservation • Community Responsibility • Building for Future Generations • Reggae as Resistance • Identity and Self Determination Featuring music from: • Burning Spear • Chronixx • Protoje • Third World • Culture Featured Voices: Mr. E Judah Lion Zionya Read the companion article: https://www.reggaehour.com/2026/06/juneteenth-freedom-was-won-what-happens.html Freedom was won. The work continues. Listen. Learn. Reflect. Act. CATEGORY Society & Culture SUBCATEGORY History SECONDARY CATEGORY Music Commentary KEYWORDS Juneteenth, Juneteenth 2026, African American History, African Diaspora, Black History, Freedom, Liberation, Reggae Podcast, History Podcast, Marcus Garvey, Burning Spear, Chronixx, Protoje, Third World, Culture, Community, Identity, Self Determination, Reggae Hour EPISODE TAGLINE Freedom Won. What Happens Next? ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎙️ REGGAE HOUR ARCHIVE Preserving the voices, stories, and reasoning that continue to shape reggae culture. ▶ Origins Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4dIBvDlXWOC9_jw3UQwrhk7-GPnp6L7V 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReggaeHourPodcast 🌍 Follow Reggae Hour for more conversations exploring reggae history, roots culture, and conscious music. 💬 What did reggae teach you? One Love. Reggae Hour ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/reggae-hour/exclusive-content

  4. Jun 14

    Before Reggae There Was Ska | The Sound That Helped Jamaica Find Its Voice

    History does not live in books alone. It lives in memory. It lives in culture. And sometimes, it lives in music. In Season 2 Episode 5, Mr. E and Zionya travel back to a pivotal moment in Jamaican history to explore the rise of ska—the energetic, optimistic sound that laid the foundation for rocksteady, reggae, and everything that followed. As Jamaica moved toward independence, questions of freedom, identity, dignity, and self-determination were being asked throughout the Caribbean and across the world. In that environment, a new sound emerged. A sound that reflected hope. A sound that reflected movement. A sound that reflected Jamaica itself. Together, we explore how global events, local culture, sound systems, and the aspirations of a young nation combined to create one of the most important musical movements in modern history. IN THIS EPISODE🎺 The origins of ska 🇯🇲 Jamaica's journey toward independence 🌍 The global climate of the 1950s and 1960s ✊ Freedom, dignity, and self-determination 🔊 Sound system culture 🎵 The foundation of rocksteady and reggae 📖 Why music reflects historical moments 🦁 How culture preserves memory FEATURED MUSIC🎵 Prince Buster – Madness 🎵 Additional selections highlighting the evolution of Jamaica's early sound WHY THIS EPISODE MATTERSMost people know reggae. Far fewer understand the world that made reggae possible. To understand reggae, we must first understand ska. Because every sound carries the fingerprints of the people who created it. READ THE COMPANION ARTICLE📖 Read more at: https://www.reggaehour.com FOLLOW REGGAE HOUR🌍 https://www.reggaehour.com 🎙 Spotify 🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Amazon Music 📺 YouTube COMMENT PROMPTWhat is the most important ingredient in reggae's story: Ska, Rocksteady, or Reggae itself? Let us know below. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎙️ REGGAE HOUR ARCHIVE Preserving the voices, stories, and reasoning that continue to shape reggae culture. ▶ Origins Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4dIBvDlXWOC9_jw3UQwrhk7-GPnp6L7V 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReggaeHourPodcast 🌍 Follow Reggae Hour for more conversations exploring reggae history, roots culture, and conscious music. 💬 What did reggae teach you? One Love. Reggae Hour ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/reggae-hour/exclusive-content

    Before Reggae There Was Ska | The Sound That Helped Jamaica Find Its Voice

  5. Jun 14

    Did Reggae Lose Its Soul? | Roots Reggae vs Dancehall Explained

    For decades, roots reggae carried messages of spirituality, resistance, African identity, justice, and liberation. Artists like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Burning Spear used music as education, healing, and cultural preservation. But as Jamaica changed, the music changed too. Dancehall emerged with new rhythms, new energy, and a new voice for a new generation. Some say reggae lost its soul. Others believe dancehall is simply reggae evolving. In Season 2 Episode 4, Mr. E and Zionya tackle one of the biggest debates in Jamaican music: Did reggae lose its soul—or are we misunderstanding the role dancehall plays in modern culture? Together they explore how roots reggae shaped generations, why dancehall emerged, what was gained, what may have been lost, and why conscious music remains more important than ever. IN THIS EPISODE🎵 Roots Reggae and Rastafari foundations 🔥 The rise of Dancehall culture 🌍 Music as cultural identity 🦁 Bob Marley, Peter Tosh & Burning Spear's legacy 🎤 Yellowman, Shabba Ranks & Dancehall evolution 💭 Consciousness vs entertainment 📖 Why younger generations are rediscovering roots music 🇯🇲 Jamaica's cultural influence on the world 🎙️ Whether dancehall is truly the "lost prince" trying to find its way home KEY QUESTIONRoots reggae taught spirituality, unity, resistance, and community. Dancehall brought energy, creativity, rebellion, and new forms of expression. Can both exist together? Can the culture evolve without losing its foundation? That is the reasoning in this episode. READ THE COMPANION ARTICLE📖 Read the full article: Roots vs Dancehall: Did Reggae Lose Its Soul? https://www.reggaehour.com/2026/05/dignity-stories-what-reggae-has-always.html FOLLOW REGGAE HOUR🌍 https://www.reggaehour.com 🎙️ Spotify 🍎 Apple Podcasts 🎧 Amazon Music 📺 YouTube Did reggae lose its soul—or is dancehall simply reggae evolving for a new generation? Drop your country and your answer below. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎙️ REGGAE HOUR ARCHIVE Preserving the voices, stories, and reasoning that continue to shape reggae culture. ▶ Origins Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4dIBvDlXWOC9_jw3UQwrhk7-GPnp6L7V 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReggaeHourPodcast 🌍 Follow Reggae Hour for more conversations exploring reggae history, roots culture, and conscious music. 💬 What did reggae teach you? One Love. Reggae Hour ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/reggae-hour/exclusive-content

    Did Reggae Lose Its Soul? | Roots Reggae vs Dancehall Explained

  6. Jun 14

    Who Decides Your Value? | Dignity, Black Memory & The Price of Being Human

    Technology is advancing faster than ever. Artificial intelligence is changing how people work, learn, communicate, and even remember. But beneath every technological revolution lies a deeper question: What happens when humanity becomes secondary to efficiency? In Season 2 Episode 3, Mr. E and Zionya explore the relationship between dignity, historical memory, identity, and technology. This is not a conversation about gadgets. It is a conversation about people. Together they examine how history is preserved, whose stories are remembered, how cultures survive, and why human dignity must remain at the center of every technological future. IN THIS EPISODE✓ Artificial Intelligence and cultural memory ✓ Why Black history must be preserved ✓ Technology versus humanity ✓ The value of truth in the digital age ✓ Identity, dignity and cultural survival ✓ Reggae as a tool of consciousness ✓ Historical memory as resistance ✓ What future generations may inherit WHY THIS CONVERSATION MATTERSHistory can be forgotten. Culture can be erased. Memory can be manipulated. But dignity begins when people choose to remember who they are. This episode asks difficult questions about progress, identity, and the responsibility we all share in preserving truth. CONTINUE THE REASONING🌍 Website: https://www.reggaehour.com 🎙️ Follow Reggae Hour on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and your favorite podcast platform. 📺 Watch exclusive Reggae Hour content on YouTube. Can technology preserve culture, or can only people do that? Share your thoughts and join the reasoning. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎙️ REGGAE HOUR ARCHIVE Preserving the voices, stories, and reasoning that continue to shape reggae culture. ▶ Origins Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4dIBvDlXWOC9_jw3UQwrhk7-GPnp6L7V 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReggaeHourPodcast 🌍 Follow Reggae Hour for more conversations exploring reggae history, roots culture, and conscious music. 💬 What did reggae teach you? One Love. Reggae Hour ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/reggae-hour/exclusive-content

    Who Decides Your Value? | Dignity, Black Memory & The Price of Being Human

  7. Jun 14

    Africa, Jamaica & The Reggae Debate | Origins of Reggae Part 2

    eason 2 continues with one of the most important conversations Reggae Hour has ever had. After the response to our discussion on the African roots of reggae, listeners from around the world shared their thoughts, questions, agreements, and disagreements. In this episode, Mr. E and Zionya return to the reasoning circle to examine those responses and explore a deeper question: Where does reggae truly come from—and why does that answer matter? From Africa's spiritual and rhythmic foundations to Jamaica's role as the birthplace of reggae music, this episode explores history, culture, identity, resistance, and the global influence that helped shape one of the world's most powerful musical movements. This is not a debate about ownership. It is a conversation about understanding the journey. Together, we examine: 🌍 Africa's influence on rhythm, spirituality, and cultural memory 🇯🇲 Jamaica's transformation of those influences into reggae music 🎵 The role of sound systems, Rastafari, and social commentary 🗣 Listener comments and community perspectives 📚 Why understanding origins helps preserve culture 🔥 The importance of respectful dialogue within the reggae community Whether you agreed with our original discussion or challenged it, this episode is for everyone who believes reggae is more than music—it is a living expression of history, consciousness, and identity. Read the Companion Article📖 Africa, Jamaica & The Reggae Debate: Listener Responses and Deeper Origins https://www.reggaehour.com Follow Reggae Hour🎙 Reggae Hour Podcast 📺 YouTube: Reggae Hour 🌍 Website: https://www.reggaehour.com Support the MovementIf you enjoy these conversations: ⭐ Follow the podcast ⭐ Leave a review ⭐ Share this episode with a reggae lover ⭐ Join the reasoning in the comments Can reggae exist without Africa? Can reggae exist without Jamaica? Or are both inseparable parts of the same story? Let us know your thoughts. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎙️ REGGAE HOUR ARCHIVE Preserving the voices, stories, and reasoning that continue to shape reggae culture. ▶ Origins Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4dIBvDlXWOC9_jw3UQwrhk7-GPnp6L7V 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReggaeHourPodcast 🌍 Follow Reggae Hour for more conversations exploring reggae history, roots culture, and conscious music. 💬 What did reggae teach you? One Love. Reggae Hour ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/reggae-hour/exclusive-content

    Africa, Jamaica & The Reggae Debate | Origins of Reggae Part 2

  8. Jun 14

    The Origins of Reggae: The Full Story | From Africa to Jamaica

    Reggae is not a sound that suddenly appeared. It is the result of generations of cultural memory carried across oceans, transformed through struggle, adaptation, and creativity. In this Origins episode, Reggae Hour explores the historical journey from Africa to Jamaica, tracing the development of mento, ska, rocksteady, and reggae while examining the influences that helped shape the music. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how African traditions, American musical forms, and Caribbean realities combined to create one of the most influential genres in modern history. If you've ever wondered where reggae really came from, this episode is for you. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🎙️ REGGAE HOUR ARCHIVE Preserving the voices, stories, and reasoning that continue to shape reggae culture. ▶ Origins Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4dIBvDlXWOC9_jw3UQwrhk7-GPnp6L7V 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReggaeHourPodcast 🌍 Follow Reggae Hour for more conversations exploring reggae history, roots culture, and conscious music. 💬 What did reggae teach you? One Love. Reggae Hour ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/reggae-hour/exclusive-content

    The Origins of Reggae: The Full Story | From Africa to Jamaica
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About

Reggae-Hour is a roots culture podcast and media platform dedicated to reggae music, Rastafarian teachings, and deep dives into the history of the African Diaspora. We feed listeners seeking peace and I-nity (unity) through ska, lovers rock, and reggae while raising our voices for social justice across the globe. Each episode is purposefully filled with artist interviews, reggae history, and stories that bring the lyrics—and the movement—to life.🎙️ Past guests include: 🔥 I-Octane – Bringing fire to the mic! 🔥 Glen Washington – A legend in the game! 🔥 Jimi Watusi – Keeping the vibes alive! 🔥 Leroy Scarlett, Tony Roy, and many more! ✨ Whether you’re here to vibe, learn, or feel the energy, Reggae Hour is where you’ll find the pulse of reggae music. 🔊 So Tune In. Turn Up. Zone Out. And let’s shake up the world—one riddim at a time! 💛 Follow & Join the Movement: 📍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReggaeHourPodcast 📍 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reggaehourpodcast/ 📍 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reggaehourpodcast 📍 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReggaeHourPodcast 🔥 Don’t just listen. Be part of the reggae revolution! 🔥 Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/reggae-hour-artist-interviews-music-reggae-history-with-mr-e--2646280/support.

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