Ras-I embraces change in music

Singer Ras-I is part of the collective that makes music that traditionalists struggle to label.

His new album, Kingman, is a blend of sounds including jazz, R&B, funk, and reggae, yet the end product, as he puts it, doesn't give people the chance to pigeon-hole him.

The current genre-defying wave has been growing despite not having a formal name. But Ras-I said that he is more preoccupied with the quality of the music.

"There is no label right now because not everybody has taken it on," Ras-I told THE STAR. "Even when dem did have reggae revival, all movements were just movements before and is really the media put the label. Everything did a happen, but it just never reach the forefront of the media ... . Eventually, dem will give it a name. We cya decide pon nothing as artistes. We just haffi mek sure seh the music stays positive and it's great sonically and it's still filled with love. So at the end of the day, dem cya say the product is not good."

Ras-I said the movement has been getting mainstream attention, with many established acts slowing down releases during the pandemic.

"There was a space there, so you see we just decide we going to drop some music and utilise the opportunity now. Radio wants more music - new music and exciting music - and the people want music. So you see the emergence of acts like myself, Blvk Hero, Royal Blu, Runkus, Imeru, 5 Star, a lot more on the radio, so people are talking about it and gravitating to it a lot more," he said.

In creating his nine-track album, Ras-I said he embraced on a free-flowing process that reflects his musical interests but upholds positive messages.

"I know there's been a lot of talk about the sounds coming out of Jamaica, but we need to remember that we never born come see reggae. There was mento, calypso, rocksteady, ska. It all developed, and I'm sure everytime it changed, somebody had something to say cause not everybody is going to accept change as it comes. But it is what it is. Change is a must," he said.