The first time I walked into Dub Club in Chicago, I genuinely wondered if I’d stumbled into heaven on earth. The walls were alive with hand-painted portraits of reggae’s greatest legends—King Tubby, Lee “Scratch” Perry, and more—watching over the space like benevolent ancestors.…… Read More
Complacency can be one of the most subtle yet dangerous traps that we can fall into. Through a veil of comfort lies the death of ambition and curiosity. As human beings, we often gravitate toward the warmth of familiarity, lulling us into a blank silence and stripping… Read More
If you’ve ever had the privilege of witnessing Sierra Marin live, you know it’s more than a performance—it’s a transformative experience. As a live looping multi-instrumentalist, Sierra masterfully layers beatboxing, guitar, keys, and vocals in real time, crafting intricate, genre-blending soundscapes that… Read More
On the south side of Chicago, I approached a secret sound system culture gathering at an undisclosed location hosted by Beatdown Sound System. I was with my dear friend and official hype girl, Nikki. Google Maps led us to a cobblestone… Read More
Reggae music has a long history of bringing music made popular in other genres into its fold. This practice dates all the way back to the 60s when Jamaican vocal groups covered popular American songs in a ska or rocksteady style.… Read More
Editor’s Note: Scottish reggae artist, Soom-T, is a favorite of the Rootfire team. We first covered her back in March of 2021 when Kayla Kush interviewed her as part of our Women in Reggae series. Today, we publish an Album Showcase article focusing on her latest… Read More
The first time I had ever listened to Eli-Mac was entirely by accident. I was at Reggae Rise Up Florida a few years back, doing the festival hustle of trying to juggle acts at both the Rise Up and Vibe Stage.… Read More
I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kirsty Rock, known for her work in Trumystic in the 90s, as well as her legendary vocals with Easy Star All Stars. The voice behind Easy Star All Stars’ legendary cover of “The… Read More
