Episodes

In the premiere of the #1 Music History Podcast Season 1: "Catch a Fire" dials things back to 1987 and heads to Washington, D.C., where Henry is a disillusioned justice major at American University. His life changes, however, when he walks into a record shop and eventually secures an internship at RAS Records working for trailblazing reggae producer Dr. Dread, a.k.a Gary Himmelfarb. The job description seems simple enough: sweeping floors, packing boxes, and answering phones. But, Henry soon lea...

Season 1: continues with "When the Music Hits" as Henry befriends a reggae super fan and an obsessed caller to the label. He soon learns that "Brian from Colorado" is an aspiring singer, whose revolutionary spirit may convince Henry to follow his dream to pursue music over law. That dream becomes a reality when Henry is tasked to bring a reggae legend to a recording session. He's not sure what hits him—it could be the contact buzz, it could be the savory smell of brown stew fish -- but when He...

Season 1: continues with “Welcome to Jamrock” as Henry finds his groove at RAS Records just as reggae music grabs hold of him. Soon after, Dr Dread makes a call to Bob Marley’s widow, Rita, and the young intern lands a job working for the Marley family at the legendary Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston Jamaica. It's here he learns that Kingston is a city of extremes, and it's here he meets more of Reggae’s foundational musicians, who all share amazing tales of confronting and overcoming adversity. ...

Season 1: continues with “Ghetto Stays in the Mind” as Henry meets Mrs. Rita Marley, his new boss at Tuff Gong Music. The label is a magical melting pot of unsung heroes, reggae legends, and righteous Rastafarians. Reality hits when Bob Andy takes Henry into the “garrison,” where he sees the lasting damage caused by a bloody proxy war fought on the streets of Kingston in the 70’s between the CIA and KGB. Rootsland is produced by Henry K Productions Inc. in association with Voice Boxx Studios in...

Season 1: continues with “Money Can’t Buy Life” as Henry learns that the future of the Marley Estate will be decided in the courts. Beyond the legal mumbo jumbo, he also has a chance meeting at a hotel bar with a local gangster named Rude Boy Tex, who may prove to be his most valuable connection during his time in Kingston. Rootsland is produced by Henry K Productions Inc. in association with Voice Boxx Studios in Kingston, Jamaica. Introduction by: Michelle "Kim" Yamaguchi Guest Vocals by: Patr...

Season 1: continues with "Unchained". For the first generation of Jamaicans to grow up listening to reggae music, these songs weren't just jams for a Saturday night of dancing -- they were a guidebook for life. The music was inspiring an entire nation with its timeless messages of love, inclusion, and acceptance. In this chapter, Henry discovers that not everyone in Kingston got the memo. Rootsland is produced by Henry K Productions Inc. in association with Voice Boxx Studios in Kingston, Jamaic...

Season 1: continues with “Love and Hate (Can Never Be Friends)". In the classic roots anthem “Here I Come”, Dennis Brown, the crown prince of reggae, sings, “Love and hate can never be friends." In this chapter, Henry discovers they do live side by side on the streets of Kingston as he comes face to face with hate. Fortunately for Henry, Rude Boy Tex teaches him the road code and helps him out of a sticky situation amidst the brutal and violent world of gangsters and dons. Rootsland is produced ...

Season 1: continues with "Legalize It, Don’t Criticize It". Because of the global impact of reggae and the rise of Rastafari culture, the island of Jamaica and marijuana -- or “ganja”, as it is called -- are forever joined as one. For many decades, however, it was actually illegal to smoke or possess the plant with much of the Rastafarian community paying the price through police brutality and lengthy prison sentences. In this chapter, Henry learns of these truths on his way to Reggae Sunsplash ...

Season 1: concludes with "Righteous People". Jamaica's Reggae Sunsplash Festival is essentially a less organized version of Woodstock -- the same amount of love, only with more weed. On paper, five days of reggae music under sun-drenched skies and star-filled nights should be the perfect ending to Henry’s journey in Jamaica. However, as we hear in this chapter, Henry will soon learn that the decisions to be made concerning his future will affect those around him. Rootsland is produced by Henry ...

The Season 2 Debut of Rootsland picks up when Narrator Henry K returns to 56 Hope Road where a decade earlier a violent assassination attempt was made on Bob Malrey's life. Summoned to the hallowed ground by Bob's determined widow "Sister Rita," a simple goodbye turns into a dire warning. Rootsland is produced by Henry K Productions Inc. in association with Voice Boxx Studios in Kingston, Jamaica. Introduction by: Michelle "Kim" Yamaguchi Guest Vocals by: Patrick "Curly Loxx" Gaynor Home ...

5 years after starting out as an intern in the music business, sweeping floors and packing boxes, Henry is working for the most influential man in the music business... sweeping floors and packing boxes. However, Henry may soon learn that working for the man who allegedly "drank the blood of a fowl" in a voodoo ceremony to give Bob Marley cancer may not be the best way to keep friends and influence people. Rootsland is produced by Henry K Productions Inc. in association with Voice Boxx Stud...

Henry learns that being in the game, means getting to know the players. One of the most important job qualifications at Island was having a rich father who was friends with the owner. Fortunate sons like Billy D an arrogant white Jamaican screw up , with a dark personality and an unhealthy obsession with dancehall music’s seedy underworld was just one of many characters at the office. On a dark New York City afternoon all Henry can see is Sunshine in Soho, as he develops an instant crush on...

There is a saying in NYC real estate the 3 most important things are "location, location, location." When Island moves offices from 4th and Broadway into the swank new open floored penthouse at 400 Lafayette Street, Henry's new location happens to be the desk right across Bonz Malone. known as the "Hunter Thompson of Hip Hop." The former gang member who found redemption through the power of words, and a never say die mentality shows Henry, "it's not how you play the game...its how long...

In the Spring of 1991, Henry drives from Kingston to Ochos Rios in order to attend a concert hosted by Sister Rita Marley commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Bob Malrey's passing. For the Kush Danai, the Rasta in the passenger seat the only thing on his mind was the murder of his friend Peter Tosh. Henry tries to keep the conversation upbeat, but Kush is concerned and justifiably so... reggae music and it's artistes are under assault. Rootsland is produced by Henry K Productions Inc. in...

Henry finally gets the "chance of a lifetime", an opportunity to meet his boss Chris Blackwell founder and President of Island Records. Blackwell had recently sold his label to Polygram Entertainment for half a billion dollars, a lucrative deal that made him the world's richest music executive. By contrast, there stood Henry, a 25 year old entry level t shirt salesman, anxiously awaiting a chance to break into the music business, full of ideas, and optimism... about to come face to fac...

In the Season 2 Finale: Brian tries to convince Henry that it's the right to move to Jamaica while chilling out in NYC's Washington Square Park. Before Henry's willing to make the move, he books some time at one New York's most iconic recording studios to hear Brian "rock the mic." You can support the Show by purchasing The Rootsland (Original Podcast Soundtrack) featuring timeless reggae tracks performed by Wayne Armond, Bob Andy, Deadly Headley Bennett, Garnett Silk, Halfpint http://i...

The Rootsland Republic is truly a global family. These stories about reggae music and Jamaica have connected with so many people form diverse backgrounds and far away places. 2 of places where we have family and listener are Ukraine and Ethiopia, 2 places that under siege form outside and within, and as usual in these unnecessary and bloody political conflict ordinary people like you and me get caught in the middle, So in the special Music Edition of Rootsland where gonna play some selections to...

On April 3, we commemorate the anniversary of Rev. Martin Luther King's "I've Been to the Mountaintop" Speech, given 54 years ago in Memphis. In this Bonus Episode of Rootsland, host Henry K explores if Moses, Bob Marley and MLK all packed the same essentials for the journey to the Promised Land. You can support the Show by purchasing The Rootsland (Original Podcast Soundtrack) featuring timeless reggae tracks performed by Wayne Armond, Bob Andy, Deadly Headley Bennett, Garnett Silk, Halfp...

People Get Ready and Enjoy the Season 3 Trailer of Rootsland to start off this Bonus Episode. Once the vibe is nice, kick back and listen to our tribute to Reggae Superstar Bob Andy . The show features special guest Wayne Armond live at the Rootsland Studios , performing his rendition of the song "I've got to go Back Home" the Bob Andy classic. Wayne is the singer/guitarist for the band Chalice, celebrating 40 years together of making timeless reggae, and the writer of countless hit ...

As Henry and Brian are touching down, in Kingston so is an army of foreign invaders. Record Companies, music executives, publishers, mangers all looking to cash in on dancehall's recent waive of international popularity, Most were opportunists looking to take advantage of what they perceived as uneducated 3rd world artistes. Yet as greedy and ruthless as these international companies were, they had no idea of what kind of resistance they would encounter when they reached the island’s tr...

The Kingston adventure begins for Henry and Brian with a dire warning from their long time taxi driver, a meeting with a top reggae power player. and a run-in with one of Kingston's "Rude Boy" Gangsters. That was just the first day. Rootsland is produced by Henry K Productions Inc. in association with Voice Boxx Studios in Kingston, Jamaica. Introduction by: Michelle "Kim" Yamaguchi Guest Vocals by: Patrick "Curly Loxx" Gaynor Adam "Teacha" Barnes music production...

Hanging out on a dusty, hot New Kingston street corner breathing in taxi exhaust fumes surrounded by street youth juggling dime bags of sinsemilla, isn't exactly listed as an attraction in the Jamaican guidebooks. Yet, Brian and Henry are quickly learning that hanging on the corner is where 90% of Jamaican life take place. its where culture and politics and music and art, joy and pain all collide and creates a terrestrial big bang that gives the streets a life of their own. Rootsland is pr...

Once the phone started ringing at Brian & Henry's "Dread & Breakfast" their quiet spot in the hills became the Kingston base for dozens of reggae tourists from all over the globe. Music business people, journalists, singers, musicians. Most of them very dedicated to the genre looking to contribute music’s international growth and brand, others, Not so Much. These were selfish, self cent “so called” artists, who were all about themselves, traveling to the island in search of fame and for...

Dancehall culture and the street dances that inspired it can be traced back the 1950’s to poorest and most marginalized areas in Kingston. Attended by residents who lived on gully banks and sustained themselves by sifting through garbage dumps. These were people so broke couldn't afford to go out on the town, and frankly weren’t invited , or wanted at the party. So they threw their own inner city street dances that became safe spaces within the concrete jungles, where underprivileged youth c...