Japan’s world-renowned roots reggae band, YOUTH OF ROOTS, continues to bring fresh energy to the Japanese reggae scene while building on their experiences in Jamaica. This interview covers their journey. We dig into the band’s start, its current members, and their tour experiences. In the next part, we’ll dive into their album “LOVE IS THE ANSWER” track by track to explore its richness.

From Start to the Present

Can you introduce the band members?

KON RYU: I’m KON RYU, the guitar vocalist. Nice to meet you.

KENTARO: I’m KENTARO, I play guitar and do backing vocals.

SATOSHI: I’m SATOSHI, I play guitar.

KON KEN: I’m KON KEN, the backing vocalist, bassist, and band leader.

KIWAMU: I’m KIWAMU, and I play percussion.

Can you tell us how YOUTH OF ROOTS started?

KON RYU: I started singing around 2009, but YOUTH OF ROOTS was officially formed in 2016.

KON KEN: Yes, 2016. Before that, we were part of a backing band called Kobushi POWA Band, organizing events like bringing artists to local venues like the beach house Oasis. During that time, RYU would occasionally sing while playing the MPC or guitar during backing gigs. We were playing around with the reggae band style. Eventually, RYU started composing songs, and we thought it would be better to give the band a name focused on the next generation. That’s when we came up with YOUTH OF ROOTS among several name options.

KON RYU: Right. When I decided to take the lead as the main vocalist, we officially became YOUTH OF ROOTS.

Why a roots reggae band?

KON RYU: It all started in 2014 when I first went to Jamaica and was captivated by roots reggae. At that time, CHRONIXX, PROTOJE, JESSE ROYAL, and others were leading the reggae revival movement. One live performance by RAGING FYAH, a band playing in that style, left a strong impression on me.

In Japan, there was a roots reggae band called OISO ROCKERS. I went to their live show with KON KEN, who was called as their dub engineer, and I was surprised and excited to see that there was a roots reggae scene in Japan, too.

KON KEN: Yes, and gradually, we started getting invited to more events. People who saw us would invite us to perform, and our activity expanded little by little.

Then, the current members joined after that?

SATOSHI: I was playing with the band OISO ROCKERS, which RYU mentioned earlier. So at first, I watched YOUTH OF ROOTS as an audience member. Then, about seven years ago, KON KEN invited me to join, and that’s when it started for me.

KENTARO: I met RYU about three years ago at the Oasis in Hayama, and we found out we had mutual friends. After that, we started jamming together in the studio, and eventually, I joined the band.

KIWAMU: I’ve been playing with the band recently. Around April 2024, KON KEN contacted me, saying that they had returned from Jamaica and were working on an album. He asked if I could boost everyone’s vibes and maybe brighten up the local kids, who were always walking around with gloomy faces…

KON RYU: In the morning, right? They’re always lively after school, though (laughs).

KIWAMU: Yes, exactly. Every morning, these elementary school kids looked like gloomy office workers on their way to school. So KON KEN asked if I could paint something on the studio wall to brighten things up. I had already painted YOUTH OF ROOTS lion flag before. While I was painting the mural, I was talking with KON RYU, and he mentioned they didn’t have a percussionist. I’ve played the kete drum in the Nyabinghi style of reggae, so I said I’d like to join. And that’s how I became part of the band.

How was the “YOUTH OF ROOTS TOUR 2024” at the end of June?

KIWAMU: I had only just joined the band around that time, so every day felt like an incredible experience for me—something I hadn’t anticipated at all. A month before, I couldn’t have imagined it. Even though I had played reggae drums before, KON KEN taught me many new things. I approached it with a beginner’s mindset, and thanks to the band’s energy and the enthusiastic audience, it was an exciting experience.

You got called up pretty suddenly, didn’t you?

KIWAMU: Yeah, it was all so sudden (laughs). I never saw it coming.

KON RYU: You really saved us! JAH GUIDANCE.

KIWAMU: JAH GUIDANCE and ITECTION, for sure. It was a truly wonderful experience.

KON KEN: How did the kids react? There were your kids right at the front.

KIWAMU: Yeah, in Tokyo, my own kids were right in front of me. They were really inspired, saying they wanted to do music too.

KON RYU: That’s fire!

Any particularly memorable moments from the tour?

SATOSHI: In Fukuoka, I noticed something special—a grandmother, her daughter, and her grandchild attending the show together. At every venue, I saw a few people from different generations or mixed backgrounds.

KON KEN: In Fukuoka, it seems there was this guy from Africa who had fought and defeated a lion!

KON RYU: He really enjoyed the show, he was shouting out loud!

KON KEN: We’re the band that made a man who fought a lion that happy (laughs).

KON RYU: LION PAW, LION PAW!

SATOSHI: As we played across three locations, I felt like we were growing together. It was a great learning experience.

KENTARO: I’m originally from Kyushu, so it was great to play in Fukuoka. And as mentioned earlier, the shows really attracted a wide range of ages.

KON RYU: It felt like all the fans who came were already in love with YOUTH OF ROOTS. It wasn’t so much about bussing the place, but more about connecting with our family—those who truly love YOUTH OF ROOTS. That gave me a sense of responsibility. Our shows were all YOUTH OF ROOTS headliners.

KENTARO: The audience was singing along to everything.

KON KEN: We released the album just eight days before the first day of the tour, so we were a bit nervous about how it would be received.

KON RYU: But people were singing, weren’t they?

KON KEN: Yes, and by the time we got to Tokyo, almost everyone was singing along. It really felt like the YOUTH OF ROOTS family was united. There was a strong sense of ‘one family.’

KON RYU: What’s interesting about touring is that you play the same set and song order three times, so our MC skills and everything else get refined. We were joined by OGA from JAH WORKS, and he made sure to deliver the key messages perfectly at each location. Those messages really connected with the family. The tour was packed with meaning.

The album title is “LOVE IS THE ANSWER.” Can you tell us why you chose this title?

KON KEN: Actually, RYU came up with the title. Before that, we were considering using “YOUTH OF ROOTS” as the album title, just like our band name. But once all the songs were completed and we could see the full picture, RYU felt that “LOVE IS THE ANSWER” was the right title.

KON RYU: As all the songs came together, a theme emerged naturally.

There are no previously released singles, and aside from the remastered “Jamaican Daughter,” all the tracks are newly recorded. Was there a specific reason behind this decision?

KON KEN: We really wanted to release new songs. We did consider compiling some of our previous tracks to create a sense of value, but we felt it was too early for a “best-of” album. So, it was only natural for us to keep pushing forward with new tracks.

Many of these songs were written but never released, like “Revelation,” which RYU created during his solo stay in Jamaica two or three years ago, and “ONE PEOPLE,” which was written for a video project by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). We re-arranged and included those as well.

About the Tracks

Can you tell us about the tracks on the album, starting with the first one, “Deliverman”?

KON RYU: We created the demo track in Japan, then went to 100Studio with Squidly Cole and Flabba Holt to record the basic track. Squidly was the engineer, and we completed the overdubs in Japan afterward. (Squidly is the backing drummer for the Marley family, such as with the Melody Makers, and Flabba Holt is the renowned bassist of Roots Radics.)

Why did you choose this as the first track?

KON KEN: We didn’t really think about the track order while creating the album. After we finished mixing, We made a playlist on iTunes and decided the order by listening to it. The message “I’ll deliver it to you” reflects the album’s title, so it felt like the perfect way to start.

Can you tell us about the second track, “One People”?

KON RYU: This song was commissioned by the JICA Youth Volunteers. JICA sends Japanese people around the world to assist and support various communities. For example, at the university I attended in Jamaica, JICA provided air conditioners, and they also sent a Japanese teacher.

After I returned to Japan, I collaborated with the teacher I met in Jamaica, and we were asked to appear in an educational video for JICA. I wrote “One People” for that project. The video was themed around “flowers,” and it was used as an educational tool to show how Japanese flowers travel abroad and foreign flowers come to Japan. That’s why the lyrics include “flowers in full bloom.”

Tell us about the third track, “Reggae Music Haffi Play” feat. Papa U-Gee, Jr.Dee, Yuten, NANJAMAN. What made you decide to work with Yuten in particular?

KON RYU: I met Yuten recently. I had heard about this 15-year-old who was covering “Strawberry Girl” at live shows, and we met about a year ago. We did a Rub -A-Dub session together, and I thought his original flow was great, so I invited him to collaborate. His parents are also reggae singers, which made me feel a strong connection with him as a fellow artist. He’s now 18, I believe, and we’ve been getting along well recently.

KON KEN: In Jamaica, at reggae dances, you see young people and older generations enjoying the music together—there’s no generation gap. I think that vibe is reflected in this track, with veteran artists like Papa U-Gee alongside younger ones like Yuten and RYU. I believe that through this collaboration, we can recreate the scenes I witnessed in Jamaica where fans of all ages enjoy the music together.

I love the transition from Papa U-Gee to Jr Dee in the song.

KON KEN: That was a vocal delay effect. Papa U-Gee moved the mic away as he sang, creating that “dun-dun-pan-pan” sound.

KON RYU: We all thought, “That’s fire!”

KON KEN: It was brilliant—really showed his skill. Big up Yaizu Crew, Yaizu Family.

How about the fourth track, “Revelation” feat. Micah Shemaiah? He’s visited Japan before, right?

KON RYU: Yes, he had, but we made this song before that. I connected with him while I was in Jamaica and asked him to contribute a verse for this track, and we also worked together on the bridge.

Our connection was made at “Jamnesia,” a surf camp in Bull Bay, Jamaica, run by Billie Wilmot, the head of the Jamaican Surfing Association and the vocalist of Mystic Revealers. Many musicians gather there, and on Saturday nights, there’s a live show for up-and-coming artists with a live band. Artists like Chronixx, Protoje, Lila Ike, and Jah9 all developed their skills there.

I started attending after being introduced to the place, and that’s where I met Micah Shemaiah. We wrote the lyrics with Billie’s son, Inilek Wilmot, who is also a guitarist. The title “Revelation” refers to the final book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelation, which also mentions the figure of Haile Selassie. This song reflects that theme.

Tell us about the fifth track, “Like di Emperor” feat. Israel Voice?

KON RYU: This track was made in Jamaica, like the one with Micah Shemaiah. About three years ago, I traveled to Jamaica with a friend for two months, and we created the song during that time. I was playing guitar, and Israel Voice started singing. It just came together naturally.

We were staying at Aisha House in Kingston at the time, where Flabba Holt from Roots Radics also lived. We became friends, and while working on Dennis Brown remix at Flabba’s request, he gave me the bassline, which became the foundation for “Like Di Emperor.” He even added tambourine during the session. It was an amazing experience.

Tell us about the sixth track, “RED – Reggae Every Day -“ feat. Kumar. Kumar used to be a member of Raging Fyah, right?

KON KEN: Yes, that’s right. He’s now working as a solo artist, but two former Raging Fyah members, Anthoy and Demar, are in his backing band, Original Fyah, and they still perform Raging Fyah’s songs.

This track came about because last year, Kumar said he wanted to come to Japan and tour with us. However, due to certain conditions, we couldn’t make it happen. The current roots music scene hadn’t fully spread in Japan at the time. But we’re huge fans of Raging Fyah, and we really wanted to do a tour together, so we decided to collaborate on a song instead, to help spread roots reggae more widely.

We made four tracks in Jamaica and played them for Kumar. He improvised the chorus and verse for the last track, and that’s how the title “RED – Reggae Every Day” came to be. We wrote the Japanese lyrics after returning to Japan and recorded the overdubs. Anthoy (drums) and Demar (keys) helped with the recording. It was fantastic. Big up Original Fyah, Raging Fyah.

The seventh track, “Wild & Free” is personally one of my favorites. It’s rare to see a roots band do ska, and it really gets the crowd moving at live shows.

KON KEN: The BPM of this track is close to EDM, and it’s a tempo that naturally makes people want to dance. That’s why ska is so captivating. It’s a fairly easy tempo to dance to. RYU wrote this song.

KON RYU: But it was KENTARO who suggested we try doing minor-key ska.

KENTARO: That’s right. Although it ended up sounding completely different from what I had originally imagined.

KON RYU: Yeah, but that made it more interesting.

Tell us about the eighth track, “Jamaican Daughter (2024 Remaster).”

KON KEN: The original version of this track, with Medz’s mix, became popular in the dancehall scene and was widely appreciated. This song means a lot to us, and we felt strongly that we wanted to perform it with our own band. That’s why we re-recorded it.

KON RYU: Big up Medz!

Tell us about the ninth track, “Port Antonio.”

KON RYU: This song is about long-distance love. In 2016, when we went to Jamaica to record “Theme of Youth of Roots” and “Reggae Man,” we recorded this song on the way back in the Bronx, New York, with Jerry Harris from Wackies and the members of Royal Khaoz.

We had already planned to enter the studio with them in New York, so I wrote this song while looking at the scenery of Port Antonio and Ocho Rios in Jamaica. After we recorded the song in New York, I wasn’t satisfied with the result, and I really wanted to re-record the vocals. So, in 2022, we re-recorded it in Jamaica to capture more of the long-distance vibes.

KON KEN: Port Antonio is a town full of memories for me from my younger days. When RYU and I traveled there, we visited some old friends, and the views on the drive back really left an impression. All those memories are reflected in the lyrics.

Tell us about the tenth track, “Everything Good.”

KON RYU: This track was recorded at THE COMPOUND with some of the young talented musicians from Jamaica. It’s a song that reminds me of our trip and reflects our mindset at the time. The session was incredible. The members who participated were amazing: Keneil (BUJU BANTON’s drummer), O’neil (KABAKA PYRAMID’s keyboardist), and Nnamdi (former guitarist of CHRONIXX’s ZINC FENCE REDEMPTION). Most Jamaican musicians record in one take, so being able to experience that level of skill up close was an incredible learning experience.

KON KEN: Going there with the band, entering the studio, and witnessing how Jamaican musicians work—their vibe, their breathing—was really inspiring. It was like a training session, learning about Jamaican bass and playing styles. Watching them do it perfectly in one take was an incredible experience. It’s something you can only see by going to Jamaica, so it was truly invaluable.

Lastly, can you tell us about the final track, “Kawa no Nagare” (The River’s Flow)?

KON RYU: This song was created naturally at our lodging, with everyone together. We were chanting and meditating, and the song was born from that.

There was a room at the inn where we’d eat, and we were having a meeting in the courtyard when we started talking about how we needed a “Heartbeat” kind of song. That’s when KON KEN came up with the melody. He played it and said, “Let’s go with this one,” and it just flowed from there. While thinking about the lyrics, we all worked on it together, and within about two days, the song was finished naturally.

So the songwriting process starts naturally?

KON KEN: Songs like this can only be created when inspiration flows. When the vision suddenly comes down, it gets input, and then we can output it.

KON RYU: Yeah, we finalized the lyrics through talking with everyone.

KON KEN: It’s a really popular song.

Future Plans

Can you share your future plans?

KON KEN: This isn’t really band-related, but I want to organize a dance event where everyone can step to reggae music. I personally love dancing, but there aren’t many people dancing in places like bars or dancehalls. I think dancing together is really fun. In South Africa, the “Kebra Ethiopia Sound System” does line dancing, and at Kingston Dub Club, it’s almost like a Japanese “bon dance”. I want to create a place where people can learn the steps step by step and eventually everyone is dancing.

Ultimately, I’d love to have a sound system and make it a full-fledged event where people can showcase the steps they’ve learned. There are a lot of hip-hop dance teams out there, but I’d like to create a reggae version, something like a “bon dance” where everyone can have fun dancing together. I’ve already started reaching out to people who might want to collaborate. I want to spread the roots culture through dance and have fun while doing it. I believe the message will get across that way. The ideal would be to share a space where people can connect with both sound and meditation.

KON RYU: We’ve already started brainstorming ideas and recording dub tracks that are easy to dance to, with this in mind. All the members are on board, so we want to make this a reality as soon as possible.

It seems like your music is gaining listeners overseas too.

KON KEN: Yes, that’s right. Our tracks have appeared on charts in Asia and South America, and “Strawberry Girl” has become popular in Hawaii and Canada. In the Czech Republic, “Step Outta Babylonia” even hit number one. I think the reason we’re getting this kind of worldwide attention is that we’re doing straight-up reggae. That’s the power of reggae.

KON RYU: In the future, we want to perform live not just in Japan, but overseas as well.

Message to the Fans

KENTARO: We hope to reach more places in Japan, including the ones we didn’t get to visit during our solo tour.

KON RYU: We are deeply grateful to everyone who’s been supporting us. We’ll continue delivering reggae music, so thank you in advance for your continued support.

KIWAMU: I’m aware that many people don’t know about me yet, but I feel that YOUTH OF ROOTS message is something needed in today’s world. Roots music helps us return to our true nature as human beings, and I hope we can continue to deepen that message.

SATOSHI: I love every single one of YOUTH OF ROOTS songs, so I’d be thrilled if people could listen to them over and over again.

KON KEN: The future keeps coming every day. I truly hope that everyone finds happiness. I believe that’s what will lead to One Love. Let’s pray for peace with strong hearts full of love. One Love, Jah Rastafari.

(Interviewed by Takashi Watanabe and Reggae Zion)