The Rasta Roots Report — [Report #1] October 5, 2026

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Oct 4

5 min read

A weekly publication from the HIGHEST HEIGHTS from Stay IRIE | stayirie.earth

🔥 Headline Story: The Grammy Race Is On — and Jamaica Is Ready

The eligibility window for the 69th Annual Grammy Awards has closed. First-round voting runs October 12–22, nominations drop November 16, and the ceremony is set for February 7, 2027, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The field is stacked. Vybz Kartel's God & Time debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart — his 12th entry, featuring Wizkid, Spice, Shenseea, and Farruko. Buju Banton's Too Too Bad, his first chart appearance in six years, entered at No. 8 with lead single "Butterflies" crossing a million streams. Masicka opened Forever Reign at No. 4 — the highest debut by a Jamaican dancehall act in 2026. And Protoje's The Art of Acceptance, already on a US and UK tour and featuring Damian and Stephen Marley, has been one of the year's most critically praised roots albums.

Four serious contenders — before you even get to Beenie Man, Shaggy, Alkaline, and others. This might be the most competitive reggae Grammy race in years. The energy out of Jamaica reflects it.

🎵 New Music This Week

Kabaka Pyramid, R-Mean & Styles P — "A Warrior's Pain" (October 1)

A haunting, piano-driven fusion single — boom-bap at its foundation, Kabaka's Kingston roots pulling it toward the roots. HotNewHipHop called the chemistry "very real." Grammy-winning Kabaka (The Kalling, 2023) alongside New York veterans. Standalone for now, but it feels like a foundation for something bigger.

Mr. Vegas & Etana — "Walk Away from Love" (October 3)

Two of Jamaica's most respected voices going lovers rock with the Supersonics Band — stripped-back, tender, live instrumentation. The kind of music that reminds you reggae has always been as much about tenderness as resistance.

Sun I Tafari — "Fight Back" (October 4)

Pure Rastafari energy. Uncompromising conscious music for a world that needs it.

Barry Macka feat. Cheshire Cat — "Brighter Days" (October 2)

Uplifting roots with strong melody and positive vibration. Doesn't make headlines — finds its way into playlists and stays there.

Gabriel GS Reggae — "U Mek Mi" (October 1)

New voice, new energy. Smooth, heartfelt roots sound that holds its own.

Stylo G feat. The FaNaTiX — "CHOSEN" (October 3)

UK reggae/dancehall veteran Stylo G back with production duo The FaNaTiX. One of Britain's most consistent reggae voices, and this single keeps the streak alive.

SIUA — "Heart Full" (October 2)

From Whanganui, New Zealand — singer-songwriter Siosiua Tapa's first release under new label Homeville. Warm, mid-tempo reggae love song with real craftsmanship. Debut EP on the way. Worth your attention now, before everyone else catches on.

Lake Anthony — "World Needs Love" (coming October 16)

Nine-year-old musician Lake Anthony — who went viral when Walshy Fire called him "the future of reggae" at Burning Man — drops a roots single featuring Anthony B, Romain Virgo, Ce'Cile, Pato Banton, Logan Bell of Katchafire, and his mother Katherine Ramirez of Mystic Roots Band. It interpolates "What the World Needs Now Is Love" and proceeds go to Jamaica hurricane recovery. Mark the date.

On the Grammy trail: Too Too Bad and The Art of Acceptance both deserve a deep listen as voting opens.

🌍 Live Events & Festivals

Treasure Beach Food, Rum & Reggae Festival

November 6–8, 2026 | Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica

Protoje and Lila Iké headline the full three-day return after last year's benefit staging post-Hurricane Melissa. Before announcing the comeback, organizers fulfilled their J$1 million commitment to St. Elizabeth farmers. That integrity matters. If a Jamaica trip is on your mind this fall, this is the moment.

Steel Pulse — Reggae Against Racism World Tour 2026

Running through fall 2026 across the US and international markets. The Birmingham legends — over 50 years in — headlining alongside the Original Wailers featuring Al Anderson at select stops. Check their schedule for a date near you.

Protoje & The Indiggnation — The Reggae Invasion Tour

US leg wrapped in mid-September. Protoje returns to Jamaica for Treasure Beach in November. One of the tightest live reggae experiences touring right now.

2027 Grammy Awards

February 7, 2027 | Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles

Mark it. With the field Jamaica is putting forward, this could be a historic night for reggae.

✊ Community & Culture

Rest in Power: Lieutenant Stitchie (September 28, 2026)

Cleveland Laing — Lieutenant Stitchie — passed on September 28 at Kingston Public Hospital, one day before his 61st birthday, after battling the effects of a 2024 stroke. He came up on the Spanish Town sound system circuit, broke through with "Wear Yuh Size" and "Natty Dread," signed to Atlantic in 1988, then found a second calling in gospel reggae after becoming a born-again Christian in 1997. He was awarded the Order of Distinction. His wife Sophia kept his community informed with grace throughout. Rest in Power, Lieutenant.

Rest in Power: Jackie Jackson (September 23, 2026)

Clifton "Jackie" Jackson, legendary bass guitarist for Toots and the Maytals, passed at 79. His melodic bass lines were the heartbeat of their greatest work across the 1960s and 70s. The music of that era was built on what he played. Rest in Power, Jackie.

Treasure Beach Festival Fulfills J$1M Farmer Commitment

Organizers delivered their pledge to St. Elizabeth farmers before a single ticket was sold for the festival's return — funds going toward trucking water to communities in drought. Festival co-director Jason Henzell: "Our farmers deserve to be celebrated." Community-first thinking. The spirit reggae has always stood for.

Lake Anthony and Jamaica Hurricane Relief

After visiting the island and seeing the damage firsthand, nine-year-old Lake Anthony decided music could help. He reached out to artists across four continents. They all said yes. Sometimes the roots run young.

🌱 Emerging Artist Spotlight: Skippa

If you haven't heard "WYFL" yet, you will.

Jamaican dancehall deejay Skippa — born Tahjay Clarke, raised in St. Elizabeth, schooled at Munro College — spent 2026 building one of the most compelling breakout stories in Caribbean music. "WYFL," over a trap-infused riddim by DJ Mac and CrashDummy, has generated over 5.8 million official on-demand US streams and sparked remixes from Buju Banton, Vybz Kartel, Remy Ma, and Patrice Roberts. His #Skippaholic EP cleared 6.1 million streams. Full catalog: 29.3 million US streams through August.

Billboard named him the 2026 Caribbean Rising Star, presented alongside Destin Conrad and Samara Cyn at the R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players event in New York. He performed at Brooklyn Steel.

The numbers are real — but the trajectory is what matters. He hasn't charted on Billboard yet. When the debut album lands, he will.

"Not for just acknowledging rising stars, but for acknowledging Caribbean rising stars."

That awareness of where you come from, while building toward something new — that's a rootsman's mindset in a trap-dancehall format.

Watch Skippa. Not because he's the biggest name in the room. Because he's about to be.

❤️ Stay IRIE Closing

This is Edition #1. The first roots in the ground.

Every week we'll bring you the sounds, the stories, the festivals, and the faces. But the reason is bigger than any one genre.

Music is what feeds the tree. Reggae Music particularly, brings joy, history, culture, truth, wisdom & a higher sense of feeling, a feeling of being IRIE. This is why we say Stay IRIE.

It strengthens your roots, steadies your trunk, pushes your branches further. For many of us, it is a spiritual force — one that uplifts, connects, and moves life forward.

Your life is your Tree of Life. We believe music is one of the greatest things you can bring to it.

STAY IRIE

Stay HAPPY, to the HIGHEST HEIGHTS

Sources: DancehallMag, Reggaeville, Caribbean National Weekly, Jamaica Observer, Jamaica Gleaner, Muzic.NZ, Kaboom Mag