Grammy-winning reggae artiste Kabaka Pyramid has highlighted the challenges facing emerging reggae talent, warning that the culture of discovering and championing new music has weakened. During an interview with Chin of Soundchat Radio, Kabaka discussed the difficulties reggae artistes face in breaking through, pointing to a shrinking appetite for new reggae music and the need for stronger industry structures to help the genre regain momentum.
“There is no vibes around finding new reggae,” Kabaka said, describing what he sees as a decline in the culture of discovering and promoting new songs. Traditionally, sound systems played a crucial role in reggae’s development, with selectors introducing new records, testing songs in dances and helping emerging artistes build a following through crowd reactions and clashes. During the interview, Chin suggested that the weakening of sound system culture is one of the major reasons fewer young reggae artistes are breaking through, raising questions about the loss of a traditional pathway to recognition.
Kabaka also pointed to the changing dynamics of music discovery, arguing that social media and streaming platforms have made it harder for reggae artistes to achieve hit records without compromising their artistic identity. “It hard for you get a hit song as a reggae artist from after 2015,” he said, adding that compromising does not align with the culture of reggae. He contrasted the genre with dancehall, which he believes is more naturally suited to the fast-moving, attention-driven social media environment.
The artiste stressed that reggae’s challenges extend beyond the music itself, calling for stronger business structures and a more organised approach to touring and artist development. He argued that the industry needs to rebuild opportunities for emerging performers to reach larger audiences, including through established artistes supporting younger acts on tour. Kabaka also highlighted the importance of restoring the grassroots energy that once helped new songs gain traction in dances, noting that sound system culture must regain its role in introducing music to audiences.
For Kabaka Pyramid, the future of reggae depends not only on producing quality music but also on rebuilding the systems that help it reach listeners. Revitalising sound system culture, creating stronger touring opportunities and encouraging the discovery of new talent could help restore the genre’s momentum and give the next generation of reggae artistes a clearer path to breaking through.
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