Right now on Kickstarter, the indie documentary, Roots, Rock, Reggae, Souls is close to reaching its crowdsourcing goal. The project promises to shed light on Jamaican and reggae culture. Many people have a stereotypical view of Jamaican culture, especially regarding the country’s musical history. Jessica Saw, the director of the film, seeks to “showcase another side of Jamaica’s musical scene beyond the expected reggae and dancehall,” as stated on the Kickstarter. 

Meet the creative team behind the “Roots, Rock, Reggae, Souls” indie doc.

Shaw is not new to storytelling. With over a decade of television experience, Shaw knows how to connect with audiences across demographics. As a Brooklyn native who was raised in Jamaica, this project seeks to not only entertain but inform as well. Shaw wants to address the lack of musical literacy when it comes to reggae music.  The film seeks to dispel some of the basic tropes and shine a light on the lesser-known facts of reggae culture. 

Learn more about Roots, Rock, Reggae, Souls on Kickstarter

Support Roots, Rock, Reggae, Souls on Kickstarter now.

Once you visit the Kickstarter, you will see the mission statement and breakdown of the documentary addresses. Below is a summary of the film:

We’re going to trace Jamaica’s musical history from mento to ska, from roots to rocksteady, from reggae to dancehall. And we’ll examine just how much “souls” has influenced all of these genres.

Souls is Jamaica’s catch-all word for ballads and adult contemporary music. It is not one genre, but rather an amalgamation of multiple genres: country, R&B, soft rock, soul and the list goes on. Go to any street dance in Kingston and you’re almost guaranteed to hear a Kenny Rogers or Celine Dion record before the night ends.

Why do these balladeers have such a hold on Jamaicans? Even those artists that some countries consider to be cheesy?! That’s what we’re going to uncover in this film

Think you know your reggae? Think again! 

Many of your favorite reggae tunes are actually covers of old country and soft rock records. There’s a joke that says you don’t have a good ballad if a reggae artist doesn’t cover it!  

This project is close to being fully funded. Please support and share this project to ensure its success.