ISOULJAHS / Ras Mikey

Trodding through space and time… From the UCLA Reggae Fest May 25, 1998 in Los Angeles, California. The original ISOULJAHS Band opening the show for longtime Reggae greats Michael Rose, Boom Shaka, Ras Shiloh, and Born Jamericans.

Along with a very small number of others, we were the closest thing to authentic California Roots Reggae. There was no such thing as “Cali Roots or Island Reggae” at this time because essentially Jamaican Reggae music is from an island- go figure. The young ISOULJAHS were an anomaly at this age, being non-Jamaican, non-Caribbean, non-black artists/musicians playing Reggae music and being rooted in Rastafari Livity and Culture. This was no joke ting! The elder bredrin BoomShaka were some of our biggest influences, inspiration, and supporters- Ras Trevy having produced our first and foremost recordings. It was such an honor to open the show for these Revolutionary Musicians and legend and future legend, the young both backed by and company (Jawge, Odell)

What a time for Reggae Music! The UCLA Student Union held a FREE Reggae Festival every year on the soccer field of campus every Memorial Day weekend and this happened to be the last year that it was free. Fast forward to 2025…Things have changed quite a bit over the years and now some of these legends are now having to reluctantly be the opening acts for US Based Reggae artists that ISOULJAHS worked unwittingly and unrecognizably hard to pave the way for… as the song and the story goes- “the stone that the builders refuse shall always be the head cornerstone.” All love to the Original Reggae Rastafari Revolutionaries who paved the way and are still forwarding Jah Works… and to those youts just picking up- know your Roots and do I&I proud! Crucial Roots, critical and crucial, yeah- Crucial Roots, Roots & Cultural…
RASTAFARI LIVETH❤️💛💚 Bless

The full video of our set and the festival can be viewed on YouTube…

https://youtu.be/GE4SKb0qwTM?si=qbpcPJGrNQ-3hjvV