Grammy-winning reggae artist Kabaka Pyramid is set to take the stage at the Afro Carib Festival in Miramar. Photo by Anisa Patel
For more than a decade, Kabaka Pyramid has skillfully blended roots reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop elements to shed light on socioeconomic issues in Jamaica and throughout the African diaspora. His career culminated with the 2023 "Best Reggae Album" Grammy win for his sophomore album, The Kalling. After the Recording Academy received backlash for awarding the same Grammy to the white, Virginia-based reggae band SOJA in 2022, Kabaka Pyramid's Grammy nod marked a pivotal moment for his role in revitalizing the genre.
Since his Grammy win, the Kingston native has embarked on an extended tour. He's performed alongside his band, the Bebble Rockers, throughout the U.S. and Europe and has blazed the biggest global reggae stages, including Jamaica's Reggae Sumfest, Germany's Summerjam Festival, and Poland's Ostróda Reggae Festival. On Saturday, February 17, he's set to perform at the fourth-annual Afro-Carib Festival at the Miramar Regional Park Amphitheater, where he'll unleash his energetic set among a stacked lineup of reggae, dancehall, and Afrobeats heavyweights like Nadine Sutherland, Tony Rebel, and Fireboy DML.
City of Miramar Vice Mayor Alexandra P. Davis says tapping Kabaka Pyramid for the festival embodies the event's celebration of the music unifying the African diaspora. "Kabaka Pyramid fits that mold. He's such a high-caliber artist, so he should be a good draw not just for folks in the Caribbean but worldwide. Kabaka speaks to that wider community who appreciates the lyrics he brings forth in reggae music," she tells New Times.
Kabaka Pyramid (born Keron Salmon) isn't afraid to challenge the status quo in his music. He undergirds his conscious lyrics with his Rastafari religion and looks to past legends like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh to inform his worldview.
"My Rastafari journey and musical journey is all hand in hand," says Pyramid, whose stage name "Kabaka" means "king" in Ugandan while "Pyramid" references ancient Egypt. "I've been inspired by Afro-centric artists like Sizzla [Kalonji] and Capleton. Going back to Peter Tosh and Bob Marley, they influenced me to want to share that knowledge on who I am and where I'm from. My music has always been about that and talking about the systems we live in and how they're not engineered to uplift Black people. These are essential themes of reggae music that, over the years, I've embraced," he explains.
He is regarded as a reggae revivalist who helped bridge the generational divide between reggae and dancehall during the reggae revival movement of the 2010s. Formed by a cohort of millennial artists, such as Protoje, Chronixx, Jah 9, and Jesse Royal, the movement sought to make reggae appealing to younger fans by infusing their roots reggae style with dancehall elements. He's since expanded on that style, layering in conscientious lyrics and a rapping cadence inspired by the hip-hop artists he grew up listening to: Wu-Tang Clan, Busta Rhymes, and Black Thought.
Tracks on The Kalling like the Peter Tosh-sampling "Mystik Man" and "Kontraband Pt. 2," featuring reggae scion Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, who also executive produced the album, are "an ode to my love for hip-hop," he says. He enlisted collaborators like Protoje, Black-Am-I, and Jesse Royal on the album's title track, a reggae groove dedicated to Rastafarianism tenets. He recorded most of the album in Miami at Damian Marley's studio, where he also teamed up with new peers like Stephen Marley and Buju Banton, who joined forces with Pyramid on the anticapitalism cut "Faded Away."
"I also recently moved to Florida. One of the reasons was to be closer to the studio with Damian and to work closely together. I had my set up at home, and sometimes I would take the beats we make and carry them back home and do writing at home and some recording," he explains. "I actually received the Grammy for engineering as well as an artist. The main force behind the music was Damian. His guidance and his influence elevated me as a songwriter and as a vocalist, too."
He demonstrates vocal acumen on "Make Things Work" and slithers his way into the good graces of a potential romance on "Mr. Rastaman," featuring dancehall singer Tifa. "Addiction" challenges the dependence on instant gratification from social media, shopping, and sugar, while the roots reggae anthem "Red, Gold, and Green" is an unflinching devotion to Rastafarianism.
"That's the standard I hold myself to," he says of his ideology. "I can't compare myself to others, but it's the same traditions we're carrying on. I would want to have the same impact on these young people's lives that these artists had on my life. That's the greatest compliment I can receive from people that the music changed their lives in a positive way."
Although diverse audiences worldwide have received his uplifting messages, he says reggae is still struggling to connect with a younger generation in Jamaica. Its competition? The new dancehall wave.
"Reggae is in an interesting place right now," he says. "Dancehall is very much at the forefront, and soca is becoming huge. I would love to see more balance as it relates to the masses of the people. I would like to see big parties playing reggae music. We need more young superstars like Koffee to get the youth interested 'cause it feels like reggae is for 35 and up. There's still work to be done."
The 37-year-old hopes reggae regains its luster among younger fans in Jamaica as he continues closing the cultural gap between reggae and dancehall. He revealed he plans to conclude The Kalling's album cycle with a deluxe version set to be released in March. The album will feature remixes with dancehall stars Sean Paul and Rygin King. His latest reggae single, "Start My Day," is set for release on Friday, February 16.
He also doesn't plan to slow down on touring. This year, his global tour includes dates in Hawaii, Mexico, Europe, and the United States. On Saturday, fans in South Florida will experience his renowned band alongside a few surprises.
"It's a high-energy show - very lyrical, very energetic. We always have surprises," he says coyly. "You can expect special guests. It'll be full of vibes. It's message music, but it won't be a laid-back show. It'll be entertaining."
Afro-Carib Festival.With Kabaka Pyramid, Nadine Sutherland, Fireboy DML, and others. 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, February 17, at Miramar Regional Park Amphitheater, 16801 Miramar Pkwy., Miramar; afrocaribfestmiramar.com. Tickets cost between $20 to $150 via ticketmaster.com.
