reggae
St Lucia by way of New York, New York
Reggae was created and taken around the world by outspoken iconoclasts. Taj Weekes is right at home in that tradition as he upholds the music’s deep roots while expanding its topical reach. The prolific songwriter and activist’s goal is “to make music for you to dance to while we’re telling you something at the same time.”
The reggae beat, slow and steady like the human heartbeat, has roots in Jamaica’s indigenous folk percussion and the religious drumming known as nyahbingi. Reggae also drew from mento, a Jamaican folk music closely related to Trinidadian calypso, and from two popular homegrown dance styles, ska and rock steady, both influenced by American R&B and jump blues. In the volatile political climate of the 1960s, these musical antecedents fused with the social activism and spiritual consciousness of Rastafarianism to produce reggae. Rastafarianism developed among the island’s poor beginning in the 1930s. Rastas believed in the divine nature of Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, and revitalized Pan-African nationalism throughout the island.
Weekes grew up on the island of St. Lucia, started singing in church at the age of five, and by 11 was writing his own songs. Music was ever-present at home, with the radio a source of untold treasures, playing R&B, soul, jazz, and more. St. Lucians are also known for their love of country and western music. “Those are all rooted in storytelling,” points out Taj. His brother’s immersion in Rastafari inspired a similar spiritual awakening in Weekes, and a move to New York City introduced him to that city’s active reggae scene. Weekes named his band, Adowa, after an 1896 battle where Ethiopians defeated an invading Italian force.
Taj has attracted notice for his unique, ethereal voice, and for lyrics that address topics rarely heard in modern reggae: respect for the LGBTQ community, environmental issues, and the rights of Indigenous communities. “If we’re taking a holistic approach, if one of my brothers is affected, so am I,” he explains.
In 2021, after more than 15 years with Adowa, Weekes relaunched his career as a solo artist. He also released Pause, the first of a planned trilogy of albums written during the pandemic. The album’s deep social commentary touches on themes like isolation, racial justice, and equity, with lyrics that explore how the pandemic impacted those in the Caribbean and Africa. “We as reggae artists are supposed to be the town criers, the ones informing the people of what is happening, and I try to be as true to the art form as I can be,” says Weekes. “It was the most consequential year of my life. I couldn’t have imagined music coming to a standstill, but what we do as artists is translate what is happening into music that people can understand.”
An unwavering humanitarian, Weekes founded the They Often Cry Outreach charity to improve the lives of disadvantaged children around the world; he was appointed a UNICEF Champion for Children for his efforts. He was also recently named a Goodwill Ambassador for St. Lucia. During the pandemic, the charity’s endeavors included funding flights home for St. Lucian students stranded abroad, food relief, and purchasing tablets for school children who needed them for remote learning.