● The album title is "LOVE IS THE ANSWER." Can you tell us why you chose this title?
KON KEN: Actually, RYU came up with the title. Before that, we were considering using "YOUTH OF ROOTS" as the album title, just like our band name. But once all the songs were completed and we could see the full picture, RYU felt that "LOVE IS THE ANSWER" was the right title.
KON RYU: As all the songs came together, a theme emerged naturally.
● There are no previously released singles, and aside from the remastered "Jamaican Daughter," all the tracks are newly recorded. Was there a specific reason behind this decision?
KON KEN: We really wanted to release new songs. We did consider compiling some of our previous tracks to create a sense of value, but we felt it was too early for a "best-of" album. So, it was only natural for us to keep pushing forward with new tracks.
Many of these songs were written but never released, like "Revelation," which RYU created during his solo stay in Jamaica two or three years ago, and "ONE PEOPLE," which was written for a video project by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency). We re-arranged and included those as well.
About the Tracks
● Can you tell us about the tracks on the album, starting with the first one, "Deliverman"?
KON RYU: We created the demo track in Japan, then went to 100Studio with Squidly Cole and Flabba Holt to record the basic track. Squidly was the engineer, and we completed the overdubs in Japan afterward. (Squidly is the backing drummer for the Marley family, such as with the Melody Makers, and Flabba Holt is the renowned bassist of Roots Radics.)
● Why did you choose this as the first track?
KON KEN: We didn’t really think about the track order while creating the album. After we finished mixing, We made a playlist on iTunes and decided the order by listening to it. The message "I’ll deliver it to you" reflects the album’s title, so it felt like the perfect way to start.
● Can you tell us about the second track, "One People"?
KON RYU: This song was commissioned by the JICA Youth Volunteers. JICA sends Japanese people around the world to assist and support various communities. For example, at the university I attended in Jamaica, JICA provided air conditioners, and they also sent a Japanese teacher.
After I returned to Japan, I collaborated with the teacher I met in Jamaica, and we were asked to appear in an educational video for JICA. I wrote "One People" for that project. The video was themed around "flowers," and it was used as an educational tool to show how Japanese flowers travel abroad and foreign flowers come to Japan. That’s why the lyrics include "flowers in full bloom."
● Tell us about the third track, "Reggae Music Haffi Play feat. Papa U-Gee, Jr.Dee, Yuten, NANJAMAN." What made you decide to work with Yuten in particular?
KON RYU: I met Yuten recently. I had heard about this 15-year-old who was covering "Strawberry Girl" at live shows, and we met about a year ago. We did a Rub -A-Dub session together, and I thought his original flow was great, so I invited him to collaborate. His parents are also reggae singers, which made me feel a strong connection with him as a fellow artist. He’s now 18, I believe, and we’ve been getting along well recently.
● I love the transition from Papa U-Gee to Jr Dee in the song.
KON KEN: That was a vocal delay effect. Papa U-Gee moved the mic away as he sang, creating that "dun-dun-pan-pan" sound.
KON RYU: We all thought, "That’s fire!"
KON KEN: It was brilliant—really showed his skill. Big up Yaizu Crew, Yaizu Family.
● How about the fourth track, "Revelation feat. Micah Shemaiah"? He’s visited Japan before, right?
KON RYU: Yes, he had, but we made this song before that. I connected with him while I was in Jamaica and asked him to contribute a verse for this track, and we also worked together on the bridge.
Our connection was made at "Jamnesia," a surf camp in Bull Bay, Jamaica, run by Billie Wilmot, the head of the Jamaican Surfing Association and the vocalist of Mystic Revealers. Many musicians gather there, and on Saturday nights, there’s a live show for up-and-coming artists with a live band. Artists like Chronixx, Protoje, Lila Ike, and Jah9 all developed their skills there.
I started attending after being introduced to the place, and that’s where I met Micah Shemaiah. We wrote the lyrics with Billie’s son, Inilek Wilmot, who is also a guitarist.
The title "Revelation" refers to the final book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelation, which also mentions the figure of Haile Selassie. This song reflects that theme.
● Tell us about the fifth track, "Like di Emperor feat. Israel Voice."
KON KEN: Yes, that’s right. He’s now working as a solo artist, but two former Raging Fyah members, Anthoy and Demar, are in his backing band, Original Fyah, and they still perform Raging Fyah's songs.
This track came about because last year, Kumar said he wanted to come to Japan and tour with us. However, due to certain conditions, we couldn’t make it happen. The current roots music scene hadn’t fully spread in Japan at the time. But we’re huge fans of Raging Fyah, and we really wanted to do a tour together, so we decided to collaborate on a song instead, to help spread roots reggae more widely.
We made four tracks in Jamaica and played them for Kumar. He improvised the chorus and verse for the last track, and that’s how the title "RED - Reggae Every Day" came to be. We wrote the Japanese lyrics after returning to Japan and recorded the overdubs. Anthoy (drums) and Demar (keys) helped with the recording. It was fantastic. Big up Original Fyah, Raging Fyah.
● The seventh track, "Wild & Free" is personally one of my favorites. It’s rare to see a roots band do ska, and it really gets the crowd moving at live shows.
KON KEN: The BPM of this track is close to EDM, and it’s a tempo that naturally makes people want to dance. That’s why ska is so captivating. It’s a fairly easy tempo to dance to. RYU wrote this song.
KON RYU: But it was KENTARO who suggested we try doing minor-key ska.
KENTARO: That’s right. Although it ended up sounding completely different from what I had originally imagined.
KON RYU: Yeah, but that made it more interesting.
● Tell us about the eighth track, "Jamaican Daughter (2024 Remaster)."
KON KEN: The original version of this track, with Medz’s mix, became popular in the dancehall scene and was widely appreciated. This song means a lot to us, and we felt strongly that we wanted to perform it with our own band. That’s why we re-recorded it.
KON RYU: Big up Medz!
● Tell us about the ninth track, "Port Antonio."
KON RYU: This song is about long-distance love. In 2016, when we went to Jamaica to record "Theme of Youth of Roots" and "Reggae Man," we recorded this song on the way back in the Bronx, New York, with Jerry Harris from Wackies and the members of Royal Khaoz.
We had already planned to enter the studio with them in New York, so I wrote this song while looking at the scenery of Port Antonio and Ocho Rios in Jamaica. After we recorded the song in New York, I wasn’t satisfied with the result, and I really wanted to re-record the vocals. So, in 2022, we re-recorded it in Jamaica to capture more of the long-distance vibes.
KON KEN: Port Antonio is a town full of memories for me from my younger days. When RYU and I traveled there, we visited some old friends, and the views on the drive back really left an impression. All those memories are reflected in the lyrics.
● Tell us about the tenth track, "Everything Good."
KON RYU: This track was recorded at THE COMPOUND with some of the young, up-and-coming musicians from Jamaica.
It’s a song that reminds me of our trip and reflects our mindset at the time. The session was incredible. The members who participated were amazing: Keneil (BUJU BANTON’s drummer), O'neil (KABAKA PYRAMID’s keyboardist), and Nnamdi (former guitarist of CHRONIXX’s ZINC FENCE REDEMPTION).
Most Jamaican musicians record in one take, so being able to experience that level of skill up close was an incredible learning experience.
KON KEN: Going there with the band, entering the studio, and witnessing how Jamaican musicians work—their vibe, their breathing—was really inspiring. It was like a training session, learning about Jamaican bass and playing styles. Watching them do it perfectly in one take was an incredible experience. It’s something you can only see by going to Jamaica, so it was truly invaluable.
● Lastly, can you tell us about the final track, "Kawa no Nagare" (The River’s Flow)?
KON RYU: This song was created naturally at our lodging, with everyone together. We were chanting and meditating, and the song was born from that.
There was a room at the inn where we’d eat, and we were having a meeting in the courtyard when we started talking about how we needed a "Heartbeat" kind of song. That’s when KON KEN came up with the melody. He played it and said, "Let’s go with this one," and it just flowed from there. While thinking about the lyrics, we all worked on it together, and within about two days, the song was finished naturally.
● So the songwriting process starts naturally?
KON KEN: Songs like this can only be created when inspiration flows. When the vision suddenly comes down, it gets input, and then we can output it.
KON RYU: Yeah, we finalized the lyrics through talking with everyone.
KON KEN: It’s a really popular song.
Future Plans
● Can you share your future plans?
KON KEN: This isn’t really band-related, but I want to organize a dance event where everyone can step to reggae music. I personally love dancing, but there aren’t many people dancing in places like bars or dancehalls. I think dancing together is really fun.
In South Africa, the "Kebra Ethiopia Sound System" does line dancing, and at Kingston Dub Club, it’s almost like a Japanese "bon dance". I want to create a place where people can learn the steps step by step and eventually everyone is dancing.
Ultimately, I’d love to have a sound system and make it a full-fledged event where people can showcase the steps they’ve learned. There are a lot of hip-hop dance teams out there, but I’d like to create a reggae version, something like a "bon dance" where everyone can have fun dancing together. I’ve already started reaching out to people who might want to collaborate.
I want to spread the roots culture through dance and have fun while doing it. I believe the message will get across that way. The ideal would be to share a space where people can connect with both sound and meditation.
KON RYU: We’ve already started brainstorming ideas and recording dub tracks that are easy to dance to, with this in mind. All the members are on board, so we want to make this a reality as soon as possible.
● It seems like your music is gaining listeners overseas too.
KON KEN: Yes, that’s right. Our tracks have appeared on charts in Asia and South America, and "Strawberry Girl" has become popular in Hawaii and Canada. In the Czech Republic, "Step Outta Babylonia" even hit number one. I think the reason we’re getting this kind of worldwide attention is that we’re doing straight-up reggae. That’s the power of reggae.
KON RYU: In the future, we want to perform live not just in Japan, but overseas as well.
Message to the Fans
KENTARO: We hope to reach more places in Japan, including the ones we didn’t get to visit during our solo tour.
KON RYU: We are deeply grateful to everyone who’s been supporting us. We’ll continue delivering reggae music, so thank you in advance for your continued support.
KIWAMU: I’m aware that many people don’t know about me yet, but I feel that YOUTH OF ROOTS’ message is something needed in today’s world. Roots music helps us return to our true nature as human beings, and I hope we can continue to deepen that message.
SATOSHI: I love every single one of YOUTH OF ROOTS’ songs, so I’d be thrilled if people could listen to them over and over again.
KON KEN: The future keeps coming every day. I truly hope that everyone finds happiness. I believe that’s what will lead to One Love. Let’s pray for peace with strong hearts full of love. One Love, Jah Rastafari.