Back2MyRoots Festival: A Reggae Experience for Music Lovers
The aim is to create a Reggae experience that showcases the authentic reggae bands.
– Solly Malatsi
Back in 2013 Reggae practitioner and Events organiser Solly Malatsi conceived the Back2MyRoots festival as an all rounded Reggae experience, an event boasting a tapestry of a creative platform which connects reggae culture, talented bands with a trendy urban market. As someone who has been actively involved in the Reggae scene for over a decade (People of The Sun Events, Reggae Cookout, Reggae Camping, Rasta Got Soul Magazine, Reggae Talks with Solly Malatsi) he had a vision of what and how he wanted to execute this festival. An urban Reggae experience that captures the vibe and combines various elements of Reggae and creates an atmosphere of attracting a diverse audience. The choice of the venue – Soweto Backpackers with a spectacular outdoor setting that includes a camping site, community garden, open-air bar – added the ambience that complimented his vision. With no sponsorship nor funding, Back2MyRoots lived up to its vision and in its first edition hosted a stellar line up of artist, with the focus on live Bands from across the country which included Sista Roots from PE, Undivided Roots Band from Kwa Zulu province, Jeremiah Fyah Ises, Black Kalamawi from Cape Town, Sandy Orace the Prophet, The Macabees Band, DJ Okapi and many more
A self funded project that ran intermittently for 8 years returns this year having secured the support from SAMPRA – a collective management organisation that administers Needle-time Rights on behalf of recording artists and record labels. This translate into the festival getting bigger and the line-up spruced up with guest appearances of big names and the addition of more DJ’s who will keep the vibes going, during the networking sessions and the market experience before the live sets kick in. The uniqueness and highlight of this festival lies in the number of authentic Reggae Bands from across the country that are invited, bands that usually do not get to be considered on the line up of most events. South Africa does have quite a number of Reggae Bands that play Real good Reggae and this is what any music lover appreciates, Live music with Good vibes. This is what makes it the Reggae Experience for music Lovers. With enough funding Back2MyRoots fest may very well be The platform for Players of Instruments to showcase their creative sounds. Other artists and bands that have graced the stages of Back2MyRoots Fest includes: Skank and The Roots from Port Elizabeth, MadKind Band, Meesh Mash Band, Fyah Ises and The Situation Band, 2021 SAMA Nominee FREEKY, RAsekgantsho and Soweto’s favourite Lover Boy, Momo Dread.
Special Guest Appearances
This year’s festival has an extra special added flavour of Hip Hop and Afro Soul Sounds in the form of two highly rated exceptional guests. The multifaceted Hip-hop curator and Back to the City (Africa’s biggest Hip Hop event) organiser Osmic Menoe will get behind the decks to showcase his DJ skills guest appearing as Ace of Spades.
The South African Music Award-nominated composer, singer-songwriter Msaki from East London will bless the festival with her sound that combines soulful folk with symphonic movements, Xhosa lyrics and African poly-rhythms. She plays with an ever-evolving and expanding band of incredible musicians from different musical backgrounds and this time around, for the first time she will dip into Reggae at Back2MyRoots Fest 2022.
The DJ Line up boasts seasoned DJ’s like Dubai based Jezz De Don Dada, Soweto’s favourite Tag Team Coppashot and Bobotikal, The Lady of Dub Skadodubs, The Brothers from the East Gigs & Taxido, Da Big Man from Vaal DJ Pepe, Gaza Skull and more.
This years Fest will be held on April 30, 2022 at Lebo’s Soweto Back Packers with festivities starting from 15:00 with an affordable entry fee of R50. Full Line up and details @Back2MyRootsfest
FACEBOOK : @BACK2MYROOTSFEST
FACEBOOK : MALATSI SOLLY
#BACK2MYROOTSFEST