Roots reggae singer Jesse Royal says the impact reggae music has had on the world can never be erased.

Speaking with the Jamaica Observer in a recent interview, the Modern Day Judas singer sought to remind his colleagues how influential the genre is while urging them to use their platforms for upliftment.

“Artistes in reggae need to be more active and the presentation of reggae need fi up. Remember say is not dancehall start Reggae Sumfest, and is not dancehall start Reggae Sunsplash. If you look at the origin of half of these shows in Jamaica that have stood the test of time, dem foundation is reggae,” he said.

“Reggae music is a trance, a feeling. There’s nothing like it and what its impact is and what it does. That can’t rub out, it can’t dilute. Sometimes the people dem lost them way or dem turn dem head, but at some point in time dem haffi forward back,” he continued.

Outlining that foundation artistes understood their assignment as messengers, Jesse Royal said artistes need to take their role as ambassadors more seriously.

“Back in the day, the music did have a whole heap a ambassadors. We need all our artistes to be artistes and represent the culture because there is nothing like it. It’s like when you see all a Sandals or certain brands out there. I mean, when you realise that Sandals is not just a hotel but it is something that encapsulates or represents Jamaica, Jamaican principles, wi culture, and the way how we see hospitality, when yah walk through London and see something wid a big Sandals, yuh feel proud. We need more of those things in the arts and music,” the singer said. “If yuh nah help fi build up things and yuh nah help fi fix things as an artiste, a better yuh just siddung and shut up. Nuh badda blame no Government, nuh badda blame no police, nuh blame no soldier. If you nah do your very best fi change the country inna whatever frame you have, don’t blame nobody.”

The entertainer also used the opportunity to challenge his fellow countrymen to strike a balance between practices of the past and present. Using the reverence Jamaicans use to have for their Sundays as example, Jesse Royal says people have strayed too far from certain ‘sacred practices’.

“Balance is important because even as youths, when we a grow up, as much as we woulda listen certain music and go through certain vibes everyday, Sunday was still a very sacred day. Now think about it. Look pan di Jamaica we a live inna now. Sunday morning a man still get up and chip the biggest bad word,” he shared. “Once upon a time when you wake up pan Sunday morning yah hear Chevelle Frankin or some different people, but mi just a show yuh say yuh can’t just say things change and not realise the things that are changing. We haffi balance out the thing again man.”