Tall Rich: Genuine Love, Roots Reggae With Purpose

Fifteen years after the release of his first album Changes, Tall Rich is back with a project shaped by years of recording, travelling, collaborations and, above all, a determination to keep roots reggae carrying a message.

Genuine Love his latest album, brings together 20 tracks recorded across a long period of Tall Rich’s musical journey, drawing on roots reggae, dub and other influences while keeping Rastafari and social consciousness firmly at its heart. Alongside the album comes a new single too, Killa inna Uniform - a track responding directly to events Tall Rich sees unfolding around the world.

For anyone coming across Tall Rich for the first time, though, his introduction to Pauzeradio is much simpler:

“Rasta first, roots reggae singer songwriter, with a bit of jungle,” he tells Pauzeradio. “Born in the East of Jamaica, with a family history embedded in music, I grew up with singers in the family - Nadine Queen, Uplifter - it was a natural progression that I would end up embracing our roots and culture.”

Fifteen Years to Genuine Love

That journey now brings him to Genuine Love, his second album and the follow-up to his 2011 album, Changes. Tall Rich has not been standing still in the years between, recording with different producers, releasing music through compilations and performing internationally.

“From 2011 to now, I love to give the public music with purpose and meaning,” he says.

By 2017, a UK tour alongside Isiah Mentor, Jah Garvey and Jah Topie was followed by shows in Uganda. Then 2020 arrived and, like so many artists, Tall Rich found his plans suddenly stopped.

“Covid came in 2020, and everything was put on hold.”

Recording stopped during lockdown, but the inspiration and writing did not. One of the songs to emerge from that period was Endangered Species, which would eventually become one of the most important tracks on Genuine Love.

The roots of the album stretch back to around 2015. Rastafari Give Us Everything, recorded at Junior Delgado’s studio in Tooting and engineered by Paggy, became one of the tracks that helped shape the project. Most of the songs appeared across different releases and compilations between 2011 and 2026, before Tall Rich eventually decided to bring 20 of them together.

Even the album title changed along the way.

“That album has been in the making from 2015/16 and was originally named Akuna Vita, which means ‘No War’ in Swahili,” Tall Rich explains. “But after sending the tracks to Kris Kemist of Reality Shock Records, he suggested calling the album Genuine Love as it had a wider appeal.”

Asked which song carries particular significance for him, Tall Rich returns to Endangered Species. “It addresses ongoing issues, specifically related to and coming from the plandemic.”

There is little ambiguity in where Tall Rich stands. His music is built around questioning the world, social issues, spreading the message of Rastafari and also what he sees happening around him. At the same time, Genuine Love is not locked into one narrow version of roots reggae.

Jungle Weed of Universal Egg brought a dub influence to Time After Time, while Sierra Leonean artist Afrimaroon collaborated on several tracks. “His vocal style is unique and we collaborated on several tracks on the album - our voices complement each other,” Tall Rich explains.

Ugandan artist Kante brought an Afrobeats element to Miss Uganda, while Bristol singers Sophie-May and Celestine added further variety. Producer Uri Green also produced three tracks after being recommended by Dada Ras Productions, bringing another influence into an album shaped by several different producers and locations.

Music With Something to Say

Tall Rich is already moving forward. His new single, Killa inna Uniform, stands separately from the album and returns directly to the social commentary running throughout his work. He says it was inspired by recent political events in the United States, police brutality and what he describes as inhumane treatment in Gaza, the Caribbean and Africa.

The idea developed after Tall Rich was contacted by Jamaican songwriter Teddy Bradshaw.

“The album was already released and I was contacted by Teddy Bradshaw from Jamaica, an I-dren that gave I the idea,” he explains. “I and Bradshaw used to sing on a sound system outta New Jersey, US, named Emperor Love.”

There was little interest in holding the song back for another album or compilation. “I know this track is a strong standalone track that deserves to be a single rather than waiting for another compilation or LP,” he says. “The public has responded with nuff luv and admiration for it.”

That desire to actually say something is central to Tall Rich’s view of reggae. For him, the music has always been about more than rhythm alone.

“Music speaks a universal language which is played at 432Hz - connecting sounds and human energy as one,” he says. “Reggae music intertwines with that driving force which allows people to be edutained and empowered, giving them a sense of purpose. Being who I am, I will never use this music to mislead or deceive the people - I speak from the heart.”

Rastafari, Livity and Staying True

Rastafari is inseparable from that approach. Tall Rich talks about it not simply in terms of appearance, but through livity and how someone actually conducts themselves.

“Rastafari is the only real people left inna earth right now - not natty head dready but in dem livity as well,” he says. “It is important to embrace who you are and what you stand for. You either stand for something or fall for everything.”

He continues: “The struggles and marginalisation is what keep I focused and on the righteous path. We see and know that if you do as you're told, them they treat you like a puppet, but when you're different they try to stop you in every way possible - the shit-stem is obsessed with control.”

That same refusal to bend runs into his approach to modern reggae. Tall Rich has no intention of changing the foundations of his music simply to follow what is currently fashionable. A view that we fully endorse here on Pauzeradio.

“I have not changed the message in my music or mislead no one,” he says. “Artists can easily get distracted by shiny things but I have stayed true to my roots reggae heritage - you won’t be hearing any autotune on my vocals!”

The Independent Reggae Struggle

His assessment of parts of today’s reggae scene is equally uncompromising. “Too commercialised, too sexual, too degrading,” he says, explaining that this is often the music which receives attention from major radio stations while roots artists carrying a message struggle for equivalent exposure.

He points towards Devon Morgan, Isiah Mentor and Afrimaroon as artists he believes continue to stay true to roots and culture. “There are many artists doing great things and staying true to the roots and culture but they are not getting any mainstream exposure.”

For independent artists, the biggest barrier is often more straightforward. “Money,” Tall Rich says. “To get airtime or any kind of exposure you have to pay, and also there are issues with distribution as it’s hard to find people without ulterior motives.”

After more than a decade between albums, his objective with Genuine Love remains simple. He wants the music to do something beyond simply filling a playlist.

“I want the album to empower the listeners, to help them apply critical thinking to what’s really going on in the world today - to raise awareness and provide music to feed the soul.”

As for what comes next, Tall Rich hopes to take the music further and reach more people through live performance.

“I hope to tour and get my music out to a wider audience, to enable me to continue to write and perform so I can continue to edutain the people.”

That final word probably sums Tall Rich up better than most: entertain, certainly, but educate as well. After all these years, he still sees roots reggae as music with work to do.