Reggae Royalty at Cali Roots 2024

The word and concept of “roots” means different things to different people. When I think of roots music, my own musical point of reference calls in conscious reggae by mostly Jamaican artists. But when it comes to the California Roots Festival, colloquially called “Cali Roots,” it’s as much about the Cali as it is the roots.

As this year’s lineup came out, there was plenty of chatter on social media. People were mostly excited as the acts began being publicized, occasionally disappointed when their favorites weren’t announced, and downright confused about the inclusion of some. And it can feel confusing. What glue could possibly hold together musical acts ranging from reggae royalty like Burning Spear, Kabaka Pyramid, and not one, not two, but three Marley brothers, to artists in various rock subgenres, to explicit rappers like Too $hort? What exactly is Cali Roots all about?

Well, there are a few ways to look at it.

One way to conceptualize the meaning of Cali Roots is in the fact that California has been at the forefront of the legalization of cannabis, being the first state in the US to allow medical cannabis in 1996. While there has never been a shortage of ganja smoking patrons throughout the years, this year brought the first ever “Smoke Show,” an immersive cannabis experience, to the festival. It is safe to say that weed smoking is a huge part of the culture of the festival.

Many hear Cali Roots and think of the thriving California reggae scene, which includes a subgenre known as Reggae Rock or Cali Reggae. These artists and their fans make up the largest contingent of the festival. Los-Angeles-based Arise Roots opened on Friday afternoon with an energy and positivity reminiscent of more traditional roots music, reminding the audience to “Live Today”. Fan favorite Rebelution closed out the festival on Sunday.

Another definition of Cali Roots might be artists born and raised in California. Hip hop artists Living Legends and Souls of Mischief fit that bill. Rappers Too Short, E-40, and Ice Cube, while not at all falling into the category of conscious music that many associate with the descriptor “roots”, are rooted in California and therefore attracted huge crowds that were thrilled to rhyme along to these old school favorites.

A final interpretation of Cali Roots, and the draw for yet another set of music lovers, is a roots reggae festival… in California. For these festivalgoers, and I count myself among them, the pinnacle of the three days were the sets by reggae greats Burning Spear, Damian and Stephen Marley (as Traffic Jam), Ziggy Marley, and Kabaka Pyramid.

A great start to the festival, early on the first day, a notably beaming Kabaka Pyramid and the Bebble Rockers band brought their tight set of hits to a crowd excited to start the festivities off right. The onstage rapport between these musicians is always a pleasure to witness. One can tell that they truly love what they do – and that love is contagious, energizing the audience with positivity.

On the last set of day one, Ziggy Marley gave a strong and stirring performance to an enraptured crowd. As a light but steady rain fell, he sang of human rights, justice, and love in what felt at once like an echo – even a channeling – of his father – yet still authentically his own.

On day two, Burning Spear was, as ever, commanding in both presence and word. The audience, blessed to see this legend live, understood they bore witness to greatness.

Damian and Stephen Marley’s band, Traffic Jam, closed the show Saturday night with an explosive energy that was unmatched. The music, vocals, arrangements and visuals were flawless and the unwavering exhilaration taking place onstage was irresistible. Thousands of festivalgoers were fully immersed in the experience, singing, dancing, exalted. As the set seemed to be ending, and the crowd roared for more, Traffic Jam went into an encore that was as long as another full set. No one could have left that night feeling uninspired.

While Jamaican reggae artists made up only four acts in a lineup of 30, their energy and caliber clearly represented the cultural foundation of the festival. Similar to the way the festival’s land acknowledgment recognizes it is held on ancestral territories, the absolute essential contribution of Jamaican music and culture – including its very early messaging of the benefits of cannabis – is evident throughout. Without it, Cali Roots would mean something entirely different indeed.

California is the most diverse of all the fifty United States. What Cali Roots seems to boil down to is the ambitious attempt of its organizers to provide a little something for everyone – and they succeed in doing just that. You will find people of all ages (from babies to great grandparents), colors, tastes, and walks of life fulljoying themselves every year. And because of the musical diversity the festival brings, throngs of diehard fans and new concertgoers alike will continue to flock to the beach town of Monterey every year to take part in this beautiful multi-day expression of music, art, community, positivity… and ganja.