{"id":113765,"date":"2016-12-03T14:07:01","date_gmt":"2016-12-03T19:07:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kingston12.net\/?p=113765"},"modified":"2022-11-22T16:19:04","modified_gmt":"2022-11-22T21:19:04","slug":"dubtonic-kru-the-dub-project-that-became-a-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/2016\/12\/03\/dubtonic-kru-the-dub-project-that-became-a-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"DUBTONIC KRU: The Dub Project that Became a Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When <strong>DUBTONIC KRU<\/strong> was awarded the <strong><em>BEST NEW BAND IN THE WORLD <\/em><\/strong>title for 2010-2011 ahead of several hundred of their contemporaries who entered the Global Battle of the Bands competition in Malaysia in February 2011, very few people outside Jamaica and Europe new the name \u2013 irrespective of the fact that the band had been creating and play roots reggae music for several years. Since then they have toured more cities in the US and Europe than any other reggae band in recent memory. In the two years after winning the competition (2012 -2013), the band averaged 65 dates per year touring the United States, Europe and Asia. In 2014-2015, the band went back into the studio to produce new music. Thus they averaged approximately half the number of tour dates compared to the previous two years.<br \/>\nLike the famous reggae music duo Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare (Sly &amp; Robbie), the \u201cheart and soul\u201d of the band are college mates and founding members Deleon \u201cJubba\u201d White on drums and Strickland \u201cStone\u201d Stone on bass.<\/p>\n<p>These two met while attending the Edna Manley College of Music in Kingston, Jamaica from 1994 \u2013 1997. The duo have been together for approximately sixteen years \u2013 gaining more than ten years of early experience touring and recording (like Sly &amp; Robbie) with several artists like Max Romeo, U-Roy, Burning Spear, The Mighty Diamonds, Bushman, Junior Kelly, Richie Spice and Lutan Fyah. During this period they were also the architects of the famous computer-based \u201cI Swear\u201d rhythm that featured multiple artists \u2013 including Richie Spice, Chuck Fender, and reggae culture warrior \u2013 Sizzla Kalonji.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-113766 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Dubtonis-Kru-2-1.jpg\" alt=\"dubtonis-kru-2\" width=\"262\" height=\"192\" \/><br \/>\nThe name Dubtonic comes from consolidation of two terms: <strong>\u00a0Dub<\/strong> \u2013 a reference reserved for the heavy drum and bass of reggae music. It is commonly considered a sub-genre and today extend beyond the scope of reggae with the work of artists such as Osbourne \u201cKing Tubby\u201d Ruddock, Lee \u201cScratch\u201d Perry, Neil Joseph \u201cMad Professor\u201d Fraser and more recently \u2013 electronic sampler, Major Lazar. The second component of the name comes from the word <strong>Tonic<\/strong> \u2013 a kind of refreshing, invigorating, restorative agent, food or medicine that improves one\u2019s health and well-being.<\/p>\n<p>The group really blossomed as a hard core roots reggae band in the past eight years with the addition of guitarist\/vocalist Omar \u201cJallanzo\u201d Johnson, Luke Dixon &#8211; work station\/keyboard and Horace \u201cKamau\u201d Morgan (<em>the quite warrior<\/em>) &#8211; vocals\/percussion**. The group graduated from backing band to producers of some of the most conscious, thought-provoking lyrics backed by the kind of rhythm\/dub section that is comparable to the music played by mentors like Lloyd Knibbs, Jackie Jackson and Jah Jerry (original Skatalites) in the 1970s.The music that cemented Jamaica on the world stage as the birthplace of reggae music and the \u201cloudest little island\u201d on earth.<\/p>\n<p>Their musical contributions over the years have earned them a <strong>US Congressional <em>Proclamation<\/em><\/strong><em> \u2013 presented by Congresswoman Yvette Clarke; a <\/em><strong>Simba Award<\/strong> from the Coalition for Preservation of Reggae Music (CPR) and a <strong>People\u2019s Choice Award \u2013 <\/strong>presented by <em>Jamaica\u2019s Star \u2013 <\/em>the sole afternoon news paper in the country<em>. <\/em>Dubtonic Kru is totally committed to raising the bar in reggae music at a time when reggae fans and supporters all over the world are questioning Jamaica\u2019s commitment to maintaining both the content standard and musical quality that Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Third World, Desmond Dekker and others employed to put Jamaica on the map.<br \/>\nAmong the band\u2019s releases to date are the following CDs:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Everlasting Love<br \/>\n<\/strong><strong>Dub Conscious<br \/>\n<\/strong><strong>Dubtonic Kru<br \/>\n<\/strong><strong> Evolution<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In addition, they have released a number of singles \u2013 including the mega hit \u201cMurder\u201d. More information on the band, including their latest touring schedule, is available on their website at: \u00a0<u><a href=\"http:\/\/dubtonickru.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">dubtonickru.com\u00a0<\/a><br \/>\n<\/u><br \/>\n** Horace \u201cKamau\u201d Morgan (<em>the quite warrior<\/em>), vocalist and percussionist recently resumed his solo recording career (which he placed \u201con hold\u201d when he joined the band in 2006) under the recording name Kamau Imhotep. His latest single <em>Jah Jah Soldier<\/em> is making waves on Jamaican radio and on international charts \u2013 including on the Kingston12.net new music playlist.<br \/>\nFans and other readers of this article can also connect with the \u201cKru\u201d at:<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/dubtonickru\"><strong>twitter.com\/dubtonickru<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/dubtonickrupage\"><strong>facebook.com\/dubtonickrupage<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/dubtonic-kru\"><strong>soundcloud.com\/dubtonic-kru<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/instagram.com\/dubtonickru\"><strong>instagram.com\/dubtonickru<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When DUBTONIC KRU was awarded the BEST NEW BAND IN THE WORLD title for 2010-2011 ahead of several hundred of their contemporaries who entered the Global Battle of the Bands competition in Malaysia in February 2011, very few people outside Jamaica and Europe new the name \u2013 irrespective of the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":113766,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[59,180,128,143,152],"tags":[341],"class_list":["post-113765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artists","category-dub","category-reggae","category-ska","category-the-lesser-known-giants","tag-dubtonic-kru"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Dubtonis-Kru-2-1.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":115663,"url":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/2026\/01\/28\/the-echo-in-the-machine-how-ai-redefined-the-music-industry\/","url_meta":{"origin":113765,"position":0},"title":"The Echo in the Machine: How AI Redefined the Music Industry","author":"Sydney","date":"January 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"For decades, the music industry has navigated digital disruptions\u2014from the MP3, the shift away from large production studios to the streaming revolution. However, 2025 has brought a new evolution: Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is no longer a futuristic concept. It has become a foundational element of the music industry,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Technology&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Technology","link":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/category\/articles\/technology-articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AI-Music-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AI-Music-2.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AI-Music-2.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AI-Music-2.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":115377,"url":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/2025\/10\/11\/mental-health-challenges-in-the-caribbean\/","url_meta":{"origin":113765,"position":1},"title":"Mental Health Challenges in the Caribbean","author":"Sydney","date":"October 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Caribbean is facing a growing mental health crisis. 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It\u2019s time to break the stigma, fund mental health care, and give our communities the support\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Articles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Face-of-Mental-Health-2-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Face-of-Mental-Health-2-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Face-of-Mental-Health-2-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Face-of-Mental-Health-2-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Face-of-Mental-Health-2-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/The-Face-of-Mental-Health-2-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":115648,"url":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/2026\/01\/28\/digital-ids-transforming-identity-in-a-digital-world\/","url_meta":{"origin":113765,"position":2},"title":"Digital IDs: Transforming Identity in a Digital World","author":"Sydney","date":"January 28, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Digital identification systems, commonly referred to as \"digital IDs,\" are poised to revolutionize how individuals authenticate themselves in an increasingly interconnected society. As governments, businesses, and international organizations modernize their services, digital IDs are emerging as a fundamental tool for secure, efficient, and inclusive identity management. What Is a Digital\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;International&quot;","block_context":{"text":"International","link":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/category\/news\/international-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Digital-ID-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Digital-ID-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Digital-ID-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Digital-ID-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113765"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":114958,"href":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113765\/revisions\/114958"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/113766"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kingston12.net\/2020\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}