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June 2, 2025 42 mins

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Hector Roots Lewis shares the fascinating path that led him from being a touring drummer to emerging as a compelling reggae solo artist. Born to a recording artist mother, Lewis was immersed in music from his earliest days, eventually studying at Jamaica's prestigious Edna Manley College before embarking on an extensive touring career with Chronixx Zinc Fence Redemption band that spanned over a decade.

Lewis opens up about the transformative experience of portraying Carlton Barrett in the "Bob Marley: One Love" film, revealing how stepping into the legendary drummer's shoes deepened his understanding of Bob Marley's revolutionary approach to music and business. "Bob is our overall inspiration," Lewis reflects, explaining how Marley's unwavering purpose and bravery in breaking new ground have profoundly shaped his own artistic vision.

The conversation takes a particularly illuminating turn when Lewis discusses his new album "Cosmic Roots," a collaboration with producer Johnny Cosmic that represents a significant evolution in his sound. Unlike previous projects, Lewis played multiple instruments throughout the recording process, bringing his percussionist expertise to the forefront while crafting songs that flow intentionally from introspective reflections on pandemic isolation to celebratory expressions of Jamaican party culture. 

Highlighting tracks like "Peace of Mind" and "Strength" and it's intentional connecting with listeners navigating their own challenges. His thoughtful approach to crafting not just songs but complete musical experiences reveals why Lewis has successfully made the leap from supporting player to compelling frontman worthy of a proppa listen.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Mikelah (00:03):
Hello everyone and welcome to another edition of
the Style and Vibes podcast withyours truly Makayla.
If you are new here, welcome tothe family.
If you are returning, welcomeback family.
Today we are talking to a musicartist.
You guys know how much I lovemusic, reggae music, that's how
I feel with ting.
And today we are talking toHector Roots Lewis and he has an

(00:27):
album out which we are going totalk about.
But we have to talk about yourjourney.
I really want to start from thebeginning.
So, welcome to the family.

Hector Roots Lewis (00:34):
No, no, you're a family member, you know
no man give thanks for theinvitation, michaela, you know
absolutely, absolutely.

Mikelah (00:42):
well, tell me how you got started in music, like.
Tell me about your background,where you grew up, your family
life, more talk, all otherthings, then yeah, well, the
music journey started for me ata tender age.

Hector Roots Lewis (00:55):
You know, my mother is also a recording
artist.
She passed away a few years agobut she used to sing and record
music and put out music.
So we always grew up hearingher sing songs.
We always hear her songs on TVand on the radio, so we always
had it around us.
No-transcript music.

(01:45):
Like there is a competitioncalled the JCBC festival, and I
mean it expands to like variouslevels of competition.
But in the high school I used todo that a lot, a lot, until, um
, after high school I went tothe Edna Manley College of
Visual and Performing Arts whereI decided to study to be a
teacher and a performer andthat's where I learned like drum

(02:09):
set and percussion and, youknow, strengthening the vocals.
And then, right after that, Istarted like doing local gigs
with bands, you know, in and outof college.
And then in 2012, I went on myfirst tour with sharon anderson
as a drummer and I did that fora little while.

(02:29):
And then in 2013, that's when Imet chronix and I toured with
him extensively for like 10 plusyears.
That's like that.
That touring stage was thehighlight moment of me as a
musician, you know, touring withsuch a prolific artist, and I
mean in between, touring withhim.
I was playing for other knownnames, you know what I mean Like

(02:50):
, from the Beelymans toeverybody you can think about
Christopher Martin, romain Verga, everybody but I was still also
working with Chronic, alsoworking with, like Habakkuk,
jesse Royal, just on one halfstuff, you know.
Know, it wasn't until around2016 where I really got into
songwriting, you know, and um,chronix used to always encourage

(03:12):
us in the band, you know.
You know write songs, you know,even though you know we're more
focused on our instrument thatwas playing and our role.
So it kind of got me tothinking and he's one of the
inspiration towards mysongwriting until like 2020,
when the world stopped.
That's when I got really,really serious and, yeah, I, you
know, wrote some songs with aproducer by the name of jll.

(03:36):
He sent me some rhythms and Iwrote to them and we didn't have
in mind to do an ep, but iteventually built to that and,
yeah, the rest is history.
After that ep, then now thealbum.

Mikelah (03:48):
So yeah, how would you say you have grown like?
You've already had such anextensive career, from being a
singer as a young person, goinginto the band and touring life
and now putting out your ownmusic.
You've had such a vastexperience, what was like some

(04:09):
of the most interesting.
I know you talked about, youknow, your time touring with
Chronix as being inspirational,but what really was that pivotal
moment that you're like, yeah,I'm gonna put out music, my own
music it was more like lookingback at the different things
that was happening, like, forexample, when we did the NPR

(04:32):
Tiny Desk.

Hector Roots Lewis (04:34):
If you look on that yeah, if you look on
that a lot of the comments werelike speaking about me.
So you know, like I said, 2020,I believe, was the reflective
time for me to be like, you know, let's really look into making
records.
You know what I mean, like forreal, because 2016, I was making
records and doing records rightand I was writing and

(04:55):
everything, because I can'treally say I didn't really take
it serious.
I've been taking it serious,but I think in 2021, I got
signed and you know, fordistribution and thing, and I
think that's where it kind ofgot more serious from to like
try and make songs that canactually match the level I was

(05:19):
at, you know.
But the tiny desk definitely wasan encouragement and just like
everywhere I went, I meanlocally, I would sing at
different what I say nowlocations that have like jam
session and live music and it'sjust a reception from everybody.

(05:39):
It, you know, professionally byyou know, you know, having a
little team with you, havingcertain subscriptions and
applications that make theartist brand more accessible and
more marketable in the space.
You know, and I feel like it'sjust, it's just my love for

(06:00):
music if I want to put it in anutshell that really kind of
pushed me to really, you know,take songwriting and being an
artist very, very, very serious,you know, outside of working in
a band.
So, you know, I've always seenit, though, like I've always had
good feedback with my vocalsand, yeah, work with a lot of

(06:21):
people over the years to before,even know, you know that really
helped me to from 2016 to now.

Mikelah (06:28):
So not only were you touring with Chronix, but you
also stepped in to fill in forTribal Seed while their leader
was taking a hiatus.
What was that like, and how didthat come about?

Hector Roots Lewis (06:47):
hiatus.
What was that like and how didthat come about?
Well, they had reached out tous again, you know, based on
just seeing me perform andseeing performances on youtube,
and you know, um, they told meabout the situation and at the
time I really, myself and myteam, really thought it was a
good idea and a good venture togo on, because now it wasn't
only replacing him, it was achance for me to enter a new

(07:08):
market, a market that I've neverentered as a solo artist.
I probably played, as you know,in band and stuff.
So it was, you know, it was.
It was great.
It was nerve-wracking, becausehere I am stepping into a space
that everybody know, that leadsinger, and they didn't really
know about me and what I can doas a lead singer.
But with every show, you know,we changed the minds of the

(07:32):
people.
With every show, every show,everybody was like this is what
you know the vibe is and youknow, good replacement for Steve
Vai and just everything.
Everything was good, step bystep and just everything.
Everything was good, step bystep, show by show.
It was great.
It also gave me the chance tosee the type of work that it
takes to be a frontman and Ithink I'm still learning about

(07:55):
that each and every day.
Every time you go out there,it's really really different.
You know you're really in thespotlight and the amount of eyes
that are on you or the amountof ears that's listening to you,
you know it's just a differentmindfulness that you have to
have.
It showed me that you have toalways, if anything, be as

(08:18):
steady as you can in your mind,in your heart, in your vocal.
You understand to deliver inyour lead singer roles.
So I was really happy to gothrough that.
Even before going on tour as asolo artist, I was happy to get
that training ground with theTribal Seeds Brothers.

(08:38):
They've always supported thejourney.
It was great man.
It was great to do that.

Mikelah (08:43):
Yeah, it seems like you're.
You could probably give goodadvice on maintaining
relationships in the in theindustry, because I think you
know not only are you talentedand aligned with the right
people, but I think peopleforget that part of the music
business and that music is aboutthe feeling and a lot of times

(09:05):
that comes through buildingrelationships with people either
on tour or being in similarspaces.
Talk to me about how you'vekind of maintained and built
those relationships over theyears in the business.

Hector Roots Lewis (09:19):
I mean, you know we give thanks for the
music because that's where itstarts a lot of the times, if
not all the time.
So I think you know making goodmusic and also you know trying
to keep the basis of humilityand just being yourself and not
allowing the business or theindustry or whatever it is to

(09:44):
kind of take over your mind andchange into a different person.
I'm a social person withborders, you know, and things,
but I'm a social person.
I try to make people feelwelcome, to be able to talk to
me and, like I said, the musiconce you hear it, once you start
talking, be like yo, I heard asong or you have music.

(10:04):
So I try to do that.
You know respect at the basisof everything you know to each
and everyone.
It don't matter if I don't knowthe artist or if streaming is
that or whatever, because at theend of the day you just never
know.
And even outside of that, Ithink it's just something that
we just have to do.
It helps me to maintain andremain the way I was before I

(10:33):
became a pro or before I wentprofessional.
You know when it was just doingit for the love of the thing,
when you know it was a joy tojust find another creative like
yourself in the space and justmake music with them.
And it's a hard thing tobalance.
Of course you're trying towatch quality control and all of
that, but that's the way I doit, you know.
Yeah, continue to work withdifferent musicians from all

(10:53):
over the world.
I'm never afraid to tap into anew market either.
You know, never, never, neverafraid to do that because at the
end of the day, the music won'treach there unless you do it.
I mean, some people'ssituations are different.
Some people just blow up rightaway and even then you still
have to make that very um,clinical and very like

(11:15):
intentional move to enter thesemarkets, to speak to these
people, to collaborate withthese people.
You know, that was anotherhighlight with tribal seeds,
where, you know we, we felt likeit was good if we, if we, did a
song together while doing thiswhole movement and it worked.
It's almost like three years,four years now, since the song

(11:36):
has been out and it hasdefinitely been one of the
pillars to help my career tostay relevant and active among
the other songs that I've done.
So, yeah, you just have to keepit ironed and just be flexible
and have an open mind.
You know what I?

Mikelah (11:57):
mean yeah.
So not only are you a talentedmusician, but you are now an
actor.
You were in the I don't know ifthat was your first role, but
you played Carlton Barrett inthe Bob Marley One Love movie.

Hector Roots Lewis (12:13):
Yeah, yeah man.

Mikelah (12:14):
Tell me about that experience for you.

Hector Roots Lewis (12:17):
Yeah, so it's my first role in a film.
I've done theater acting when Iwas younger, you know church
plays, you know high schooltheater plays, even college
theater plays.
I did a musical once.
But the experience for thatwhoa, you know, out of body,
just surreal.
You know meeting professionalactors, you know the crew, the

(12:42):
different equipment.
You know it was 15 hours a day,but I was really honored, you
know, to be a storyteller of astory.
That is from where I'm from andI think that's the real special
thing about it and it was one ofthe moments that drove me to
see what I could really do.
And since that I know I can doanything, you know, because to

(13:08):
study for a role and to try tobring that to life is just not
the easiest thing.
And acting on screen also isdifferent from acting on stage,
you know.
So that was also a differenttype of experience, but it was
all around good.
I was always excited, I wasalways motivated.
You know the Marley familyreally welcomed us.

(13:30):
You know Ziggy and Steven andSadella, they really welcomed us
to be a part of the story andthe director, ronaldo, you know,
also made it what I say now acollective experience that
nobody felt lesser than anybody.
And I know that you knowHollywood acting, it can be a

(13:52):
little bit strenuous, but itwasn't as strenuous as I thought
it would be.
So that was great.
Yeah, kingsley Ben-Adir you know, that's one of my good brethren
, since the movie gave me a lotof encouragement.
He's also a brilliant actor inmy eyes and, yeah, the whole
thing was great, man.
I think it was great thatJamaica got a little spotlight.
I think it was great that we'reable to also film in Jamaica

(14:16):
around the people, actual spacesthat Bob went, actual spaces
that Carly went.
And to be able to do a LApremiere you know movie premiere
, you know what I mean to beable to be a part of a movie
that won a BET award, that gotnominated for what is that?
The NWACP, that's what, yeah,you know.

(14:39):
So it's just the whole thingbeing great man.
It's one of those long lasting,forever prosperous moments that
I'll always have, and I'm happythat I was able to do it.
I was chosen to do it and, yeah, I'm looking into doing more
film.

Mikelah (14:58):
Now being on set and even you know we grew up with
Bob Marley we hear the music andthe catalog Doing that.
Did it change your perspectivein terms of the catalog and your
connection to Bob Marley as anartist, like, did it change you,

(15:19):
give you a differentperspective, inspire you?
I'm just curious.

Hector Roots Lewis (15:24):
Definitely you know Bob Marley is such a
brave and purposeful artist.
Give you a differentperspective, inspire you.
I'm just curious.
Definitely you know Bob Marleyis such a brave and purposeful
artist that you know I've alwayswatched documentaries with
other artists.
But to be so close and to be soin-depth with the story you
know the things he did, you knowit definitely inspired me, man.
You know I'm even trying toalign everything in my head to
how it inspired me.
But you know the Exodus album.

(15:46):
You know when you listen tothat album and just the stories
and how that project was made,you know it just shows the
depths of Bob and, like I said,the bravery and, like I said
earlier, that intentionalpurpose to tap into another
market without having a big song, then you know what I mean and
that's very inspiring man.

(16:07):
It took a lot of strength, ittook a lot of not listening to
what other people say, you know,and to really try and produce
this thing.
Bob is our overall inspiration.
Even the way he wanted to tapinto the african market before
there was even a structure, Ithink was very brave and like
gangster to you know, I meanlike yo, I want to do this and I

(16:28):
want to use my money to do this, or you know what I mean.
So the songwriting you know,even learning, that he never
really rushes songwriting.
You know just a little by alittle, everything, and it's a
true thing.
Sometimes songs come to you asa full thing, Sometimes it come
half, it come piece by piece,but a lot of these great songs
came piece by piece and I wasreally inspired by just the

(16:51):
simplicity and just themomentary vibe that he would
have with doing music.
And he never lost sight of hispurpose.
I mean, he was never a perfectman, but to be so purposeful and
to be so like on it, no matterwhat he was going through, I
remember well he's kind of likeone of those youths that never

(17:12):
grew up with two parents.
There's a lot of internaltrauma and he did all of that
while going through that.
He made all that great musicwhile going through that.
He made all that great musicwhile going through that and I
think that's just phenomenal forany human being.
From your mental health to yourspiritual health, to your
physical health.
You literally did all of thiswhile going through all of that,

(17:34):
while being shot at all ofthose things.
So it made me more brave withmy music, it made me more
open-minded.
You know, just really tryingthings, not waiting, because
sometimes you want to alignthings in a structure, you say
yo suppose you do it, and thenyou probably mess it up.
But you know it starts with you.
You know you are the creator,you are the artist, and I mean,

(17:56):
of course, going intoprofessional world.
You do need other aspects tomake the thing go, but you are
the one, like he said in thatscene, we can build it.
It's one of my favorite seeds.
As simple as it is, we canbuild it.
Everything he did, he built.
So that's what I'm doing withmy career.
Um, yeah, man, I, I was actuallyrecording the album that we

(18:20):
dropped during that time.
Um, piece by piece, little bylittle, and, and you know, while
going through the moves, likeyo, you know, without even like
just thinking about oh, bob, youknow, you just had that energy
where I know I'm tired tonightbut I won't go and get this, or
I know I'm this.
So it definitely motivates meeach and every day.
Yeah, even my wife would tellhim, man, I'm like yeah, man, mo

(18:42):
, man, marley, you know Marley,Sometimes I ask her Marley and I
say yeah, man Marley, you know,yeah, because outside of the
inspirationalness that healready had over the people, me
personally as a storyteller ofhis story through Carlton
Barrett, yeah, man, he's a crazyrevolutionizing of the mind

(19:02):
towards music, because I didn'teven mean to go too long, but he
, even after Island Records, hestarted his own label, he
started his own studio.
He did a lot of things.
You know, he was one of our youknow futuristic pioneers who
really was about modernizationof music and independence of
artists, even and I think that'swhere the root of it is for my

(19:24):
motivation the independence ofour artists in terms of having
your own studio, having your ownmerch design thing, having your
own pressing your own records,you know all of that kind of
thing.
You know, bob kind of came andshowed us in our you know,
jamaica land we love, in ourdiaspora, that that can be done.

(19:45):
You don't have to wait on a bigcorporation to do it.
So very inspiring man.

Mikelah (19:51):
I love it.
I love it.
We could talk about that allday, I'm sure.

Hector Roots Lewis (19:54):
Yeah man, yeah man, trust me.
Tough Bob Marley, tough man.

Mikelah (19:58):
Yeah, for sure it's so funny.
My, my stepdad is away with himtalk about mama.

Hector Roots Lewis (20:09):
He's like them, don't know, sorry
revolutionary rebel.

Mikelah (20:11):
That's no man.
Yo, yo, my kid is one lovething for joe yeah, man, they
don't.

Hector Roots Lewis (20:15):
They don't understand.
Yeah, like when I remember youknow you did a concert the night
after he was shot in a thinkabout the trauma of being shot,
let alone being shot at then getup to do a concert.
Yeah, man, he's a man on amission man, real revolutionary
he.
He took everything and stilldid it.

(20:36):
And that's not easy, never,ever easy.
No man can tell me nothing.
He get on me and say say so,amali man, amali, right, you and
, and you know we big up theBarrett family, you know the,
the whole family, aston, whoplayed his father.
He was very instrumental inhelping me to understand the
support from the Barrett family.
You know they all show love tome for what I did in

(21:01):
representing their uncle, andyou know so yeah, man, yeah, I
love it.

Mikelah (21:05):
You know, I didn't even get to ask you, how did you get
the name Roots Hector, rootsLewis all right.

Hector Roots Lewis (21:11):
So even with touring with Chronix before I
came up with a name, because youknow, chronix again was one of
those artists that even hisinspiration to me it's somewhat
similar to Bob, but it's morelike in real time and the bigger
he got I realized that you knowbranding and stuff like that

(21:31):
and especially at time I used tosee other musicians who play
for big names.
You know they'd haveendorsement, they'd have a name,
they'd have an actual you, youknow brand or something working.
And so at the time I had dubbedmyself Roots Percussionist,
because one of the strengths ofmy style and one of the
inspirations of my style as apercussionist was learning the

(21:56):
roots of every style of music,especially the ones that came
from the Caribbean and fromAfrica.
And so I kind of just took iton and call myself roots
percussionist.
And you know, as we went along,when it came to deciding to
become a songwriter and anartist, we wanted a name that

(22:16):
would still remind them that oh,it's the same roots
percussionist, but without thefocus on percussionists.
And hence we decided to go withhector roots louis, because
they would still be like oh,yeah, yeah, roots, still yeah,
but that that was theinspiration.
I was like and you know jamar,you know aka chronix we always

(22:37):
one of the things we shared as aband not only him, jerks evans,
all of us.
You know, namdi was alwaystrying to study how the people
came before, did it, you know,and from that type of study and
conversations daily on tour andeverything, that's what really
made me kind of zero in and Ialso, you know, thought of

(22:59):
myself of being a part of thelegacy of percussionists and of
musicians in Jamaica.
So you know what I mean.
Why not, you know, take it fromthe roots, you know, cause it's
always right there before youlook forward, you know.
So, yeah, that's, that's reallyit.
That's really it, man.

Mikelah (23:16):
So tell me about your new album, cosmic Roots.
I'm assuming it's a mashupbetween your name and Johnny
Cosmic, since it's produced withhim.
So talk to me about how thecollaboration came about and, of
course, the project itself.

Hector Roots Lewis (23:34):
So the name.
Now, it just so happened thatin choosing that name out of a
lot of names that myself and mymanagement and the rest of the
team was discussing, one night,they had said it, but I still
didn't go with it, I stillwasn't feeling it, until one day
me and my manager was having aconversation and when he said it

(23:55):
, what really stood out to mewas that in the next five to
probably 10 years you know theway we do stuff and the way
stuff will seem in terms ofeconomically and just living the
human experience is going to beway more modern than what we
know.
And so when I heard the name, Ijust felt like, in 10 years, if

(24:15):
somebody should pick up myrecord and say Cosmic Roots, it
would just fit the time.
You know, it wouldn't be tootraditional, traditional like
you know, yeah, which nothing iswrong with that but I felt like
it's something that canrepresent timelessly, you know.
And that's what the name stoodout for me.
And then, yeah, you know, itworked between you know, johnny

(24:39):
being Johnny Cosmic, me beingHector Roots.
So it kind of just became afull circle moment in choosing
that, because, yes, we wanted todefinitely find a name.
That suggested that this albumand inspirations did come from
the island and from the Bay Areain California, which is in
Oakland, right?
So that's basically it.

(25:01):
I was on tour with Tribal Seedscoming to the close and my
manager had took a flight toOakland to meet with, you know,
johnny's management and theInefable team, and that's kind
of how the whole thing cametogether, you know what I mean.
And I was on tour, was on tour,he called me facetime me and

(25:24):
introduced me to johnny and Imean, I already had known adam
from ineffable.
But you know, reintroduction,and we thought it was a cool
vibe to make some music together, especially because I already
had the music, but I had it in.
I had it in a stage where atthat point I was looking for
where this sound could go andhow I could really make this

(25:45):
sound be bigger and differentfrom my first EP, my first body
of work.
And you know, hearing whatJohnny can do and what he's done
and playing some of the musicfor him in the initial stage
kind of just made sense that wecould work on it.
And even then I didn't reallyhear what it could be until we

(26:08):
got in studio together, which wedid and, yeah, that was great
man, like he really put hiscosmic sound on it.
You know, and I mean even beforemeeting with Johnny, you know
myself and my management, youknow we also sat down and came
up with the concepts for thissong and where I would go, you

(26:30):
know, because I kind of writefrom about this album.
You know it have aninternational song but it really
was me trying to keep theculture too as well and and
things that I know about theculture and just everyday
situations that I know, yeah, um, and a lot of it also was

(26:54):
personal, from even goingthrough the pandemic and a lot
of things I went through, um,mentally and I think everybody,
because I don't think we knewthat the world could stop like
that.
You know what I mean.
So, yes, that's where you havesongs like Peace of Mind,
because, you know, I wentthrough, I think, personally in

(27:14):
that time where my peace of mindwas, you know, became something
that I had to prioritize it,because sometimes I almost felt
like I was losing my mind, youknow.
So it's just a connection likethat where between Johnny and
you know, writing the music,getting this new sound, new

(27:36):
sonics, you know, sonically itwas a real, you know, real
collaborative moment and that'spretty how much it happened.
Man and I made trips betweenJamaica and Oakland and, you
know, made some ideas, johnnyput some ideas and we just went
back and forth, back and forth,until until it was done.

(27:59):
The features kind of came alongthe process.
We never knew.
We knew we wanted to have somefeatures but we didn't know who
they were gonna be, you know.
So, like for fire, you know,jaybo, that kind of just came
through.
Just you know brethren shapeand you know the irrefutable
team, knowing his team, and wekind of got that together.

(28:21):
Same thing for busy signal,same thing for the movement vibe
.
And then now case music now ismore a personal connection that
I have, where case also works,with my management team as well,
and is that, you know, he's ayounger artist in age from me

(28:42):
and somebody who I truly believeis going to change the
landscape for his era, and so Iwanted to have him be a part of
something, you know, becausehe's my brethren like that and
he really inspires me too, youknow, and let me say he's my
brethren like that.
So I invited Case to be a partof Battle Cry and yeah, it just

(29:04):
worked out like that.
Just worked out like that.

Mikelah (29:07):
It's so interesting that you said storytelling so I
was listening.
I got that very much soundtrackof Jamaica feel from like
Sounda Beat and Taylor's Pinsyeah, yeah, yeah.
And I could visualize what youwere talking about.
It's like you described yourwriting style so perfectly.

(29:28):
But what also stood out betweenthe EP that you had and this
project is your vocals kind ofmelt into the music.

Hector Roots Lewis (29:37):
Yeah.

Mikelah (29:37):
That was the most noticeable difference between
that project and this one.
So talk to me about that.
Was that intentional?

Hector Roots Lewis (29:45):
Yeah, I mean I even forget to say too that
was definitely intentional fromthe mixing side and the sonic
side, right.
But one of the highlights aboutthis album is that I played a
lot of the things initially,before even linking up with
Johnny, and even in the Johnnyprocess I played some stuff too
and of course he played a lot ofstuff.

(30:07):
You know he was veryinstrumental in the arrangement
as well of the songs, in termsof like, when I had my ideas.
There was just a lot of ideasin there, but he really helped
me to build the story of eachsong and to build these ideas to
which ones would come here,which ones would come there.
He was also instrumental insome of the song and to build
these ideas to which ones wouldcome here, which ones would come
there.
It was also instrumental insome of the songwriting as well.

(30:27):
So you know, but I really lovedand I really wanted to play on
this, these next set of songsthat was gonna eventually be a
project, because for the rootsman I didn't play on anything
really.
I mean I played percussion forsome of the songs, but I wanted
to like be way more in theprocess.
I I played percussion for someof the songs, but I wanted to
like be way more in the process.
I played the bass line, some ofthe bass lines.
I played some of the drumtracks.

(30:49):
I played some of the pianistdrums.
You know some of the phrases Iplayed as well.
I want to highlight incelebration a musician that I
worked with, louis Kiasso.
Highlight in celebration amusician that I worked with,
louis castle, who is awell-known musician in in the
california area and justworldwide, and um, he played a
lot of great piano riffs andstuff on celebration actually,

(31:14):
you know.
But um, being able to play andto produce alongside johnny was
a big highlight for me becauseit was my first time doing it,
but I already knew I had theability to play these things.
So that's why I took it on anddid it and that's basically how
I've been producing, since Ialways work with other producers
because I'm still developingthe producer ear, but I

(31:38):
definitely can play.
I can play drums, I can playguitar, I can play bass, I can
play keyboard and I'm guitar, Ican play bass, I can play
keyboard and I'm happy that Iwas able to do that on this
project and we'll do that formany projects to forward, you
know.

Mikelah (31:52):
So yeah, so what's your favorite song on the album
today?
Because I'm sure it changeseverything.

Hector Roots Lewis (31:59):
Thank you, no, thank you for adding.
Thank you, no, thank you foradding.
Yeah, because man, um, today,today, I think I think peace of
mind, man, yeah, yeah, becauseit started out wanting to be
sauna beat for a very long timeand then for a very long time,

(32:20):
it was where I belong, you know,and then for a very long time
it was where I belong, you know,and then for a very long time,
it was fire.
But peace of mind was like thesecond track, you know, leading
up to the album to come out, andjust even going on tour
recently with callibots andseeing how it, how it performs
with the people, what peopleplay on their socials, you know,
mean I really got what thepeople got, and that was one of

(32:43):
the songs that really is like mypersonal story, you know what I
mean, and, um, I think that'svery powerful, that my personal
story could, um, you know,communicate to other people who
probably know that kind of story, cause we go through it daily,
you know, going through things,covering it up, playing it off,

(33:04):
you know, because we have to,you know a part of the human
experience, because we have to,but if we can be conscious that
we can actually take the timeout to slow down some of the
time and prioritize, withoutcrashing out and then realizing
to prioritize, then that's justa little bit better.

(33:24):
And then the groove andeverything.
All of that was intentional.
But yeah, peace of mind rightnow, man, peace of mind.
I'm really happy to see peoplegravitate to Son of Yee because,
like I said, that was the firstfave song.

Mikelah (33:35):
But peace of mind right now, peace of mind right now I
had to put today because I'msure it changes daily.
Yeah, performs the energy,changes All right.

Hector Roots Lewis (33:44):
You know what, too, makayla man, you know
what too, in a real vibe.
The whole album is my favoritebecause we were very intentional
in choosing each track fromPeace of mind going to strength,
from strength going to, Ibelieve, dangerous, from
dangerous going to battle cry,going to possibility.

(34:05):
You know, prioritize a peace ofmind, you know.
God, give me the strength toprioritize this peace of mind,
god.
We live in a world where I'mjust even recently hearing that
they don't even want to makepublic announcements about when
there's widespread sicknessesthat's out here in the world.
So we have to be aware of, yes,living a good life, enjoying

(34:27):
ourselves, going for our goals,but at any given time, you may
be a part of a situation thatyou're just a victim of.
So we have to just be consciousof that, you know.
And then leading into battlecry, which is again our everyday
internal.
You know pains that we feelthat, like yo, like generational
pains that we feel that we'renot conscious of.

(34:48):
You know humanity, the seedsthey sow.
You know ancient times, so longago, long ago.
So you know a lot of the thingswe suffer now is from long time
.
You know that the whole effectof it start, and then you know
possibility, believing becauseyou know, you know faith and
hope, I think, is something thatwe have to be reminded of,

(35:10):
especially in this time again.
Surviving the pandemic,surviving a lot of things, we're
so sensitive, you know, toanything these days before that,
ah, man, you know.
No, yeah, very sensitive.
So we have to believe.
And you know fire music blazinglike fire, sauna beat.
That's where we come now to theenjoyment part and to also

(35:30):
specifically enjoying theJamaican style of enjoyment,
because even recently, I wassaying to my wife that, yo, we
actually party different fromother parties.
Like when you go to a Jamaicanparty versus an electronic house
party, versus something whereit's strictly hip-hop, it's just
a different vibe even thoughthey're similar.
Yeah, man, it's different, man,it's just so different.

(35:53):
You know what I mean.

Mikelah (35:54):
And then it's different here versus in Jamaica.

Hector Roots Lewis (35:57):
Yeah, and I mean New York and Jamaica, is
one in the same for me Incertain ways.
But it's just the Jamaicanexperience of, you know,
celebration and sauna beat wherewe all say, you know,

(36:17):
entertainment, enjoyment, thebar line full, the girl them
pretty and I take them selfie,you know, all of those things is
a part of just like rememberingthat, you know.
I mean just highlighting itbecause I was a part of it and I
grew up in it.

Mikelah (36:27):
you know, yeah, so the whole album mckay that I know I
know album, that of course youknow that's gonna be no, for
real baby.
Yeah, man, you know, so um yeahand I I usually, when I play uh
new albums, I'll play thembeginning to end, because I feel
like that's the intent of whichthe artist wants you to hear it

(36:50):
yeah man, yeah man and I.
It's the first time I wouldnever.
I wouldn't even change theorder.
I think it's exactly perfect,thank you.

Hector Roots Lewis (36:59):
Yeah, no, my man just said it was a nice
contrast from reflective, alittle bit of serious moment in
danger and then coming into thatenjoyment.
And that's literally the storyof my life in certain aspects,
from the pandemic leading up tonow, literally, you know, from
the pain to the victory, youknow.

Mikelah (37:20):
It feel like a dance.
So you have the early warm andthen you rinse the party.

Hector Roots Lewis (37:25):
Early juggling for kick off the party.
Yeah, man, and it's funny yousaid that.
I remember me and Johnnyreasoning and just everybody on
the team.
I remember speaking about theinspiration of making these
songs, like day in, day out Iwas making them, saying like yo,

(37:46):
I'd like to even have a spacein that section, because in the
dance for me it's funny, I don'tknow if people look at it,
probably the djs do but everysection of our party I don't
know probably other specific asjamaican, the early one is so
pivotal people will even knowthey probably don't think about
it.
But trust me, if you drop, shakeit to the max too early, like
where is he gonna drop?
I mean, yes, you can drop otherthrowbacks, but it won't feel

(38:08):
just as same as if you'rebringing it in between.
Even if you're mixing somethingthat's just a big tune over the
last 20 years, but you stillwant to keep that section.
Where is's the tunes that arebopping?
So the early warm is very and Iwas kind of like yo, I'd want
to be in that section andsometimes people be like you
know, if you look at it say youcan't even be in, you know in

(38:29):
the later section or whatever.
But I just, I just, I just likejust the whole chronological
vibe of how I party, evenwithout thinking about it the
early one, you know.
The midsection, the late vibe,where it's just the girl tune
them, you know, the bad man tunethem.
You know what I mean.
So yeah, I just that you know.

Mikelah (38:51):
I love it.
I love it.
Well, thank you so much forjoining me to talk music, your
latest album and all the thingsthat you're working on.
Tell the people where they canfind you.

Hector Roots Lewis (39:02):
Yes, so this is Hector Roots Lewis, and you
can find me on Instagram.
Hector Roots Lewis on TikTok.
Hector Roots Lewis on Spotify.
Hector Roots Lewis on AppleMusic.
Hector Roots Lewis.

Mikelah (39:15):
Everywhere.
Hector Roots Lewis.

Hector Roots Lewis (39:16):
No, except Twitter.
Roots Lewis right, louis, andeverywhere except twitter um
roots louis right.

Mikelah (39:20):
And uh, yeah, man, stream it, play it, you know,
love it, share it if there was afirst song, I think I know what
what song that that would be.
If there is one song that youwant people to hear off the
album, which one would it be?
Start with this one.

Hector Roots Lewis (39:37):
Strength.
Okay, oh okay, I thought it wasgoing to be either mine, no man
strength I mean you know, myfavorite song certainly was
strength.
You know I'm an artist, you knowagain, and I really give thanks
for Chronix.
He really showed me the powerof music, you know, and of
course you can make enjoymentmusic.
But let me tell you, man, inyears to come, if you serve

(39:58):
humanity as a musician and as acreative with music, where we
really help them, then that'show you become revolutionary.
You know, I mean, some of ushave to take on different
missions, some of us have tofight it, you know physically
and you know.
But strength, man, becausepeople need that, you know,
people need to know so they canacknowledge the creator and that
the creator can be there andthat by giving praise to the

(40:20):
creator, that's how yourblessing come.
No matter who you is, come asyou are, the lord will accept
you.
You know what I mean.
I have a big church.
You know background, eventhough I'm not necessarily in
the church, but I've done mywork in the church as a youth
and I see myself doing my workout here, you know, for the
almighty and towards creativityand just the human consciousness

(40:42):
and experience.
And I believe we must servepeople because that's the real
power of music, outside of theenjoyment and everything.
Trust me, yeah, man.

Mikelah (40:53):
I love it.
Thank you so much.
You over here inspire me.
Thank you guys.
No, man, give thanks, man, Ireally appreciate it.
Well, people, I'll see you nexttime.

Hector Roots Lewis (40:57):
Thank you, so you over here inspiring me.
Thank you guys.
No man give thanks, man, yeah,I really appreciate it.

Mikelah (41:00):
Well, people, next time yeah, man exor roots lewis make
sure you guys stream the album,buy the album, buy a vinyl,
support pantour, all otherthings.
Then please support reggaemusic and I want to.

Hector Roots Lewis (41:14):
I don't mean to cut you, I want to just big
up everybody.
You know.
Big up my management team fromcreative tribe.
We got the ineff want to justbig up everybody.
You know.
Big up my management team fromCreative Tribe.
Big up the Ineffable team,right.
Big up all the musicians whoworked on the project.
You know, big up all the DSPswho's added to their list, all
the editorials.
Big up my Kale and the Styleand Vibes podcast for having me
and all the other interviewersand everybody who made this

(41:38):
project a moment and a realityright now.
You know, big up to me even myfamily, my personal family, my
wife who support me, all myfamily members, all my friends.
You know, enough love.
You see me.
Yeah, man.

Mikelah (41:53):
Thank you, all right, until next time Later, my peeps.

Hector Roots Lewis (41:57):
Yeah, later Up.
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