Tom Laing —
Despite talk that dancehall has taken over from reggae as the sound of choice from Jamaica, singer Tom Laing believes the traditional sound is still an international force. In fact, the New York-based singer says reggae is as potent as ever.
“I hear many people saying things like reggae music is declining in terms of popularity and sales; some even say it’s dead. All of that is just rubbish; I will never give up on reggae music, it is one of the most popular genres of music in the world. While it does not sell like some of the other popular genres, it is the most powerful music in the world,” he said.
Laing added: “Bob Marley is the king of reggae, and he’s right up there with Michael Jackson and The Beatles as one of the top-selling artistes in the world. Reggae might not be as popular as dancehall in Jamaica, but it is doing well in places like Europe, the UK, Asia, Africa, and other parts of the world. There are reggae festivals on every continent in the world.”
Like Marley, Laing grew up in Trench Town and was influenced by Rastafari. Most of his songs are roots-based.
One of his latest singles is Street Teacher, the title track of his upcoming album.
“Street Teacher has been out for a while now, and the response has been positive. I plan to visit Jamaica very soon to shoot a video for it,” Laing disclosed.
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