One of the UK's first, finest and most versatile reggae bands, Aswad have delivered pop melodies and militant dubs with equal finesse. The band's breakout 1987 hit "Don't Turn Around" catapulted them into reggae's stratosphere, but this program documents the down to earth trio hard at work mixing their 1990 album, "Too Wicked" at Gussie Clark’s, Music Works Studio, in Kingston.

Winston Rodney, reggae's elder statesman, known worldwide as Burning Spear, has been delivering his message of roots and culture since 1969, and is one of conscious reggae's preeminent Afrocentric artists. In this program, Burning Spear is interviewed by radio personality, Ben Mapp, while mixing tracks at Sigma Sound Studio in NYC in 1990.

Linton Kwesi Johnson, aka, LKJ is another legendary artist, whose contribution to Jamaican history and culture extends far beyond music. A poet, activist, writer and member of the Brixton-based Race Today collective, his particular focus has been the black political struggle in England, where he's lived since age 11. This "father of dub poetry" is interviewed at Wetlands Preserve in NYC, where he performs "It Noh Funny" and "Sonny's Poem".

Interview and original concert footage with the dynamic South African singer and his band shot on location at Bay Street, Sag Harbor, NY, 1990. Concert clips: "Prisoner", "The Hand That Giveth", and "Reggae Strong" a song inspired by Lucky's first appearance on the program.

Marcia Griffiths, the queen of Jamaican songbirds and the most consistent female hitmaker in reggae history, began her musical career, astonishingly, enough, almost 40 years ago at the legendary Studio One. In 1990, she recorded "Electric Boogie", and its accompanying dance, the Electric Slide achieved "craze" status, guaranteeing reggae at least one spot on the songlist of many a catered affair.

Pioneering Jamaican filmmaker, Perry Henzell (1936-2006), co-author, director and producer of the film classic, "The Harder They Come", is sometimes credited with introducing reggae music to the world. Interviewed on location at his studio in Kingston in 1988, the program also features film clips with Jimmy Cliff, Toots and the Maytals, Ras Daniel Hartman and scenes from "No Place Like Home", featuring Countryman and Carl Bradshaw.

Pioneering dee-jay, Shelly Thunder, emerged from dancehall reggae in the late 80's and made a splash on the hip-hop/urban market with her wise and feisty lyrics and delivery. This program catches the young artist in 1989, recording "Relation", at HC&F Studios, performing at Trax and onstage receiving a Tamika Award at the Beacon Theatre, NYC. Performance clips: "Kuff", "My Name is Shelly ".

A New York based reggae band whose members hail from Jamaica, US, Trinidad & Puerto Rico, Soul Jahs is another conscious, roots and culture ensemble that rocked the local scene in the late 80's & 90's. Bandleader, Paul Tulloch, is interviewed prior to the release of the group's first Schanachie album, “Our Time is Now". The program includes concert footage shot at reggae's durable Hamptons' venue, Bay Street, in 1988.