Community News
Canadian Reggae band “The Human Rights” is on fire
BY MICHAEL THOMAS
Canadian-based Reggae band “The Human Rights” will be on tour in March to promote their EP ‘Reggae Strong.’
This 11-track disc captures the Reggae feeling of Jamaica and the Caribbean and fuses it with life and the rat race of living in Canada.
“Reggae Strong” is the lead single and “When She’s Gone,” is the second one, I must say that after listening to them that both singles are gems in their own right. The nine-piece band has been belting out rhythms of the islands since 2007 and still going strong.
The band’s principle of giving the audiences a taste of home-cooked Reggae has made them a force to be reckoned with in Canada’s Reggae world.
Treson, who is one of the lead vocalists and a Juno nominee, is a soulful singer. As one listens to The Human Rights, he or she can certainly hear a touch of some of the Reggae greats, like Maxi Priest, Dennis “Crown Prince” Brown, and Barrington Levy, yet this band is unique. This band has been around performing at major Toronto venues including Roy Thomson Hall, the Sound Academy, and Harbour Front Centre, as well as major stages across Canada such as the Calgary Reggae Festival.
The band’s music has become anthems on Reggae radio shows everywhere, and on CBC programs like Big City, and Small World, while fans of the Trailer Park Boys will know them for their version of the Trailer Park Boys theme song featured in the movie Don’t Legalize It.
The Human Rights has once more proven that they can hold the reigns and the standard since releasing their 2016 self-titled album, and the 2018 single “I Need You.” This band is worth listening to, and one to watch for a very long time.
I was privileged to speak with one of the lead vocalists of The Human Rights band “Frendlyness” and he is not just friendly, but very knowledgeable in the field of music, especially Reggae.
“I’ve been doing Reggae in this city from way back in the eighties,” Frendlyness said. “I’ve played with groups like: Culture Shock, Hit Squad, Truths, and Rights, and I used to back up lots of artists here in Toronto.”
The Human Rights origins are as genuine as their music itself, Frendlyness described how the band came about and I was impressed.
“I was here in Toronto doing my day job, working a little vending booth on Queen Street when a guy walked up to me and said Hey, I know who you are, you are Frindlyness.”
Long story short, the guy was a musician himself and lived in a house surrounded by musicians, and the rest is history.
I asked Frendlyness to explain the single from their album Called “Reggae Strong” and these were his words.
“It was just a thought that I had a feeling I was having at the time and what was going on, a feeling of weakness, but then I said Nuh man, Reggae Strong, Nuh ramp wid the thing. There is Reggae with some negative message, but we check for the positive one.”
Another massive track on this album from The Human Rights is one called “Peace Gun” this track set me thinking until I listened and realized that the real gun spoken about in the song is called a “Peace Gun” with which the user can solve all problems. This is a must-listen for serious Reggae fans.
The band is very active in promoting positivity all over the country and has teamed up with Amnesty International on projects as well. As we speak The Human Rights is now in the process of working on getting ready for a few US appearances.
For all interested in catching a live performance of The Human Rights, their Canadian tour kick-off dates are.
March 18th, 2023 in Owen Sound, March 25th, 2023 in Sarnia, March 30th, 2023 in Ottawa, March 31st, 2023 in Montreal, April 1st, 2023 in Peterborough, April 15th, 2023 in Stratford, April 20th, 2023 in Waterloo and April,21st, 2023 in Toronto.
With works and influences from greats like Patric McGroarty, Canadian reggae artist Dubmatix, Reggae Strong Ras Yunchie, Caddy Cad, Isax, and Carol Brown it is safe to say that this band has Canadian Reggae greatness written all over its footprints.