Morgan Heritage

This may come as a surprise to some, but there's more than one royal family when it comes to Jamaican reggae. It's obvious that the Marleys would be a shoo-in for this distinction, but during the late '60s and '70s, a slightly lesser-known crooner, Denroy Morgan, was busy creating his own bloodline of future stars. The present-day reggae group Morgan Heritage is composed of the offspring of Daddy Denroy, and arguably they're even more talented. The group is known for its conscious lyrics and strong instrumentation — not as individual performers, like the Marley clan, but as an actual band. They've been playing together since 1990, using the skills they learned from their father, and they have had a slew of hits, including "Don't Haffi Dread" and, the most recent banger, "Brooklyn and Jamaica," which is tearing up nightclubs and pirate radio stations in cities like Miami, Kingston, and beyond. Part of the emphasis behind that song comes from the fact that all five members of Morgan Heritage were born in Brooklyn and raised in, who'd have figured... Springfield, Massachusetts. That might make their heavy patois and Caribbean ways seem suspect, but trust us, Morgan Heritage is the real deal, chock-full of charisma and soul. Anyone who wonders why royalty is associated with their name should come out this Sunday and witness their regality on stage.