Kandis Hendrix says she is heading to Ohio for “an out-of-body experience,” something she says she can’t get in St. Louis.
That’s because her favorite reggae band, Midnite, out of St. Croix, Jamaica – which puts her in a spiritual trance – won’t play in St. Louis.
Hendrix and many other locals were surprised to learn that reggae band Morgan Heritage had a gig here last week. And many reggae-hungry heads flocked last Wednesday to Studio Hitz for the performance.
But Hendrix and her mother Wonda Hendrix know that was a rare St. Louis performance. That’s because some reggae bands that have come to play in St. Louis in recent years reportedly have been stiffed out of their money from a promoter or two, and the word has spread through the international reggae community.
The lack of national and international reggae bands playing St. Louis has left reggae fans here starving for the music. Many are struggling to resurrect the reggae scene here in St. Louis.
“Reggae needs to be put out everywhere,” said Ras Tra, STL 12 Tribes promoter along with his wife, Sista Chris, and a member of Massive Hi-Fi a reggae music production company.
“Right now it’s underground here, but we’re trying to bring it to light.”
Ras Tra and wife were two of eight concerned reggae lovers who met and discoursed about the music’s state a couple weeks ago at Club Viva (formerly The Lynx), which has been hosting reggae music here for more than 30 years.
Club Viva still plays reggae every Wednesday night, and Studio Hitz just started serving a Wednesday night dish of the music.
Unlimited Sound plays dancehall reggae bi-monthly at Amvets Hall in North St. Louis. So Exclusive ENT features reggae music Thursday nights from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. at Royal Crown.
The Red Sea plays the music and features a reggae band every Friday night, but there aren’t many more venues in the St. Louis that play the music.
There are even less radio stations here that play the music with the exception of Saturdays 2-4 a.m. on KDHX 88.1 with DJ Ranx (for the past 20 years). Ranx, who also is the band leader for Dubtronix reggae band, attended the meeting.
King C-Los plays the music Saturday nights from 11 to 1 a.m. on WGNU 920 AM.
STL 12 Tribes said they have been trying to get mainstream black radio stations here to play more reggae music in hopes of making it more popular, but to no avail.
“We need this music – something positive and not so much rump-shaking, shooting ‘em up, and don’t step on my shoes or I’m going to knock you out music,” said Sista Chris.
“We’re saying: Let’s support each other and do things together to bring the music back.”
DJ Ranx said the emergence of hip-hop helped deaden the scene here, and when Nelly broke in 2001 that was all the music wrote.
But all in the meeting said too much of hip-hop music is detrimental to the psyche of today’s youth, especially in cities with a high crime-rate like St. Louis.
“A lot of rap uses reggae, but not the positive message,” said Delene Dixon of Oh So Exclusive ENT.
“People go with what’s popular, and it kind of shapes them,” Dixon said, adding that reggae music looks a little square instead of fashionable and bling-blingish.
Kandis Hendrix said that most reggae music (and especially Midnite) is spiritually healing.
“I wish more people would get involved, because when you’re smothered with so much filth it’s hard to be clean,” Hendrix said. “When I leave a Midnite performance, it’s like I’ve been to church.”
Ras Tra called the return of reggae music an imperative for hope and the redemption of violent youth in the area.
“Right now, reggae is really needed – the murder rate here is outrageous, but they were listening to reggae music they wouldn’t be killing each other,” Ras Tra said.
“But if the system is steady playing, ‘Kill, bling, murder, sex’ – that’s all our kids are going to do.”
