From the shanty towns of Jamaica to the fields of Sweden, Reggae has touched the souls of many but perhaps surprisingly, in Indonesia, its influences can also be the driving force behind political debate.
Ras Muhamad is a young reggae singer and was voted the best New Reggae Artist in 2008 by Rolling Stone magazine Indonesia.
– You can shape your own destiny by your struggle, by your works and bring about a lot of changes, says Ras and a lot of his lyrics are about money, corruption and political leadership. He says he chose reggae because it suits his voice and style, and it can convey a message too citing his idols as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, performers who were unafraid to let politics influence their music.
– Reggae music is always the voice of the people. Whatever is happening, I feel like I have to sing about it, he explains.
A musical ambassador of sorts for reggae in South East Asia Ras has worked with musicians from Senegal, Kenya and Norway.
His song Crisis decries the lack of care and love in society, and calls for the gap between the rich and the poor to be narrowed.
– It seems like the richest of the rich, they just look after themselves and they never reach out to the poor, they never help the underprivileged, he says.
Ras hopes his music will reach out to a new generation of leaders in both politics and civil society, who have the potential to change Indonesia and make it a fairer, more open society.
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