Protoje
Oje Ollivierre, known as Protoje, grew up steeped in music as the son of Jamaican singer Lorna Bennett and calypsonian Mike Ollivierre, and became one of the architects of the 2010s Reggae Revival alongside Chronixx and Jesse Royal. Albums like Ancient Future (2015) and A Matter of Time (2018) fused roots reggae's conscious lyricism with hip-hop-inflected cadences, and he went on to mentor a new generation of Jamaican singers through his In.Digg.Nation Collective. He is frequently cited as a direct inspiration and early supporter of Koffee.
Protoje has pointed to Bob Marley's conscious lyrics and rhythmic innovation as bedrock for his own writing, part of the roots reggae foundation the Reggae Revival explicitly rebuilds on.
listen forMarley's righteous, march-tempo 'Exodus' and Protoje's socially pointed 'Kingston Be Wise' both use a steady, insistent one-drop to carry a message rather than just a groove.
Alongside Marley, Protoje has named Peter Tosh's uncompromising, justice-focused songwriting as one of the classic reggae reference points behind his own conscious material.
listen forTosh's confrontational 'Equal Rights' and Protoje's 'Blood Money,' about corruption and gun violence, share that same militant, sermon-like directness delivered over a hard-riding riddim.
Protoje's early exposure to hip-hop storytellers like Tupac, Nas, and Jay-Z shaped his narrative-driven flow and phrasing, layering a rap cadence over reggae's rhythm.
listen forTupac's confessional, tightly plotted 'Dear Mama' and Protoje's slow-burning 'Same So' both prioritize a rapper's narrative pacing over a singer's melody.