From Bob Marley to Koffee: vibe out with our new #stayhome reggae playlist

The song collection showcases reggae’s rich history and future

Jamaican singer Koffee is viewed as the reggae's world's next big star. Joseph Okpako / WireImage

Being indoors shouldn’t be a drag.

As part of The National's efforts to encourage people to remain inside as a health precaution against the coronavirus, we will be creating a series of  curated music playlists to chill to while working from home.

The first #Stayhome collection is all about the vibes.

From the classic sounds of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Dawn Penn to the newer faces such as Koffee and Chronixx, this smooth list showcases reggae’s rich history as well as its future.

The playlist features seminal tracks such as 1972's Skylarking by Horace Andy, You Don't Love Me (1967) by Dawn Penn (which Kanye West went on to sample for his 2016 hit Famous as well as Surfin' by legendary ska music guitarist Ernest Ranglin.

When it comes to the newer talents, make sure to check out Koffee. The 20-year-old Grammy Award winner is pegged as the reggae world's next big star and the track Rapture exemplifies her fluid blending of socially conscious reggae and dance hall.

"There still is today, in Jamaica, [a want] to hear songs that have that positivity," she told The National in a recent interview.

“And this is really the difference between reggae and dancehall. Both types of music have coexisted easily together, but they have different messages. Dancehall is all about celebrating life in the moment, while reggae has always been looking at the bigger picture and spreading good vibes.”

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Read more:

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'I just wanted to spread some positive vibes': meet the Lebanese Afrobeats instructor behind the latest viral video

'I don’t take it for granted': Is Grammy winner Koffee the music industry's most humble star?

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