August 17 marked the 123rd year of PanAfrican leader Marcus Garvey's birth. It is also 35 years since Burning Spear recorded 'Marcus Garvey', one of the seminal albums of popular music. [Spear] agreed, and in a matter of weeks, he and back-up singers Rupert Wellington and Delroy Hines were at Randy's studio in downtown Kingston, where [Ruby] had assembled several of Jamaica's top musicians to record a passionate homage to the country's first national hero.
Rise Up channels the spirit of the elders with cameos by Fred Locks, Sly Dunbar. Robbie Shakespeare, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Toots Hibberts and Brushy One String among others. Industry stalwarts like producers Mikey Bennett and Carlo Less are among those narrating the story which highlights the unique musical quality of Jamaicans.