New Kingston

New Kingston emerged as a forward-thinking reggae outfit whose sound merges the Jamaican roots of its members with the streetwise energy of their New York upbringing. The family unit features siblings Tahir, Courtney Jr., and Stephen alongside their father, Courtney Panton, Sr. As a first-generation Jamaican-American, Courtney the elder had already immersed himself in the city’s reggae community when he introduced his sons to the music of their ancestral island. What began as informal jam sessions in the family’s Brooklyn basement soon evolved into public performances of Bob Marley and Earth, Wind & Fire material at local parties and neighborhood events. By 2010 the group had shifted its focus to original material that blended R&B, hip-hop, and dancehall elements with classic reggae textures. While the brothers handled songwriting and lead vocals, Courtney Sr. anchored the rhythm section on bass. After issuing their self-released debut In the Streets, the band joined rising reggae star Collie Buddz for a European tour that included several major festivals. Their 2013 follow-up, Kingston University, secured a contract with New York’s Easy Star Records, which released the third album, Kingston City, in early 2015. Boasting upgraded production values and appearances from Tribal Seeds, the Wailing Souls, Sister Carol, and Sugar Minott, Kingston City climbed to the top of Billboard’s reggae chart. An EP titled Kingston Fyah surfaced in the summer of 2016.