Culture

Culture are a Jamaican roots reggae group formed in the mid-1970s in Kingston, led by singer and songwriter Joseph Hill alongside Albert Walker and Kenneth Dayes. They became one of the defining acts of the roots reggae era, known for spiritual, Rastafari-rooted lyrics delivered with tight vocal harmonies over classic reggae rhythms from the Studio One and Channel One traditions.

Their landmark 1977 album «Two Sevens Clash», built around the millenarian prophecy that July 7, 1977 would bring dramatic upheaval, became a foundational roots reggae record and remains hugely influential, especially in the UK's punk and reggae crossover scene. Hill's distinctive, urgent vocal style and songs like «Jah Rastafari» and «Why Am I a Rastaman?» cemented the group's reputation for uncompromising spiritual and social commentary.

Culture continued recording prolifically across decades, with Joseph Hill remaining the group's creative core until his death in 2006, after which the band continued under his son Kenyatta Hill, carrying forward their legacy as one of reggae's most important and consistent roots acts.