Addis Pablo Preserves Rockers Legacy with Modern Sound

Exclusive: Melodica maestro and son of legendary Augustus Pablo carries forward the legacy, breaking down his collaboration with Ulo Gyata and his evolving creative approach

Addis Pablo is here for the foundation with his own touches

Melodica maestro, keyboardist, and producer Addis Pablo is a renowned figure in reggae and dub, carrying forward a rich musical lineage while shaping his own distinct identity within the genre.

The talented musician, and son of legendary Jamaican melodica king and dub pioneer Augustus Pablo, continues to preserve and expand his father’s legacy, blending classic dub foundations with a modern roots sound that resonates with a new generation of listeners.

That connection is evident as his track “Simple,” created alongside music creator Ulo Gyata, continues to gain momentum among fans. In an exclusive interview with Kaboom Magazine, Addis Pablo opened up about his journey, inspirations, and evolving sound.

"my greatest interest is always in creating unique pieces that are more familiar with the foundation sound while still adding my presence and creativity."

"I started off from an early age around 15/16 years during my times at Meadowbrook High School, along with friends Kabba and Ramone aka Shamba, mostly using keyboard and computers to create original ideas. However, the keyboards drew my attention from an earlier age, observing my dad in his element and getting to play and experience the musical atmosphere," he said.

Speaking on his inspiration, he added, "My inspiration comes from the Most High as he gave us these talents and abilities along with the experiences of life’s journey, including ups and downs, happy moments and sad times, as well as history and current affairs."

Addis Pablo, who recently collaborated with Ulo Gyata on “Simple,” explained the organic creative process behind the song, which is distributed by VPAL, with the audio set for re-upload on April 10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDe3WxPW7P0sg&v=e3WxPW7P0sg

"I’ve known Ulo for some years and we have collaborated previously. However, this time around he came with a vocal recording which he wanted me to build the riddim for, so his vocal inspired the riddim to help complement what he recorded," he elaborated.

"I mainly used keyboards as well as a grand piano from Tuff Gong Studios, melodica and synthesized sounds. I also brought the beat to Rickardo 'Brilli' Levy to add additional drums and arrangements."

As the son of Augustus Pablo, his legacy speaks for itself, and Addis Pablo shared what it means to carry forward his father’s mission: "It’s great as this is a way for me to stay connected to his legacy and experiences which due to him passing when I was 9 years old I’m able to learn more than he would have been able to share with me in that time."

Addis Pablo at the iconic Rockers shop

Looking ahead, the producer remains focused on both music and business growth, "I’m mainly focused on building and maintaining my business at the moment, being located at 135 Orange Street, Rockers International Records, which was started by my dad around 1976, so we recently celebrated our 50th anniversary, which has taken most of my time and energy. We plan on launching further projects and announcements from there."

While rooted in reggae and dub, Addis Pablo remains open to working across genres and with contemporary artists. "I have considered as well as collaborated with various artists and genres over the years. However, my greatest interest is always in creating unique pieces that are more familiar with the foundation sound while still adding my presence and creativity. As for the contemporary artists, let’s see what the future brings."