ISLAND Rok, a one-hour show hosted by Jamaican broadcasters DJ Roy and Dubmaster Chris, debuted on FUBU Radio station last Wednesday. It is the first reggae programme on that station, which is part of the iHeartMedia network.

DJ Roy told the Jamaica Observer that Island Rok‘s playlist will be similar to formats that have established Dubmaster Chris and himself in the tri-state area.

“It is a great opportunity to be able to bring our Caribbean culture and vibe to their platform. Reggae, calypso, soca and hip hop and R&B are all branches of the same tree, so it’s very cool to be able to add to that. We are gonna bring that Caribbean vibe with reggae, dancehall, calypso and soca…Yard style. The classics to the present,” he said.

FUBU Radio was launched in December 2015 by black American entrepreneurs Keith Perrin Jr and Demetrius L Brown. Its format is mainly classic R&B and hip hop.

In a statement Perrin said, “We always wanted FUBU Radio to represent all cultures of music and I feel DJ Roy and Dubmaster Chris, with their extensive knowledge of Caribbean music and relationships with the reggae artistes, was a perfect fit.”

The iHeartMedia network has several high-profile hosts such as Charlamagne tha God and Steve Harvey.

Both DJ Roy (given name Roy Walters) and Dubmaster Chris (real name Christopher McDonald) are stalwarts on Irie Jam Radio in Queens, New York. They have been at that station for over 20 years, playing a blend of old-school and contemporary reggae.

DJ Roy was born in London, but grew up in Jamaica before moving to New York City. Dubmaster Chris is from Kingston. He started his career in 1989 on the Clinton Lindsay Show at WNWK 105.9FM in New York. Prior to Irie Jam Radio, Dubmaster Chris had a stint at 98.7 KISS FM.