TT Entrepreneur “Uplifting Frequencies” With 100% Reggae Radio Network For The Islands

by Klysha Best

Matthew Dasent has spent years bringing reggae legends like Tarrus Riley, Steel Pulse, and Cocoa Tea to Trinidadian stages. But even as the crowds swayed and the bass thumped, he noticed something missing.

“I found it difficult to find consistent programming that focused on reggae listeners,” he says.

So he built it himself, along with a small close-knit team.

Meet Reggae on the Radio (ROTR), the world’s first and only syndicated 100% reggae FM radio station. Currently broadcasting in Antigua & Barbuda, Grenada, St. Kitts &Nevis, and St. Lucia, and streaming globally at reggaeontheradio.com, ROTR is the natural evolution of a promoter’s passion into a 24/7 movement.

Dasent, a Trinidadian event producer, noticed that reggae audiences were underserved by mainstream media.

“Reggae has always been the best overall experience for fans, sponsors and suppliers alike,” he says. But getting consistent airplay? Another story.

The name itself grew from the street. He ran an event called Reggae on the Bay; station DJs would play the featured artists, and people would stop him to say: “Thank you… we need more reggae on the radio.” The lightbulb clicked. ROTR was born.

Unlike many stations that chase trends, ROTR has a clear musical identity: positivity, peace, love and family. The playlist leans into classic vintage reggae and conscious music, the kind that lifts spirits and speaks to the soul.

“Reggae artistes and producers have already done the hard work,” Dasent explains.

 “As a frequency, reggae music speaks the love language.” And yes, homegrown talent matters. “Reggae on the Radio was created by a Trinidadian,” he says. “I’ve given countless opportunities for local artistes to share stages with reggae legends, so the same efforts will be extended to radio.”

While the station already reaches four Caribbean nations, Dasent has bigger plans. 

“We are already in talks with other countries in and outside of the Caribbean,” he reveals.

Visual extensions, including multiple podcasts, are on the horizon and even a nod to mental wellness and community support, something he’s explored through past concert initiatives.

For now, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. One listener even complained about too many station IDs, a sign, Dasent laughs, that she was listening deeply. “I had to explain we were in the testing stages.”

In a world of noise and division, ROTR offers a different kind of vibration.

“If there’s one message I want every listener across the Caribbean to take away from Reggae on the Radio,” Dasent says, “it would be our tagline, Uplifting Your Frequency.”

Whether you’re in Antigua, Grenada, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, or tuning in online from anywhere, the station is a steady reminder that reggae isn’t just music. It’s medicine. It’s memory. It’s movement.

And thanks to a Trinidadian promoter who wouldn’t stop pushing, the world now has a 24/7 home for it.

Tune in at reggaeontheradio.com and follow @reggaeontheradio on social media.