Soul II Soul founder, Jazzie B
Soul II Soul founder, Jazzie B
Image: Gavin Mills

With Back to Life, Soul II Soul created arguably one of the most memorable songs in pop music history. At six minutes long, the classic conveys the spirit of love and togetherness that existed in British club culture from the late eighties to the early nineties.

It’s an irresistible bop, one that went on to win a Grammy award for the Brits. The group’s founder, Jazzie B (real name Trevor Beresford Romeo), shared how sound system culture was essential to Soul II Soul’s formation before their SA tour. 

“Part of the ethos of Soul II Soul is inclusiveness. This was the primary difference of the sound system era that I grew up in, where everything was exclusive. In 1982, we became Soul II Soul, an inclusive collective. The club culture community across the world resonated with the vibe of the time. The sound system’s ideology is crucial to what the collective of Soul II Soul is today,” said the deejay and record producer. 

“You just go online or look on YouTube, and everybody’s got their definition of sound systems in today’s world, so it resonates and it’s been very impactful to popular culture as we see it today.” 

Their debut 1989 album, Club Classic Vol 1, landed with an undeniable force on an unsuspecting public. In addition to Back to Life, Keep On Moving became their other widely known song. On Jazzie’s Groove, Jazzie B provides a brief background on the group. They are a sound system that morphed into an award-winning R&B supergroup whose Afro-centric, street-smart style led to them being called the Funki Dreds. 

A strong visual identity set the group apart from the rest, and ensured that they were given the time of day by audiences hungry for something different. Jazzie B says that he’s been truly blessed because he’s not a musical artist in the traditional sense of playing an instrument. 

Image: Supplied

“We’re all part of a collective and a community of people in the arts. The idea of Soul II Soul and the Funki Dreds is an ideology that resonates around club culture. It’s really evident today because now, all the things that we were doing in the eighties and the nineties are deemed to be mainstream,” says Jazzie B. 

The group came of age during an interesting time in British history. Margaret Thatcher’s policies brought about unprecedented levels of unemployment, alongside an economic recession. 

“The music represented the times that we were living in, very much the same as now. The music, in some cases, reflects some unfortunate situations that we’re in. Those were earlier days,” he says. 

For all the talk about club culture, Soul II Soul drew heavily from American hip-hop acts. Jazzie B pointed out the influence of groups such as EPMD, and how movements such as the Native Tongues were pivotal to the development of the sound that the group later perfected. 

'Sound system’s ideology is crucial to what the collective of Soul II Soul is today'
'Sound system’s ideology is crucial to what the collective of Soul II Soul is today'
Image: Supplied

The presence of venues to perform at was also the reason Soul II Soul became successful. 

“Back in the sound system days and the days of us having parties, part and parcel of what made it so unique was the venues that we would go and squat in, and the level of control that we had at these warehouses. They weren’t just empty shells; by the time that Soul II Soul got into any of the venues, there would be some kind of mobile infrastructure within the structure, which made it unique,” says Jazzie B. 

Soul II Soul continues to bring their philosophy — a happy face, a thumping bass, for a loving race — to new audiences.

There’s a live album due for release this year, a set of remixes, as well as a new merchandise range. 

Jazzie B says that the merch range is a flashback to a particular time. 

“Sometimes, I have to rub my eyes to imagine that the whole thing’s been going on for more than thirty years. There’s a whole new generation that’s involved in the collective. As a sound man, I kind of keep all my stuff together. The next generation has come along and recognised that. The T-shirts are really images of what was going on in the eighties with Soul II Soul, a cross between the present and the past as it were.”

More than three decades later, Soul II Soul still continues to connect with new audiences. The trailblazing British group’s longevity still boggles the mind of its founder. A reflective Jazzie B marvels at the journey.

“Here we are, so many years later, where you now get to experience a collective’s back catalogue, but firmly rooted in club culture.”

Catch Soul II Soul at Montecasino Outdoor Events Area, Johannesburg, on February 1 and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, on February 8. Get tickets here or at Pick n Pay retail stores countrywide.

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