Canadian reggae group Messenjah is extending a career spanning more than four decades with the release of “No More,” a new single that reconnects the band’s established reggae sound with themes of determination, resilience and independence.
Formed in Kitchener, Ontario, in 1981 by Rupert “Ojiji” Harvey and Errol “Skippah” Blackwood, Messenjah became the first Canadian reggae band signed to a major record label. The group went on to build an international profile while helping establish a commercial foothold for reggae within Canada’s music industry.
The new recording arrives as Messenjah continues performing and recording with Harvey leading a lineup combining longtime collaborators with newer members.
‘No More’ Builds on Messenjah’s Reggae Legacy
The single draws heavily on the themes that have characterized Messenjah’s music throughout its career, combining reggae rhythms with lyrics focused on self-belief and perseverance.
“No More shall we settle for less than the highest height, like a lion who trods in the darkest night, with no fear in our hearts cause we know Jah light,” the band declares.
That message carries into the chorus, where the group states: “No More messing around, No More wearing no frown, No More believe in what they say, No More giving things away.”
The track also directly references Messenjah’s identity and history in its bridge: “Messenjah flag bearer, storm and thunder society teacher, Messenjah truth giver, sent to Earth to set the people free ya.”
Longtime Members Collaborate on New Recording
Harvey wrote “No More” and composed the track alongside keyboardist Orville “Wyz” Malcolm and bassist Charles “Tower” Sinclair. Malcolm produced the recording, while Sinclair served as co-producer.
Messenjah’s current lineup also includes lead guitarist Carl “Carlos Bandana” Harvey, known for his work with Toots and the Maytals, as well as drummer Sammo “The Genius,” the newest member of the group.
The personnel reflects a combination of continuity and renewal as Messenjah seeks to carry its established sound into a new period of recording and live performance.
From Kitchener to International Reggae Stages
Messenjah emerged during a period when Canadian reggae had limited representation within the mainstream recording business. The group’s early albums, Rock You High and Session, helped expand its audience, while “Jam Session” became one of its best-known recordings.
The band subsequently performed at Jamaica’s Reggae Sunsplash, an important international showcase for reggae artists, and appeared in the Hollywood film Cocktail.
Messenjah reached another major career milestone in 1998, when the group performed for Nelson Mandela at Toronto’s SkyDome. That same year, the band received a Juno Award, further establishing its place within Canada’s music industry.
Catalogue Reissues Introduced Music to New Audiences
In later years, Warner Music Canada re-released material from Messenjah’s catalogue, making the group’s earlier recordings accessible to another generation of listeners.
The band also reunited for a Toronto Bob Marley tribute in 2014, demonstrating continued interest in its music decades after its emergence from Ontario’s reggae scene.
That longevity places Messenjah within a relatively small group of Canadian bands that have remained connected to their original musical identity while continuing to create new material.
Messenjah Continues Recording More Than 40 Years Later
The release of “No More” underscores the band’s ongoing activity rather than functioning solely as a retrospective celebration of its catalogue. Messenjah remains involved in writing, recording and performing, with its current lineup carrying forward a sound shaped over decades.
The single also arrives amid continued recognition of reggae’s contribution to Canada’s broader musical landscape. Messenjah’s early major-label breakthrough helped demonstrate that Canadian reggae artists could reach audiences nationally while maintaining strong connections to the genre’s Jamaican foundations.
More than four decades after forming in Kitchener, “No More” finds Messenjah drawing on that history while presenting new material from an active lineup. With Harvey still at the centre of the group, the release adds another chapter to one of Canadian reggae’s longest-running careers.