Biography
Protoje, born Oje Ken Ollivierre on June 23, 1981, in Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica, grew up in a deeply musical household, the son of singer Lorna Bennett and former calypso king Mike Ollivierre of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.[1][2][3] He attended Munro College in St. Elizabeth and briefly considered following his mother into law before committing fully to music, having been fascinated by Jamaican sounds and artists like Buju Banton from an early age.[7] His multicultural upbringing between Jamaica and time spent in the United States helped shape his broad musical perspective and socially aware worldview.[1]
Emerging in the 2000s, Protoje first released singles such as “Awakening” in 2006 and gained wider attention with “Kingston Be Wise” around 2010, which showcased his blend of roots reggae, dancehall, hip‑hop and dub.[1][6] His debut album The Seven Year Itch (2010/2011) was followed by The 8 Year Affair (2013), Ancient Future (2015), A Matter of Time (2018) and In Search of Lost Time (2020), projects that cemented him as a leading voice in the so‑called “Reggae Revival,” a movement of contemporary Jamaican artists reviving roots-conscious reggae.[2][4][6] Tracks like “Rasta Love” (feat. Ky-Mani Marley), “Kingston Be Wise,” “Who Knows” (feat. Chronixx), and “Blood Money” brought him international attention, with Ancient Future and A Matter of Time both topping the Billboard Reggae Albums chart and the latter earning a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album.[1][2][6]
Protoje’s music is defined by conscious, socially engaged lyricism—often addressing corruption, inequality, identity and empowerment—paired with a modern fusion of reggae, hip‑hop, soul, jazz, R&B and rock elements.[1][2][3] As leader of his band The Indiggnation and founder of the In.Digg.Nation Collective label/management company, he has not only helped globalize the Reggae Revival through extensive touring and major festival appearances, but has also championed and developed a new generation of Jamaican artists, including Lila Iké, Sevana and Jaz Elise.[2][4][5] His 2020 partnership deal with RCA Records, which included individual album deals for those rising artists, further underscored his role as both creator and architect of contemporary Jamaican music infrastructure and culture.[2]
Fun Facts
- Protoje’s mother, Lorna Bennett, was a successful Jamaican singer who later became a lawyer, and Protoje briefly considered attending law school before deciding to pursue music full time.[7]
- His song “Kingston Be Wise” was featured on the soundtrack of the video game Grand Theft Auto, significantly boosting his international exposure.[4][6]
- Protoje has toured with Ms. Lauryn Hill and performed at major festivals including Coachella, Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, Afropunk, Lollapalooza (Chile) and others, helping bring modern Jamaican roots music to large global audiences.[2]
- In 2020 he signed a landmark deal with RCA Records that not only covered his own releases but also secured individual album deals for three rising Jamaican women artists—Lila Iké, Sevana and Jaz Elise—through his In.Digg.Nation Collective.[2]
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Lorna Bennett - Mother; singer whose career and later work as a lawyer strongly influenced his early exposure to music and his initial consideration of law before choosing an artistic path. (General influence from her recording career in 1970s Jamaican music rather than a specific joint project.) [Childhood–present]
- Mike Ollivierre - Father; former calypso king from St. Vincent and the Grenadines who provided a Caribbean musical foundation and exposure to performance culture. (Influence from his calypso career; no widely documented recorded collaborations.) [Childhood–present]
- Buju Banton - Key stylistic and cultural influence during Protoje’s youth, emblematic of the 1990s Jamaican dancehall sound that shaped his desire to do music. (Protoje cites the era when Buju Banton was “deejaying and locking the place” as formative background for songs like “Dread.”[7]) [Early 1990s influence, referenced in later work]
Key Collaborators
- Chronixx - Frequent collaborator and fellow Reggae Revival artist; their work together helped define the movement’s sound and global reach. (Single “Who Knows” (2014), featured on Ancient Future; additional features on A Matter of Time.[5][6]) [Mid‑2010s–late 2010s]
- Winta James - Long‑time producer and creative partner central to Protoje’s album sound and hit singles. (Production across Ancient Future and A Matter of Time; co‑creator of politically charged single “Blood Money.”[6]) [2010s]
- Ky-Mani Marley - Featured vocalist on one of Protoje’s breakthrough tracks, bridging Marley lineage and Reggae Revival. (“Rasta Love” on The 8 Year Affair.[4][6]) [Early 2010s]
- The Indiggnation - Protoje’s militant live and recording band, with whom he develops arrangements and tours internationally. (Backing band across albums The Seven Year Itch, The 8 Year Affair, Ancient Future and major live performances.[4][6]) [2010s–present]
- Lila Iké, Sevana, Jaz Elise - Artists signed and developed through his In.Digg.Nation Collective; he collaborates musically and executively with them under a joint RCA partnership. (Label and management collaboration via In.Digg.Nation Collective and their RCA album deals; various features and co‑performances.[2][5]) [Late 2010s–2020s]
- Jorja Smith, Alicia Keys, Pa Salieu, Wiz Khalifa - International cross‑genre collaborators expanding his sound beyond core reggae audiences. (Collaborations and features highlighted in his official bio, including tracks with Jorja Smith, Alicia Keys, Pa Salieu and Wiz Khalifa.[5]) [Late 2010s–2020s]
Artists Influenced
- Lila Iké - Protégé artist whose career was nurtured through Protoje’s In.Digg.Nation Collective and subsequent RCA deal, reflecting his mentorship role in the Reggae Revival’s next wave. (Signed to In.Digg.Nation Collective; benefited from Protoje’s 2020 RCA partnership that secured her individual album deal.[2]) [Late 2010s–2020s]
- Sevana - Singer supported and developed under Protoje’s label/management structure, modeling a modern reggae-soul fusion approach. (Released work via In.Digg.Nation Collective; included in RCA partnership secured by Protoje in 2020.[2]) [Late 2010s–2020s]
- Jaz Elise - Emerging reggae/R&B artist whose platform and releases have been facilitated and guided by Protoje’s In.Digg.Nation Collective and RCA arrangement. (Part of the trio of rising female artists for whom Protoje brokered RCA album deals, reflecting his influence on her career trajectory.[2]) [2020s]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient Future | 2015-09-18 | Album |
| Toast to Our Differences (Deluxe Edition) | 2019-01-25 | Album |
| In Search Of Lost Time | 2020-08-28 | Album |
| The Seven Year Itch | 2010-01-25 | Album |
| A Matter of Time | 2018-06-29 | Album |
| Ancient Future | 2015-03-09 | Album |
| The 8 Year Affair | 2013-02-12 | Album |
| In Search Of Zion | 2023-11-10 | Album |
| Third Time's The Charm | 2022-09-23 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Who Knows (Ancient Future)
- Rasta Love Feat. Ky-Mani Marley (The Seven Year Itch)
- Who Knows (Ancient Future)
- BIG 45
- Feel It
- Inhale Exhale (feat. Protoje) (Falling into Place)
- Switch It Up (feat. Koffee) (In Search Of Lost Time)
- Who Knows (feat. Chronixx) - SHY FX Remix
- Kingston Be Wise (The 8 Year Affair)
- Resist Not Evil
External Links
Tags: #dub, #jamaica, #rasta
References
Heard on WWOZ
Protoje has been played 2 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 28, 2025 | 23:29 | Flowers & Flamesfrom Feel It (Deluxe) | What's Neww/ Duane Williams | |
| Dec 7, 2025 | 22:04 | Feel Itfrom Feel It (Deluxe) | What's Neww/ Duane Williams |