A progressive and energetic jam band based out of Nashville, Tennessee, Roots of a Rebellion (ROAR) emerged in 2010 with a sound that combines dub, roots reggae, rock, and hip-hop. Comprised of Austin Smith, Marco Martinez, Adam Quellhorst, Troy Wiggins, Jeremyck Smith, and Justin Smith, the six-piece independently released their debut EP Inner Light in 2012. Looking to a wide array of influences that include Sly and the Family Stone, John Brown's Body, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, and Flying Lotus, the band issued their first full-length effort, Heartifact, independently in 2014. High-profile slots alongside the Wailers, Rebelution, Slightly Stoopid, and SOJA helped to expand the group's audience, paving the way for the release of their sophomore full-length outing Brother's Instinct in 2016. Staying true to their D.I.Y. work ethic and independent nature, ROAR released album number three, Shapes of a Soul, via their own Roots of a Rebellion imprint in 2019. ~ James Christopher Monger