Test your “J-dar” by briefly considering two modern reggae artists. Nasio Fontaine, the son of a Carib Indian mother and a father of African descent, has long locks and a stirring, world-weary voice.

Give the man named Spexdaboss his flowers: for over a quarter-century, the Canadian DJ has been a constant on the reggae music scene. Dubbed "Canada's Reggae Ambassador," the award-winning Toronto ...