I have known Soja since 2000. I was looking for inspiration and found a show of theirs I could catch on the way to visit family in Florida. I got their album Peace In A Time of War at the show and we hung out. Within a month or so, I was asking myself, "How do I esteem these young white guys from Virginia as much as Bob Marley in such a short time?" At that time US reggae and a reggae band with no Caribbean folk was practically unheard of. I had spent more than a decade listening to Bob Marley and other greats who are now the elders and legends, and suddenly, I find myself listening to and craving more SOJA! At that time packing the State Theater in their hometown of DC was considered a great accomplishment to them, and they were just starting to get their feet wet touring the east coast. At that time, they were just so happy to be playing this music and were willing to drive 10 hours for a $500 gig. Over the years, they networked and built upon their friends like their song, "Rest Of My Life", says. SOJA is the real deal, they worked their asses off to get where they are today, driven solely by their love of the music, the message and their desire to make the world a better place with this music, like their favorite reggae artists did before them. During their jouney they have gained fans, made friends, supported many of their fellow artists, and have been involved in many charitable works. Their music is of the upmost inspiration and upliftment and has the power to change lives. On top of this, they are one of the most fun and entertaining live bands you can see. Light like a feather, heavy like lead! Don't miss them when they come to a city near you. Take it from me, JDT!