The Irie

The Irie visited the Arizona PBS studios to perform “Kick It” and “Mango Island.” The Irie is a reggae band hailing from Chandler, Arizona, that was formed by George Ruiz in 2012. Although the band has gone through several iterations, the current lineup has been turning heads since late 2019.

The trio of George Ruiz, Marcus Mapes, and Johnny Groove came together when Johnny moved back to his hometown of Tempe, Arizona, from LA. They quickly realized they had a musical connection and recorded their first single, “Toxic Love.” This success led them to record their first EP, “Coming Down,” which further cemented their sound and laid the groundwork for future releases. Their latest acoustic release of Mango Island debuted #1 Global Reggae Billboards. 

The Irie has already shared the stage with some of the biggest names in reggae, including Slightly Stoopid, Collie Buddz, Sublime with Rome, The Dirty Heads, and Common Kings. They have also toured with Sensi Trails, Katastro, and Tunnel Vision.

According to the band’s website, they describe their music style as “reggae and alternative.”

The band members spoke to Arizona PBS about their love for music and how everything started. “The music scene is beautiful right now, especially for the reggae scene,” said lead singer and guitarist George Ruiz. “The reggae scene in Arizona is kind of up and down, but right now we are flourishing.” he added. 

Their sound is characterized by catchy melodies, infectious rhythms, and thought-provoking lyrics that touch on themes such as love and unity. 

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