Tarrus Riley’s “Love Salute” is the ultimate salute

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

“If you find that some that you can’t afford to lose just surrender and salute.”

These are very truthful and timely words from Reggae superstar Mr. Tarrus Riley.

“Love Salute” is Riley’s, 2021 single produced by Kareem ‘Remus’ Burrell, and released internationally on November 19^th, 2021. In this track, Riley told his audience to appreciate love in all forms and never take a person for granted.

As always, Riley signs this track with his soulful signature, which flows all the way through the song. This crooner has a way of making any song he sings automatically his.

Even though he comes from Reggae royalty Riley has carved out his spot in the music industry with hits like “Human Nature,” “Stay with You,” and the much talked about Reggae classic lovers rock “She’s Royal” just to name a few.

Riley has several albums to his credit, which include, Challenges (2004), Parables (2006), and Contagious (2009). Contagious features guest appearances from: Damian Marley, Vybz Kartel, Etana, Konshens, Demarco, and Duane Stephenson.

He was awarded the Reggae Runnins Caribbean Heritage Award at the 2009 HOT 105 FM Caribbean-American Heritage Awards, and also was nominated in the Best Reggae category of the 2009 MOBO Awards.

I spoke with the Reggae crooner about his new track “Love Salute” and his rise in the industry.

Riley is an artist who chooses his words wisely and said this of his hit single, “I just want to be intentional and deliberate in the words that I am using nowadays. It is just the necessary thing to say because I am aware that the audience is listening.”

As a young boy he started to DJ and write lyrics, and as fate would have it, his dad Mr. Jimmy Riley called him out on stage one night saying to him, “Come out here let me see what you have.”

“Meh born and grow in music yuh nuh,” Riley said, “from a long, long, long time and there is nothing that satisfies my soul like music.”

“Mek sure yuh always collect yuh money, and take your work seriously,” this was the crooner’s answer when asked what was one of the things he learned from his famous dad.

When asked about the Burrell production side of the single, Riley said it’s like a family musical thing, “Remember,” he said, “our fathers worked together, so it’s no strange thing that we are working together.”

This crooner knows his position on the musical field and is determined to leave his mark on the musical sand of time.

“Reggae music, it is going, because you have more people doing Reggae internationally. Also, the foundation of reggae is its really strong roots. The man dem who paved the way are hard acts to follow. Men like Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and Jacob Miller, but there is good Reggae music now and I would hope that I am one ah de man dem,” Riley replied to his feelings on the status of Reggae.

“I would like to do like my forefathers did, which is to put something there that in the next twenty to thirty years, people are saying yes this man put things that cannot be moved.”

Riley had a bit of advice for the younger ones in the music business, “Don’t try to be anyone else, be the best you, because there is something about you that makes you special, so tap into you and present yourself to the world.” 

As for expectations, the singer said, “Expect the unexpected and expect that there might be a time that you may not see somebody that you want to see and tell them that you love them, and as for now, the focus is all on “Love Salute.”

Riley would like to thank his Canadian fans for their love and support, and please take the time to check out his video on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmKrSGTfCiU.