Jahcoustix: Germany's Third Culture Reggae Kid
As we have all experienced, music can be a great unifying force. With its focus on lyrical themes that include love and unity, Reggae music is no exception, making it a common uniting force, especially for Third Culture Kids. What is a Third Culture Kid?
A Third Culture Kid, or TCK, is someone who grows up in a country (or countries) where neither they nor their parents were born and raised. They are, therefore, culturally influenced by their parents, their passport country, and the cultures of the countries they have lived in throughout their childhood. This means TCKs hold a unique global perspective that enables them to recognize what unites them with people from all over the world rather than focus on possible differences.
JAHCOUSTIX
Third Culture Kid, Jahcoustix, is considered one of the pioneers of Reggae music in Germany with a focus on combining Roots and acoustic Reggae. He is also known as one of Germany’s most consistent Reggae acts.
Otherwise known as Dominik Haas, Jahcoustix is the son of a diplomat who grew up in Kenya, Mexico, Liberia, New York and Egypt. He was first introduced to Reggae music and Rastafari culture while wandering the downtown streets of Nairobi, and was greatly influenced by artists like Burning Spear, Israel Vibration, Culture and Bob Marley. On returning to Germany in 1998 he chose to dedicate his life to Reggae music as a testament to its acceptance of all people, regardless of skin color and social standing, reaffirming his life experiences as a Third Culture Kid.
Jahcoustix began his Reggae career playing and recording steadily with his first band Dubios Neighbourhood. Then in 2004 Jahcoustix published his first solo album through Virgin Records called “Colorblind.” After touring for a couple of years, he followed this with the release of his second album “Grounded” in 2006. A side project called Jahcoustix & the Outsideplayers followed, which in time became his third album, an acoustic CD released in 2008.
In 2010, after playing with several bands and touring all over the world, Jahcoustix released his fourth album “Crossroads” with Kingstone Records. It quickly reached #1 on the Amazon Reggae Sales Chart, solidifying his strong standing in the world of Reggae music.
In April 2012, this standing was confirmed when Jahcoustix release the single “World Citizen,” which featured Shaggy. All proceeds of the single, which is for sale on iTunes, go to Think Big Youth projects, highlighting Jahcoustix’s commitment to projects that focus on social justice.
Jahcoustix’s most recent musical offering is a single called “Another Day,” which is available on iTunes along with a bonus track. The single was first released in September of this year. - Angela Gunn
For all the latest information about Jahcoustix, ‘Like’ his Facebook page or visit his website Jahcoustix.de where information about his latest musical releases and tour dates can be found.