“Always impressed when artists are able to transcend genres and musical ideas, allowing their personality and unique approach to truly shine through their sound. This is definitely the case of Jaewar & Vibe Riot.”
— Peter Vidani
The Daily Progress - PULSE
Jaewar and Vibe Riot creating buzz with a sound that unites genres
"For Vibe Riot, that can be everything from jazz-inflected hip-hop to a deep reggae groove to a slow R&B burner to a track that beautifully blends all of the other tracks together. It’s a thick, mashed-up kind of sound that, combined with the group’s infectious and spirited live performances, has been creating a noticeable buzz in the local music scene for the past five years."
- Robert Ham, correspondent for The Daily Progress.
Photo by Melody Robbins.
Apropos Of Something
Diversity’s Gotta Dance Beat & Craft Beer’s On Tap
Apropos Of Something hosts Ellen Daniels and Nancy Laurence talk with the musician Jaewar, front man for Vibe Riot, director of Vibe Fest, activist, engineer, producer, on using music to advance positive change, both locally and globally; and Lee Graves, award-winning columnist, essayist and author, on all that’s brewing in craft beers. From colonial days to its golden age.

C-ville Weekly: Vibe Riot Wants to Know What's On Your Mind
[CLICK FOR FULL TEXT] 'Jay "Jaewar" King fronts local hip-hop/reggae/rock/go-go band @viberiot that plays @vibefestcville at @ixartpart on Friday. Jaewar has a certain hope for what his music might accomplish: “If I could have my wish...I would be the Bob Marley of hip-hop...have this music be a force that has political influence and be able to [use that] for good.” With @vibefestcville, Jaewar is making a particular effort “not to leave Charlottesville’s underrepresented underrepresented again.” Music “is a language that we all use,” he says. “We might not speak the same language, but we can still rock to the same beat.”'- Erin O'Hare 2.28.2018 6:06 AM

BELLA MAGAZINE: EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN: XE JAH’TWI
[CLICK FOR FULL TEXT] Her voice makes every conversation pause in a venue.Xe Jah’Twi, or Xena, is a lead vocalist with Vibe Riot, an East Coast Indie band with a Bluesy Funk Ragga Rock sound unlike anyone else. She gives her best to every performance, and what results is a remarkable presentation indicative of both her talent and her natural chemistry with the band. Of course, long before Xena took the stage with Vibe Riot, music was her passion. As a child, Xena watched her father become an integral part of the music world while working in promotions.
She fell in love with music in the 1980s, specifically Salt-N-Pepa. Their strong personalities as women, the rapping, the music, the female DJ—to Xena, they had everything. Dancing began to call to her as well, and ultimately solidified her connection to the art. “I wanted so badly to be a background dancer,” she recalls. “but I was too shy to bring it up.”
- HAYLEIGH WORGAN FEBRUARY 12, 2018

The Focus Magazine
#EXCLUSIVEINDIE - JAEWAR - INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE MONTH [CLICK FOR FULL TEXT] Jaewar is a born entertainer for sure. The Jamaican-Haitian-American producer, engineer, and frontman for VIBE RIOT offers a full package as Creative Director for ALTER NATIV LLC. The Brooklyn-born lyrcist was raised in the "757" area of VA, and holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in engineering, earned at Virginia Tech. This unique combination of influences, humbleness, and a perfectionist's approach to his love for reggae and hip-hop have taken the sounds created by his funk rock soul band Vibe Riot internationally. "Hayleigh Worgan writes, 'In addition to the sultry sounds that invite listeners to dance and unwind, Jaewar, frontman and songwriter, does not avoid using his poetic aptitude to address current issues. He encouraged the participation of the audience in “Waddup” from his latest EP, “True! Raw Honey.” With their full attention, he called on the crowd to be aware of what is happening in the world, to recognize their responsibility to stay informed, and to stand up to those in support of hateful, racist rhetoric and violence. There is so much to consider in every word of this song, but especially the crucial line, “If it ain’t one love, it’s war.” ' "