One Love Hi Pawa is one of the most popular sound systems in the world.
One Love Hi Pawa was the first reggae sound system ever born in Italy, and after so many years it’s still the number one sound. Rome based, the crew of these selectors used to work together since the end of the eighties/early nineties hosting radio shows and dancehall and promoting concerts with international artists. In 1992 they produced a demotape that sold more than 5.000 copies and it helped to spread their name around. They had still a dream. To build their own set, following the jamaican tradition. After years of hard work, their dream became reality when they finished to build their own sound and they kept the first dance with their equipment in december 1993. From now on One Love Sound toured continually all over Italy, and in a while, it became an international sound, touring all over Europe. One Love is one of the few european sound to have already performed in the place where everything started, in Kingston, Jamaica. In 1996 the same crew opened a records shop specialized in reggae music, called “One Love Music Corner” and in 1998 they have set up a company called “One Love International Distributor” in Kingston Jamaica from where they distributes jamaican music worldwide. From 1997 they also have a records label , “One Love Records”. From the early nineties, everybody in Rome knows that thursday is “Reggae Night”, is “One Love Night”. From 1990 till today, thousands of persons attended One Love’s thursdays, thousands of artists and soundsystems performed on their stage, making reggae music big in Italy. One Love Hi Pawa has performed three consecutive times at Fully Loaded in Jamaica (2002, 2003, 2004) and one in 2008 at Fully Loaded in Miami in 2003, at UK Cup 2004 and 2005 in London, at Riddim Clash 2004 in Germany, at World Clash 2003 and 2004 in New York, and at Worldclash Canada 2005 in Toronto. In 2005 One Love is the first european sound to be invited to “Death Before Dishonour” held in Montego Bay, the jamaican series of World clashes. The same year and the next one, One Love has been invited in Japan for a two weeks tour. In 2008 and 2009, the crew produced a big two-days reggae festival in Rome, called “ReggaeXplosion”, attended by more than 20.000 heads. In December 2008 they celebrated the 15th years anniversary from the first dance kept with their own sound system, with a big party in Rome, and with a limited edition of t-shirts in collaboration with the well known streetwear brand “Stussy”. In March 2009 they took the second place at the “World Cup Clash” in London, Brixton Academy, after have been played very solid rounds. In April 2010, One Love won the “World Tag Team Clash” in London, togheter with David Rodigan and Bass Odyssey. In the same year, in May, the crew received an Award as “Most Popular Sound System” at the “International Reggae And World Music Awards” during a cerimony kept in New York City.
To be continued…
