About Us

We pride ourselves in playing “Island Music with Mountain Flavor.” The Rippah Shreddahs jam original reggae music that has blends of mostly folk reggae, rootsy reggae, and jawaiian; but our music also has hints of ragamuffin, hip-hop, ska, dancehall, jazz, funk, and punk. The major theme of our music is unity, and we address issues of race, ethnicity, colonialism, gender, sexual orientation, and oppression in general. We also have themes related to education and ripping and shredding our way through life.

Jeremy T. Yeats AKA Doctah Fiendah (Front man and ukulele player for the Rippah Shreddahs)

In 2005, I bought my first high end ukulele in Hilo, Hawai’i. I started playing music on the beaches and in the garages of the Big Island with all of the Bruddahs, Sistahs, Aunties, and Uncles. Some important musical influences of mine include: The Gladiators, Clinton Fearon, Albert Griffiths, Israel Vibrations, Natural Vibrations, Humble Soul, Barrington Levy, Jimmy Cliff, Etana, Ekolu, Groundation, Anuhea, and all of the Marleys.  When I moved back to Colorado for my master's degree, I formed the band Xenadu, and our biggest gig was the 2007 Poudre River Reggae Festival.  Next, I started working on my Ph.D. and developed my musical repertoire. For a total of 6 years, I have been playing with different renditions of the Rippah Shreddahs in Colorado. We have opened for JR Toots and Brewfish and have played at venues such as the Walnut Room, Coyote Moon, the Boathouse, Cloud Station, St. Ives, Squarepeg Brewerks, Shooters and Shenanigans, and several more.  After moving to West Virginia, Doctah Fiendah and the Rippah Shreddahs are now ready to share our music with you in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Shenain K. Wilson AKA Shayne (Drummer)

I was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica the birth place of reggae music. I first got the hang of playing drums at church and in my high school band. After high school, I joined the Caribbean Regals steel pan band in 2007 and played at various resorts along the north coast of Jamaica. While in the band, I improved my skill in genres like reggae, ska, calypso, mento, jazz, and folk. I also played music for a few Jamaican artists such as Droop Lion. For me music is more than a job or hobby, it is my passion.

Xavier D. Williams AKA The Ace of Keys. (Piano player and producer)

Began performing as a piano player in Morgantown, West Virginia in 2014 with the town’s legendary jazz trio Quie. Since then I’ve been in a number of bands even backing several hip-hop artists including Chris Allen, and Lamar Riddick. I have albums on all streaming services with the following bands: Quie, The Digital Nomads, and Vangilder. I’ve opened for Theo Katzman, Marc Ribllet, and Starship Mantis. I’ve performed just about everywhere in the state of West Virginia. I’ve also performed in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Washington D.C.