Talking Reggae Runnins with Tanto Irie

If you are up at 10 pm on Saturdays and turn your radio to Hot 105 FM, you’re likely to hear Tanto Irie, host of Reggae Runnins.

The show, which has been on the air over 10 years, has made him a household name in Miami.

On Father’s Day, Tanto Irie was awarded the Clint O’Neil Radio Personality Award at the People’s Profile Awards in Davie. It is an accolade he acknowledged during a recent interview with CNW.

“I’m very appreciative of this especially because it’s under Clint O’Neil’s name (the man generally credited as the Godfather of Reggae Music in South Florida). I really accept it because I have made a lot of sacrifice for the music personally. Sacrifice to keep the program on the air for the people. That’s what the People Profile Award means to me because the people keep me there,” he said

Tanto Irie was born Anthony Garrick in January 1960 in Kingston, Jamaica and grew up in Trelawny, a rural farm parish. The name Tanto was given to him by Latin friends.

He migrated to Brooklyn, New York in 1987 and has worked in diverse fields: sales, factories, with an airline. Music, however, is his passion.

“I want to see people come together through the music. That’s what makes me keep trying,” he said.

The People Profile Awards honored stalwarts who have contributed significantly to the South Florida Caribbean community.

One of them is Tanto Irie. The 57-year-old grandfather has big dreams for the future.

“I would like to have a performing arts center with a school of music where young talent can exercise themselves, have a place to play,” he said. “To teach the music from engineering to instruments, to singers, artist development, and production. Helping artists, helping talent, especially under-privileged children who have no place to go so they can learn music, free of charge.”