Sweet & Irie

New Zealand reggae band Sweet & Irie made their album debut in 2009 with Localize It. Founded in 2005 in South Auckland, New Zealand, the band is a nonet led by singer/songwriter Ed Ru, who was born in South Auckland, raised in Otara, and spent time in the Cook Islands as a teenager. Sweet & Irie made their recording debut in 2006 with the self-released song "Ban the Burn," which led to a recording deal with Dawn Raid Music. The band made its label debut in 2008 with the singles "Mama, Don't Cry" and "My Girl." Along with a third single, "Sweet & Irie," the full-length release Localize It followed in 2009 and was a Top Ten hit on the New Zealand albums chart. ~ Jason Birchmeier