Nearly 25 years into the band's career, Pepper's three members are no longer merely artists. They're ambassadors to a thriving scene. As co-founders of their own record label, LAW Records, they've enriched the reggae community worldwide by reissuing albums by Steel Pulse and Jimmy Cliff and releasing more than 20 other artists. genres. For Pepper, each new album is an opportunity not only to pay homage to their own reggae-rock roots, but also to expand the circle of connection, camaraderie, and synergy that surrounds the band. 

Makai, the group's newest EP, finds Pepper leaning even further into those roots. The record's title is a Hawaiian term that roughly translates to "by the ocean," and these six songs evoke the sounds and sights of the band's island home. "Get Me Ready" (co-written by Tim Armstrong of Rancid and Kevin Bivona of The Interrupters) opens the album with a burst of sonic sunshine, while "Sweet Leef" sings the praises of herbal relief. Even the album's artwork, which was created by longtime collaborator Ben Brough, pays tribute to Hawaii's ocean culture.