“The intention of the music and the message,” explains Hawai’i-born singer/songwriter Daniel Pak in an interview with the Honolulu Weekly, “is to give people a glimpse of the truth in a way such that it just might uplift them to go do something to change it.”

Seattle reggae rockers Kore Ionz have shared the stage with such legends as The Wailers, Steel Pulse, and Third World, as well as current charting artists like Katchafire and J Boog. Teaming up with producer Mell Dettmer (Femi Kuti, Bas...