Many roots lyrics reveal the corruption and truth behind government intervention. “You're in a me land, You no build no school for black children, No hospital for black people, You build your prison, You build their camp.” These words, sung by Tosh, have many direct parallels. While Jamaicans were fighting against the system, or shitstem as Tosh commonly referred to it as, black Americans were in the midst of the same struggles

Peter Tosh was a strong supporter of the Rastafarian concept of "One Love". In an interview with John Walker, Tosh says he does not support the “politricks and games”. His obvious play on the word politics degrades its from the original concept. Politics, in a Babylonian sense, is another way of controlling black people. Tosh also said to Walker, "I have bigger aims, hopes and aspirations. My duty is not to divide them, my duty is to unify the people, cause to divide people is to destroy people. And destroy yourself, too." In that statement, Tosh reiterates a basic building block that holds Rastafari together- unity.

The majority of Tosh’s music stayed within the boundaries of typical reggae. “Fight Apartheid” is a well-known liberation song, which has several of the structural foundations of reggae. Reggae is distinguishable by the deep groove and Jamaican flavor. On the technical aspect, there is usually a chop on the second and fourth beat. Horns were reintroduced into reggae after years of silence by the musical form Rocksteady. The lyrics in reggae are usually roots conscious, much like the examples shown here from Peter Tosh.

Peter Tosh had lived through the harsh realities of day-to-day life in Jamaica. Through his lyrics, he expressed to a mainstream audience the hardships of Jamaican life. Tosh sung, “We got to fight against apartheid.” By fighting apartheid, Tosh is referring to combating a policy that promoted racial segregation in all aspects of existence. This policy was a last ditch effort by white men to control black people. Demonstrations were held by Jamaicans to contest apartheid. Many Rastafarians were at the vanguard of these demonstrations. Apartheid is a strong opposing force to Rasta ideals. Rastas believed in “One Love”, unity between all people, with no c

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