Dancehall music echoes the reality of life for Jamaicans living under harsher circumstances than those depicted by reggae music, from gang warfare to gun violence; its call for peace resonates deeply within listeners worldwide.
Dancehall emerged during political unrest of the late 1970s and quickly become Jamaica’s dominant music genre. Central to dancehall is deejays toasting (or rapping) over instrumental breaks arranged in a rhythm known as a riddim, known for being played continuously over instrumental breaks in an interwoven riddim pattern.
Origins
Dancehall music arose as an offshoot of Reggae music that first emerged in Jamaica during the 1970s, characterized by fast tempos, sexually explicit lyrics, and use of Patois dialect in its lyrics. While its exact roots remain uncertain, Dancehall may have been inspired by traditional Jamaican forms like Mento and Rocksteady as well as America’s disco movement of the 80s.
“Dancehall” refers to large halls or street spaces where deejays set up sound systems to play Jamaican music – toasters were responsible for making Jamaican tunes more accessible by making it play outside traditional clubs and radio stations; eventually dancehall music became an cultural phenomenon.
Many early dancehall artists were orphans or homeless children who found an outlet in the entertainment industry. They would sing or rap over riddims – instrumental tracks recorded in studio – which featured songs that they would sing over. Yellowman, King Jammy and Shabba Ranks became some of the most acclaimed early dancehall artists with styles that combined elements of ska, reggae and dub music into their performances.
As the genre evolved, producers started digitally recording rhythms. Next they hired artists who would record songs over these rhythms; these singers would dance or shout along with the beats for an authentic experience that combined ska and reggae music styles into one unique style.
Dancehall music gained wide acclaim during the late ’80s in Jamaica and worldwide. With lyrics that covered both sexuality and politics, this genre provided an alternative to more socially responsible reggae songs. Today in Jamaica the dancehall culture remains strong.
Jamaican dancehall is a vibrant cultural heritage with influences coming from many sources, notably music and dance history of Jamaica itself. Many publications have been written to highlight its culture such as “Rhythms: A Jamaican Heritage in Music and Dance”. This comprehensive account of its musical and dance history makes an invaluable source of information for both students and researchers.
Styles
Dance Music Jamaica (DMJ) is an infectious form of reggae music that has attracted audiences worldwide. With its signature upbeat beats and bass lines that draw people in while sharp lyrics hold their attention, this genre also incorporates elements from other dance forms into an eclectic blend. Dance Music Jamaica may have been influenced by hip-hop as well as other contemporary forms, yet remains uniquely Jamaican.
Jamaican dance music draws its inspiration from traditional African, European, and Creole traditions. This form of music has long been used to mark religious and social occasions throughout Jamaica as it represents both its culture and society. Jamaica’s influence can also be found across Caribbean cultures; calypso evolved into ragga and dancehall among other forms of expression within this genre.
Ska is one of the early forms of Jamaican dance music and was made popular by bands such as the Skatalites. With infectious and hypnotic rhythms, its infectious beat quickly became part of Jamaican life in the early 1970s – becoming its soundtrack as rival deejays such as Yellowman and Ini Kamoze engaged in bitter feuds over its lyrics.
In the late 1970s, a new generation of Jamaican artists emerged that combined all previous genres of Jamaican music with rap influences to form dancehall. Since its creation, dancehall has quickly gained international popularity; becoming an integral part of pop culture both internationally and in North America and Europe. Dancehall also inspired related genres such as dub and jungle that draw upon reggae and hip-hop influences respectively.
R&B (rhythm and blues) music from Jamaica has long been a beloved style, popularly represented by singers such as Prince Buster and Desmond Dekker. These songs combine Rastafarian themes with spirituality into funk sounds that became widely popular thanks to Bob Marley. His popularity brought R&B around the world.
Popular Jamaican dance styles include jive and rocksteady, which combine jazz and soul music with a heavy beat. Their harmonies and drumming recall American R&B music while its fast-paced rhythms attract younger listeners. Joming, an up-and-coming Jamaican dance style that incorporates moves from various dance forms, has quickly become an extremely popular youth-centric form of dancing.
Riddims
Dancehall music is built around riddims, or instrumental accompaniments to songs, that give each track its unique sound and aesthetic. Different from other Jamaican genres like ska and rocksteady, riddims often appear multiple times across songs with varied lyrics; no single deejay can claim ownership to any particular riddim; for instance ‘(Under Me) Sleng Teng’ riddim has been featured over 200 times to date!
Dancehall production differs significantly from that of other musical genres in that its production begins with a riddim that multiple dancehall artists then record vocals over it. This leads to an eclectic variety of song styles; many address socially conscious issues like poverty, inequality and political oppression while other songs focus on sexual pleasure with some notable artists exploring topics like sex, drugs and violence in their songs.
With the arrival of digital technology, dancehall producers and deejays began altering their methods of performance. Vocalization over instrumentals became more sophisticated while studio recording technology provided for greater precision in control resulting in a distinct, identifiable body of work; not only were deejays producing riddims but they were performing at sound systems and around Kingston too!
During the 1980s, Jamaica witnessed the emergence of ragga music – a style which combined influences from both America and Britain – into one style known as ragga music. While its predecessors such as ska and rocksteady had more traditional arrangements and lyrics, ragga’s more explicit nature gave way to new generations of artists such as Bounty Killer, Mad Cobra, and Ninjaman who popularized its use in their work.
Beenie Man was an indisputable dancehall superstar during the ’80s. His catchy tunes and distinctive hooks quickly established him as an audiophile favorite, while his social commentary with songs like ‘Old Dog’ and ‘Who Am I’ was renowned. Unfortunately legal troubles eventually derailed his career until 2018 saw his return with a comeback album.
Deejays
Dancehall has long been an important part of Jamaican music’s identity and promotion on a global stage, but has also served as an oppressive tool against marginalized groups of people. Dancehall emerged as an expression of self-expression through dance and emotion while unifying Jamaicans under one common music culture; moreover, its popularity serves as a platform for social and political activism — including encouraging women to reclaim their identities through dancehall.
Deejay is the Jamaican patois term for “rhythm selector,” an individual who utilizes instrumental breaks over rhythms on a sound system to produce various styles ranging from ska and reggae to rocksteady, dancehall and ragga. Historically, deejays would perform their lyrics by speaking over instrumental breaks – this practice predated rapping. Herc was an influential deejay who coined the term “B-Boy,” leading the way for American MC’s to participate and help shape hip hop culture today.
Deejays often perform their lyrics over a riddim (rhythm) or melodic backing track, such as traditional ska band music or simple drum kit and bassline. The rhythm itself is usually performed by multiple musicians using bass guitar, guitars, keyboards and drums; Jamaican dancers may add their own unique moves into the mix while often accompanying it with words or phrases in chant form.
In the 1980s, dancehall entered its golden age, marked by computer-generated beats and rapid vocal delivery. Slackness and gun talk became prevalent themes, making popular artists such as Shabba Ranks, Bounty Killer and Eek-a-Mouse known throughout. By 1990s’ end, Rastafarian consciousness emerged among artists such as Buju Banton.
Today, dancehall continues to evolve with various styles and variations. Dancehall influences various musical genres around the world; especially the United States and parts of Europe; for instance many moves still seen today in hip-hop are either variations on or directly derived from its dancehall roots.