Reggae music transcends genre and culture to become part of global musical harmony. Boasting soulful beats and profound messages, reggae resonates across generations into the worldwide fabric.
Rooted in Rastafarianism, Reggae music draws its inspiration from Rastafari principles of social justice and African pride ideals. Ganja, or cannabis plant, holds special meaning within this movement, its influence evident in Reggae lyrics.
1. It’s a drug
When people hear “reggae,” images of dreadlocked warblers plucking syncopated guitar beats while sitting under heavy marijuana clouds may come to mind. Or it might conjure images of relaxing vibes and palm trees as an antidote against modern-day issues such as racism and oppression; yet although reggae has long served as an anthem of black resistance and survival, its dark side must also be taken into consideration.
Reggae music began its journey during Jamaica’s turbulent 1960s, when political unrest, poverty, and dangerous streets led to artists like Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Dekker, Bob Marley & the Wailers and Toots and the Maytals emerging to fill an unfulfilling musical landscape with fast beats and bass as its primary melody; its lyrics becoming increasingly political with socially aware lyrics exploring themes such as religion and politics.
Songs by Desmond Dekker and Peter Tosh such as “Israelites,” which obliquely alluded to black people as being true Israelites oppressed in modern-day Babylon, helped establish reggae’s Rastafari template. This message of struggle and liberation relied heavily upon Haile Selassie’s teachings while echoing Rastafari beliefs that black people should consider themselves one nation under God.
Soon, reggae’s early roots of ska gave way to rocksteady, a slower genre with romantic lyrics. According to legend, its slow tempo came about after Jamaican musician Hopeton Lewis found it impossible to sing his hits at ska tempo; so instead he reduced his rhythm for this style, which eventually evolved into ragga, an adaptation of rock that featured more vocals than prominent horns – an approach popularized globally by Bob Marley himself and other musical icons like him.
As reggae’s evolution continued, producers like Lee “Scratch” Perry and King Tubby introduced dub, an experimental form of remixing featuring repeated drumbeats or bass lines with spacial effects such as echo-plexing to give an illusion that you are hearing it within yourself – often described by Perry as sounding “just like a volcano in yuh head.” This technique would later give reggae its worldwide appeal.
2. It’s a weapon
People typically associate reggae with images of dreadlocked warblers performing under heavy marijuana clouds, and also possibly chilled vibes, palm trees and tropical locations. And, they likely think of iconic figures such as Bob Marley who have embraced its Rastafarian roots; yet few realize that reggae music can actually serve as more than just music – it can also serve as a weapon.
Reggae, often compared to rock and blues, originated from Africa during the ’60s. Its rhythmic structure is built upon four-beat patterns popularised in ska and rocksteady; syncopated drumming adds syncopated rhythmic accents. Reggae songs have long explored issues related to poverty, racism, oppression as well as spreading messages of hope and love through reggae’s traditional social criticism and religion strands; yet many artists use reggae songs as vehicles to spread these themes as well.
Roots reggae was an integral component of Michael Manley’s Democratic Socialism during the 1970s, providing support for liberation movements across Africa. Anthems that featured roots reggae praised Ethiopia’s Emperor Haile Selassie while denouncing colonialism and poverty while stressing Black unity.
Reggae music transcends political themes to also embrace spiritual beliefs associated with the Rastafarian movement, featuring influential artists like Bob Marley who use their voices to advocate spirituality and social justice through reggae music. Furthermore, its spiritual messages have inspired other musical genres like hip hop.
Reggae stands out among musical genres thanks to its distinctive tempo and rhythm, most notably through a technique known as the “one drop.” This signature riffing technique emphasizes the third beat of each bar for an easygoing groove suited for dancing; its hypnotic rhythm has made it popular among rappers and other MCs as well.
Reggae music has long been an influence on punk. Bands such as the Clash and Ruts in the ’80s drew heavily upon reggae as inspiration; today it continues to inspire musicians worldwide; it even helped shape contemporary pop music artists such as Rihanna and Sean Paul.
3. It’s a weapon of mass destruction
Reggae’s global popularity stems from its unique ability to foster resistance and unity across diverse cultures. Rooted in Jamaican culture and committed to political activism, reggae’s universal appeal can be found protesting nuclear proliferation, championing indigenous rights in Australia or calling for social change; all messages which resonate through reggae from Kingston to London and beyond.
Reggae was created during the late 1960s and early 1970s as an offshoot of ska and rocksteady music genres, such as rocksteady and ska. Reggeae differed significantly from its predecessors in that its rhythm is slower, its musical complexity greater, its lyrics focused more directly on social justice issues, economic inequality. Rastafari influence gave reggae spiritual undertones while simultaneously conveying anti-establishment sentiments – leading to its rise as political music with bands like Toots and Maytals (Bob Marley’s Wailers), Wailers (Bob Marley’s band), and Burning Spear among others.
Reggae music gained immense popularity throughout the Third World due to the anti-imperialist views and policies of Jamaican President Michael Manley and his Democratic Socialism policies, as well as through reggae compositions supporting African liberation movements that included Peter Tosh’s “400 Years”, Heptones “Slavery Days”, and Bob Marley’s “War.”
Reggae music was instrumental in increasing social consciousness and mobilizing movements such as Steel Pulse’s song against the Ku Klux Klan. Additionally, reggae inspired artists and performers such as Jah Cure and Shabba Ranks who all played pivotal roles within Britain’s black diaspora community.
Dancehall deejays of the 1980s and ’90s refined toasting, or rapping over instrumental tracks, as a means of expanding reggae’s reach within African American communities. Emcees such as these challenged political awareness by touching upon topics such as criminal justice reform, urban poverty exploitation, slavery in America’s legacy, as well as reggaeton. Furthermore, their work introduced reggae music to new audiences while opening up its path for further evolution as an artform; making reggae truly popular worldwide.
4. It’s a tool of oppression
Reggae music can be an effective tool in the fight for social justice and equality. Reggae’s protest songs against corruption, war, and poverty have resonated with movements worldwide while touching upon universal themes like peace, love, and unity in its compositions.
Reggeae’s global popularity was propelled by its anti-colonialist messages, with artists like Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, the Congos and Marcia Griffiths creating music that resonates deeply with Africa’s Rastafarian roots and speaks out against oppressive economic and racial structures while advocating for repatriation of Africans back home.
Rastafarian lyrics often criticize the greed of upper-class Jamaicans and their belief that wealth, power and status are indicators of success. Rastafarians believe these ideologies are damaging to society and lead to poverty and oppression; consequently this genre has inspired individuals from all backgrounds to become more mindful of their environment and promote love and peace through listening and dancing to it.
Reggae music’s musical interpretation of these themes has played a critical role in creating cultural identities of many Jamaicans and people from its diaspora, and also helped foster an African sense of belonging between Jamaican Diaspora communities and continental Africa. One such song from late musician Bob Marley’s posthumous album Confrontation called “Africa Unite” became a key component of South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement while providing moral support to African freedom fighters during their fights against colonialism.
Matisyahu is a revered reggae artist known for blending Jewish themes with the genre’s signature hazzan style to produce his own distinctive musical expression. This combination has caught many listeners’ ears around the globe and been featured in movies, TV shows and other forms of entertainment. Beyond music alone, this musician has also made significant strides in charitable and humanitarian work as an active partner with organizations such as Red Cross, UNICEF and World Vision.