Big Blog: Reggae music

For this blog I'm going to be writing about Reggae and Jamaican music. Reggae is known as a popular style of music that originated in Jamaica around the 1960s. This type of music quickly led to being the forefront of music in Jamaica and the type of music that is recognized often as ‘Jamaican Music’ . Having a quite fast uprising. It became an international sensation. WIth havin close links to the Religion Rastafari movement. With music speaking widely from the voices of the oppressed. Reggae is common amongst all levels of social classes that can speak and intertwine with all kinds of backgrounds. 

Reggae is music that is based off of a different genre named Ska. Something that was very popular amongst the early culture of Jamaica. It uses a standard 4/4 beat rhythm. That uses electric guitar, bass guitar, drums , and the scraper. This Genre had fumes of a culture that was trying to get away from the “white man culture”, wanting to feel the expressions of the ghetto lifestyle they claimed to live. Which ultimately led to the first true cultural uprising of Jamaica. Starting around 1962, when Jamaica first gained its independence from England. Reggae came about this by having lyrics that reflected social and political values that were to spread awareness in order to achieve justice. All these together are what inevitably led to the creation of Reggae as its own musical style. Also being the cultural front of a great nation and country that has a lot of feeling behind it.

The development of reggae came quickly and it allowed for a lot of political and social developments that also believe is something that shaped a lot of the beliefs and traits of all Jamaican culture today. Along with that, Reggae became closely associated with the Ratafarian movement. Which is a Religious-Political Movement that encourages the relocation of African Diaspora. That bring spiritual beliefs of the use of Ganja (marijuana). Rastfari strongly advocates for equal rights and a mystical consciousness called Kumina. Artists who are known explicitly for the fusion of Reggae and Rastari are Bob Marley, the Wailers, Big youth and Burning spear. ( there will be more on Bob Marley later).

Throughout the 1970s was when Reggae really started to take. With the likes of Bob Marley. Reggae became an international Hit. Becoming quite popular in the United states, united Kingdom . Bob Marley was someone who was able to spread the likes of Reggae into the likes of the United states. As a popular recording artist. He hit a group of people who advocated for peace and love throughout the United states. Also people who were experimented with marijuana and listened to the music that ordained this herb. Bob Marley was born in 1945 in Nine Mile Jamaica. Onto his grandfather's farm. Marley started recording music in 1962. Where he dropped a few songs that were mainly of the Ska genre. The most popular song is called “Judge not”. Which is one of his early hits. In the 1970s was when he truly took off as an artist of reggae. Performing as Bob Marley and the Wailers. Was where he released his most memorable hits that are known all across the world. 

In the 1980s and 90s , dancehall music became a large factor in the international Black culture. Deejays were now known for perfecting the use of ‘toasting’ and tended to use Reggae music in a response for politicalization of music. Which i’d say worked because it greatly influenced the music of Hip hop in the United states. But it also led to the voices of reggae music into African American history.

Reggae music is something that comes hand in hand with the cultural history of Jamaican culture. All together from the origins of Jamaica's independence. From the beginning of its culture.