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What Is Reggae || by Kesha Stewart
I think it was in 1984 Ini Kamozie made a declaration to the world that reggae music was on yah – here/now playing...
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World a reggae music on yah-eh
Keep me skanking with me daughter-eh-a
World a reggae music on yah-eh
Lord, I thirsty, gimme water-eh-a
World a reggae music on yah-eh
Keep me rocking with me daughter-eh-a
World a reggae music on yah-eh..(Jah Lyrics.com)
Indeed reggae music is really on yah. Our authentic Jamaican sound has enthralled music lovers here at home and even in lands that are polar opposites of Jamaica - literally and figuratively. You can’t disagree huh?
Don’t forget that even former President of the USA Obama had to do a quick (unscheduled) detour to look at the bob Marley museum when he visited Jamaica in 2016. And here you are now researching information about reggae.
Well here is a little to whet your appetite.
So exactly what is reggae? The well respected source, Merriam Webster defines reggae this way “popular music of Jamaican origin that combines native styles with elements of rock and soul music and is performed at moderate tempos with the accent on the offbeat”.
The Palms on tripadvisor.com submits that, “reggae” comes from the term “rege-rege” which means “rags” or “ragged clothes.”, This speaks to the fact that regga as a gengre represents an eclectic mix of other music forms such as ska, which preceded it.
Secondly it speaks to the shanty towns from which this sound was born. It became popular in the 1960’s.
If you are a music player and you want to play reggae music you got to pay close attention to the rhythm. It is heavy on the back beat according to thoughtco.com. That is to say the beat is emphasized for instance on “beats 2 and 4 when in 4/4.
Reggae drummers also emphasize the third beat when in 4/4 time with a kick to the bass drum.” Read more here
The best way to show your appreciation for reggae music is to have your skank ready!
It’s a basic two step dance that is done in time to the music.
Watch YouTube.com and see/try it. Then you can share your video with us on the you tube channel.
Outside of its distinctive sound, reggae music is thematic. The lyrics are echoes of the sociopolitical, cultural and social climate yet at other times its romantic (lovers’ rock) and spiritual (heavily Rastafarian).
Regga has had some influential proponents and I am sure you could win a prize on final jeopardy if I said, “Is considered the most influential figure in reggae music?”
You would wager all your money and respond by saying, “Who is Bob Marley?” Right?
But outside of Bob, we have his band The wailers, The I Three, Jimmy Cliff, Marcia Griffiths, Burning Spear, Peter Tosh, Beres Hammond (one of my favourites), the late Dennis Brown and more recently, Chronixx, Morgan Heritage, Protégée, Romain Virgo and the list goes on.
Even foreigners like UB40 have turn to reggae and received amazing results.
Yes world, a reggae music on yah, Eh!
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A patriotic Jamaican who adore its culture, Wellesley has been using this medium to share what he calls 'the uniqueness of Jamaica with the world' since April 2007.
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