Jamaican music born in the late 1960s from the fusion of ska and calypso rhythms from Trinidad with blues and North American rock and roll, and characterized by a syncopated binary rhythm with the shift of the steady beat. The genre is transformed into reggae, a term that we owe to Frederic Toots Hibbert, composer 1967 of Do the Reggay. That was the moment when the word Reggae was first mentioned.
It was in Jamaica that reggae was born in the poor neighborhoods of Kingston before it was popularized by Bob Marley. The story does not end there, however, because different chronologies remain and must remain for the younger generations.
When reggae emerged in the late 1960s, it had a considerable cultural impact not only in Jamaica but throughout the world. Reggae has influenced societies around the world, contributing to the development of new counter-cultural movements, particularly in Europe, the United States, and Africa. Indeed, in the late 1960s, he co-founded the skinhead movement in the United Kingdom. In the 1970s, he had an impact on Western punk/pop culture and inspired the first rappers in the United States. Since the late 1970s, he has also influenced many African singers, including Alpha Blondy, Tiken Jah Fakoly and Lucky Dube. The purpose of this essay is to study the impact of Jamaican reggae in the world cultural universe, particularly in Europe, the United States and Africa.
Caribbean Producers and musicians were inspired by the American rhythm and blues to make music. Many of them even copied these rhythms, but in a faster version. It was in the ‘ 50s, and this is what started Ska.
The ska remained popular until 1966 when its pace slowed considerably. This gave birth to Rock Steady. It was this style that gave rise to reggae when, in 1970, it was again slowed down under the impetus of the Rastafari spiritual movement. In 1973, there was the talk of early reggae which gave the reggae.
Rastafari was founded in Jamaica as an African philosophy and religion in the 1930s. Reggae singer Bob Marley popularized it during the 1970s, who made people aware of Rastafari around the world. Since then, Rastafari (or Rastafarianism) has been practiced mainly in Jamaica and Ethiopia.
Reggae is still today a state of mind that is far removed from racial prejudice but also all forms of riot and violence.
Fun Facts about Reggae
- 1 July has been designated as the International Reggae Day, which is a 24 hoursโ celebration for reggae culture and music.
- Jamaica’s reggae on UNESCO’s cultural heritage list
- February is considered as a Reggae Month in the Caribbean.
- “Money can’t buy life.” – those were the last words that Bob Marley said to his son.
- According to Bob Marley and many other reggae artists, cannabis was a healing herb.
- Every year there are more than 2000 reggae festivals held across the world.
- The beginning of the reggae was pretty hard for the artists who were keen on playing that genre of music. Violent gangs shotted more of them, and unfortunately, some of them even died.
- Many of the reggae artists are vegetarians, including Marley.
- As Rastafarians believe in free love, Bob Marley had 11 legitimate children, but they could be more.
- The mixture of reggae and dancehall music is called Reggaeton, which is very popular in Latin America.