Dancehall: A Brief History

Learn about the history of dancehall music and how it has evolved over the years.

Origins of Dancehall

Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.

African cultural influences

Dancehall is a type of Jamaican popular music that developed in the late 1970s. While its primary precursor was ska, rocksteady, and reggae, it also drew heavily from African and Latin American music forms. In Jamaica, dancehall emerged as a distinct style in the early 1980s, with artists like Yellowman and Super Cat becoming hugely popular.

Dancehall’s African influences are evident in its use of call-and-response vocals, as well as its focus on the body and rhythm rather than melody. The music also borrowed heavily from African instruments and drumming patterns. One of the most distinctive features of dancehall is its “riddims,” which are simple but catchy melodies that provide the foundation for much of the music.

While dancehall is often associated with violence and crime, it has also been used as a force for good in Jamaica. In recent years, several dancehall artists have used their music to raise awareness about social issues like poverty and violence. Others have used their popularity to promote peace and understanding between different groups in Jamaican society.

Jamaican cultural influences

Dancehall is a type of Jamaican popular music that developed in the late 1970s. It is a precursor to and heavily influenced by reggae, ska, and rocksteady. Dancehall emerged as a distinct genre in Jamaica in the 1980s.

Dancehall music is characterized by its fast tempo and rhythmic style, which often features syncopated bass accents dropped on the second and fourth beats of each bar. The lyrics are typically about social issues or love, and are often delivered in a rapid-fire style known as toasting. Toasting involvesspeaking or chanting over the rhythm track, often in a boastful or playful manner.

Dancehall has been strongly influenced by Jamaican culture, as well as other Caribbean and African cultures. This can be seen in the use of Jamaican Patois (a dialect of English) in the lyrics, as well as in the use of traditional Jamaican musical instruments like drums and percussion.

Development of Dancehall

Dancehall is a type of Jamaican popular music that developed in the late 1970s. Originally, it was simply a more sparse version of reggae than what was heard on the radio at the time, with more emphasis on the bass and drums. As it developed, it incorporated elements of hip hop, rap and even electronic music.

1970s: The golden age of Dancehall

The 1970s were the golden age of Dancehall. This was a time when Dancehall music and culture began to be recognized and celebrated internationally. The Jamaican government declared Dancehall to be the country’s national music in 1973, and the genre quickly began to gain popularity in other countries, especially in the UK and the US.

During this decade, many of the biggest names in Dancehall were born, including Michael Jackson, Bob Marley, and Tupac Shakur. These artists would go on to define the sound and style of the genre, and their influence can still be felt today.

It was also during this decade that many of the most iconic Dancehall tracks were released, such as “No Woman No Cry” by Bob Marley, “One Love” by Michael Jackson, and “Killing Me Softly” by Tupac Shakur. These songs are still played regularly on radio stations around the world, and they continue to inspire new generations of Dancehall fans.

1980s-present: The modern age of Dancehall

In the 1980s, digitalization and the riddim culture came to the forefront of the Jamaican music scene. Riddims were standardized as a three or four measure chord progression over which multiple artists could rap or sing at the same time. Producers would oftentimes release different versions of a popular song with different artists, giving birth to the concept of the “dub” or “version”. This allowed for more collaboration and creativity within the Dancehall community.

The modern age of Dancehall is marked by its international spread and influence. Dancehall artists began to be featured on mainstream pop tracks, which helped to increase its popularity worldwide. In the 2010s, we saw the rise of “mashups” or “bootlegs”, where producers would take two popular songs and mix them together to create a new track. This allowed for even more creativity and collaboration within the music community, as well as between different genres.

Dancehall has also continued to evolve and change with the times. While it originated as a type of club music, it has now been embraced by many different types of people and has even found its way into other genres like Hip Hop and R&B. It is truly an international phenomenon with no signs of slowing down anytime soon!

Dancehall Today

Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Some elements of dancehall can be traced back to earlier Jamaican genres such as ska and rocksteady. Dancehall today is a very popular genre, especially in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Mainstream appeal

In the 1990s, the Jamaican music industry was booming, with influential international artists such as Shabba Ranks, Buju Banton, and Patra. These artists brought Jamaican dancehall music to a wider international audience, and the genre began to achieve mainstream appeal. In the 2000s and 2010s, dancehall experienced another wave of popularity, with artists such as Sean Paul, Vybz Kartel, and Popcaan achieving international success. Today, dancehall is enjoyed by people all over the world and is one of the most popular genres of Jamaican music.

Criticism

Dancehall has also been criticized for its promotion of crime and violence. In the early 2000s, there was a spate of high-profile shootings in Jamaica that were widely believed to be linked to the country’s dancehall scene. The most infamous of these was the 2009 shooting of Jamaican entertainer Robert “Bob” Woolmer, which occurred during the 2007 Cricket World Cup.