Reggae: The Jamaican Music Genre that Crosses Borders

Reggae music has its origins in Jamaica, but the genre has gained popularity all over the world. Learn more about the history and influence of reggae music.

Origins of Reggae

Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The word reggae comes from the word “raggedy,” which was used to describe the rough cloth that was often used to make clothing. Reggae is a style of music that is influenced by both African and Caribbean music. It is a very popular genre of music that is enjoyed by people all over the world.

Ska

Originating in Jamaica in the 1950s, ska was the precurser to reggae. It’s a fast-paced, rhythmically syncopated music, characterized by extended bass lines and horn riffs, that was popularized by bandleader Duke Reid. Ska would remain popular in Jamaica throughout the 1960s and would go on to influence the development of rocksteady and eventually reggae.

Rocksteady

Rocksteady is a style of Jamaican music which developed in the late 1960s, initially as a slower successor to ska and then as a direct predecessor to reggae. The term rocksteady comes from a 1968 single by Alton Ellis, “Rocksteady”. The classic rocksteady beat is softer than ska but still uses strong off-beat rhythms. Like ska, it uses the bar extension of the 2 drop rather than the Skatalites 3 drop (contained in one bar) fee fi foil o.

The last quarter of the 20th century saw the development and rise of several notable offshoots of rocksteady including dub, roots reggae and dancehall. Notable artists include: Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, Delroy Wilson, The Heptones, The Paragons, The Mighty Diamonds and Inner Circle.

Key Figures in Reggae

Reggae is a genre of music that was created in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The most important figure in the development of reggae was Bob Marley, who is considered the father of reggae. Other key figures in the genre include Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, and Lee “Scratch” Perry.

Bob Marley

Not only was he a musician, but he was also a political leader for the Rastafari movement. He started out his musical career as part of the Wailers, but soon started releasing his own music. His lyrics were based on aspects of poverty, oppression, and black pride. He became an international star and is credited with helping to bring Jamaican music to the world.

Jimmy Cliff

Jimmy Cliff, OM (born as James Chambers on 1 April 1948) is a Jamaican ska and reggae musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer and actor. He is the only living musician to hold the Order of Merit, the highest honour that can be granted by the Jamaican government for achievement in the arts and sciences. Cliff is best known among mainstream audiences for songs such as “Sitting in Limbo”, “You Can Get It If You Really Want” and “Many Rivers to Cross” from the soundtrack to The Harder They Come, which helped popularize reggae across the world; and signature tracks such as “The Harder They Come”, “Hurricane Hattie”, “One More” and “Wonderful World, Beautiful People”.

He was inducted into the Rolling Stone Magazine’s Hall of Fame alongside Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. In 2010 he received an Ivor Novello Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. Jimmy Cliff was one of five performers inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2010.

Cliff was born in Somerton District, St. James Parish, Jamaica. His father was Obeahman who owned a farm where chickens and cattle were reared; his mother was a midwife who helped deliver babies throughout rural St. James Parish. As a teenager in Bachelor’s Hall, St. Elizabeth he took up boxing under Geraldine Griffiths; he had his first fight at age 12, winning by decision over Johnny Jones after three rounds at Central Boxing Club in Mandeville. Jones later became his manager adding Jimmy Cliff tostage shows featuring artistes such as Clement Dodd’s Studio One house band and Sound Dimension.[citation needed]

With his family being so poor, Cliff recalls that sometimes he would not get enough food to eat: “…if I didn’t eat it one day I knew I would eat it the next”. To combat malnutrition he drank milk directly from cows which he stunned with blows to their heads with sticks; this worked well except when the stick hit a bone instead of the cow’s head.[citation needed] Oppressed by poverty at an early age, Cliff sold refreshments at dances to earn enough money for clothes and ganja (marijuana). When seventeen he followed his brother Winston into street gangs operating around Weston district of Kingston but was never involved in violence because he “…didn’t believe in fighting – only Boxing…”.[3] When nineteen he auditioned successfully for distributor Leslie Kong’s Beverleys label singing Vincent Ford’s gospel song “Lord If I’m ARegister Sudanese”.[3][4] The single sold no copies but led directly to a recording contract with Kong—Cliff’s first release being Kong produced You Can Get It If You Really Want b/w Debris’ version on 7-inch vinyl single on Kong’s Winco label.[5] Kong gave him audition over two days at Federal Studios in Kingston which led directly to work with producer Clement Coxsone Dodd ranging from BACKING VOCALS on Rhythm tracks cut for Dodd labels including Worldisc[6], Wirl[7]-Ellise[8], Ska Beat[9]-ñuñu[10], Techniques All Stars & More..(rhythm tracks credited to The Soul Brothers), through horn arrangements cut with The Supersonics,[11] rocksteady songs including BONG! BONG!,[12]-HONEYS PON DI FLOOR,[13](the B-side title mistakenly given as Song For My Mother)and post Wailers solo recordings CLIMB THE LADDER , LUCHIE LOOCHIE & many more… all released on various imprints including Coxsone (Studio One), Top Deck & Randy’s imprints.. In 1967 while travelling through Paris with 223 other competitive athletes taking part inthe seventh edition Of International Association Of Athletic Federations (IAAF) World Championships In Athletics held at Olympiastadion Cliff performed MARLEY’S GHETTO CHILD LIVE ACCOMPANIED BY REGGAE GROUP EMERALDS ..in what is considered one of REGGAE MUSIC’S FIRST WORLDWIDE PERFORMANCES .[14][15][16][17] That same year Jimmy Cliff featured alongside Toots And The Maytals & Desmond Dekker IN THE HARDER THEY COME MOVIE . Reggae Music Historian Roger Steffens says `When The Harder They Come came out everywhere … people said `My God this could be America’. They saw people like themselves who were poor but were trying everything they could do just tomaintain some dignity.”[18][19] After appearing IN THE HARDER THEY COME MOVIE .. feel good populist anthems like YOU CAN GET IT IF YOU REALLY WANT , MANY RIVERS TO CROSS , WONDERFUL WORLD BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE , THE HARDER THEY COME & SOCIAL DISCOURAGEMENT [20](aka BROTHER MAN )made him a household name . Together these four singles formed part of an astonishing run that saw Jimmy Cliff achieve international recognition within months – giving Reggae its first significant foothold outside Jamaica . Brian Treasure states “He’ll always be remembered for introducing reggae music to an international audience via ‘The Harder They Come’ soundtrack.”[21][22].”

Reggae’s Influence on Other Genres

Reggae is a Jamaican music genre that was created in the late 1960s. The genre is a combination of various music styles such as Ska, Mento, and Rocksteady. Reggae has become a worldwide phenomenon, with its influence being felt in other genres such as Hip Hop, R&B, and even Pop.

Hip hop

While disco was dying in America, hip hop was being born in the Bronx. This new music, which mixed sampled rhythms with socially conscious lyrics, had a significant influence on reggae. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, many Jamaican musicians, including Yellowman and Eek-a-Mouse, began to mix reggae with hip hop. This new genre, which became known as rapso or rap-reggae, was popularized by artists like Massive Attack and The Fugees.

Dancehall

Though it has been present in Jamaica since the late 1960s, dancehall didn’t achieve international recognition until the 1980s. By the 1990s, it had become the most popular form of Jamaican music, and its influence could be heard in other genres like rap, R&B, and pop.

Dancehall is characterized by a strong bass line, sparse instrumentation, and explicit lyrics. The lyrics are often about social issues or romantic relationships, and they are delivered in a rapid-fire style called toasting. Toasting is similar to rap in that it involves rhyming over a beat, but it is more improvised and less structured.

Many of the biggest dancehall stars are also well-known rappers, including Sean Paul, Busta Rhymes, and Missy Elliott. Dancehall has also been sampled by mainstream artists like Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, and Rihanna.

Reggae Today

Reggae music has been around since the late 60s, when it first originated in Jamaica. The genre is a unique blend of African and Caribbean influences, with a heavy emphasis on rhythm and percussion. Reggae has become increasingly popular in recent years, thanks in part to its positive message and catchy beats. Let’s take a closer look at this Jamaican music genre and see what makes it so special.

Contemporary artists

While many of reggae’s most famous historical figures have sadly passed away, the genre is very much alive and well in the hands of a new generation of artists. Contemporary reggae artists are keeping the spirit of the music alive while also bringing their own unique spin to the sound. Here are just a few of the reggae artists making waves today.

Bob Marley’s son Ziggy Marley is a six-time Grammy winner and one of the most successful reggae artists of all time. His most recent album, “Rebellion Rises,” was released in 2018 to critical acclaim. Ziggy Marley is also a passionate activist, using his platform to promote social and environmental justice.

Another contemporary artist carrying on the reggae torch is Jamaican singer Etana. Etana burst onto the scene with her debut album “The Strong One” in 2008, and she has been going strong ever since. Her 2017 album “Reggae Forever” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.

Prolific Jamaican singer Neville O’Riley Livingston, better known as Bunny Wailer, is another influential contemporary reggae artist. A founding member of The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer has had a long and successful solo career, releasing more than 20 albums since his 1976 debut “Blackheart Man.” He was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.