Reggae
Reggae is an African Caribbean style of music developed on the island of Jamaica
and is closely linked to the religion Rastafarianism, though not universally
popular among its members. The origins of reggae can be found in traditional
African Caribbean music as well as US R&B. Ska and rocksteady are 1960s
precursors of reggae. In 1963 a young Jamaican boy named Jackie Mittoo was asked
by a man named Coxsone Dodd to run sessions and compose original music at a
studio on Brentford Rd. called Studio One. It was here at Studio One that Jackie
Mittoo took the traditional ska beat and turned it into what we know know as
reggae. Bob Marley, who later popularized the style on a world-wide basis, also
recorded rocksteady records early in his career. The style of reggae he made
famous is called roots reggae or roots rock reggae, and is still used by many
artists such as Black Uhuru, Burning Spear, Culture, Israel Vibration, UB40,
The Skatalites and Toots & the Maytals.
In Jamaica however, new styles are more popular, among them, dancehall and
raggamuffin. Dub is an instrumental sub-style of reggae. Mixing techniques
employed in dub probably influenced Hip hop, drum and bass and other styles.
In any case, the toasting or dee jaying of raggamuffin reggae—first
used by artists such as Dillinger or U-Roy—had a world-wide impact because
Jamaican DJ Kool Herc used them as he came up with a new style later called
hip hop or rap music. In the Jamaican sense of the word, a DJ is an MC or
rapper, whereas the DJ is called (music) selector in Jamaica. Therefore what
is called dee jaying or chatting in Jamaica is called rapping in most other
parts of the world.
