Reggae History

Reggae is a music genre that developed in the Caribbean island of Jamaica, as a combination of Afro-Antillean rhythms and American Rhythm & Blues.

Began in the mid 50's, in those years the radio stations in southern United States, especially the city of New Orleans, were heard in Jamaica and the musical rhythms such as Rhythm & Blues, who came left blending these with the rhythms of the original inhabitants of this island. The distinctive elements of this music were the focus of so-called off-beat, the tendency of the Caribbean.

In Jamaica, the off-beat began to worsen increasingly, at the same time the influence of Afro-Antillean rhythms began to become more noticeable, and thus was derived as ska, and rocksteady BlueBeat, background immediate music to reggae. In the late 60's, a new generation of musicians, trying new ways of playing rocksteady, with a careful view to the Rastafarian chants, which emphasized a rhythmic repetition and overtly linked to a social movement and pressure.

This marked the reggae movement, which placed in the foreground on bass and drums, leaving the other instruments as accompaniment. He was also influenced by the Soul music with sweet harmonies, and rock with electric sounds more raw. Another important development was that the lyrics of the songs began to reflect social situations and a critique of modern society.

The REGGAE features songs dealing with poverty, politics and Rastafarianism (Jamaican religion pays homage as God (Jah) to the late Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I (before his crowning Ras Tafari Makonnen).

Reggae has influenced other styles like punk rock and was the originator of the RAP, initiated by Jamaicans living in New York. The RAP has returned to the modern influence of reggae, raggamuffin.

This music has survived the passage of years and although Jamaica is still the main source of all reggae music that is produced, other countries like England (due to its large number of Jamaican immigrants and descendants), African and Latin American countries, they produce very good reggae artists.