The Dreadlock Commandments

We ask ourselves so many questions when caring for our locks. However, maintaining healthy locked hair can be simple (in fact, foolproof) when you know what to do and what not to do to your hair. This article will give you some basic Do's and Don'ts when it comes to lock maintenance. Before presenting you with what you should and should not do, keep in mind that there is no way to make an exhaustive list, however, this list will get you started. When taking care of your locks, many people are bombarded with what they CANNOT do, that they forget to enjoy what they CAN do. Keep in mind the DON'Ts and embrace the DOs. The new found freedoms that your locks bring also afford you the chance to DO a lot! Here are the "Dreadlock Commandments" Rasta Styles :

THOU SHALL NOT USE WAX TO START YOUR LOCKS.

No matter what, do NOT ever put any kind of beeswax on your hair. In the past many have believed that using beeswax was the only why to start locks. However, this ideology couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, using beeswax actually isn't a good thing at all. One of the main reasons that wax is a "no-no" is simply because of the fact that wax doesn't breakdown in water. What does this mean? It means that no matter how much you wash your hair, the beeswax will forever be in your locks. Wax also attracts debris, lint, dirt, pollutants, and other undesired things into you hair that might also be hard to wash out. If you ever meet someone that uses beeswax on their hair, look at their locks and you will see the buildup that using wax has left over the years. There are other products that can be used to lock your hair that are also beneficial to your hair as well. Products such as lanolin, honey, olive oil, avocado butter, shea butter, and similar items can have the same holding power as wax BUT lead to healthier hair.

THOU SHALL NOT MAKE CARING FOR YOUR LOCKS COMPLICATED.

Lock maintenance is as simple as it comes. Some try to make the process a complicated maze in order to keep others from wanted to take on this commitment. The only thing a lock wearer really needs to do is develop a good hair routine and stick with it. If need be, you can just get up and go without doing anything to your hair. Keeping the process simple makes this commitment even more attractive.

THOU SHALL NOT WEAR YOUR HAIR IN THE SAME STYLE OVER LONG PERIODS OF TIME (OR REPEATEDLY).

Sometimes we get eager when we get to different stages in the locking process. One big milestone will be when your hair gets long enough to put in a ponytail. Once you reach that stage, you might have the urge to always throw your hair up in a ponytail, EVERYDAY. Please resist this urge. Repeatedly wearing your hair in the same hairstyle day in and day out, will create weak spots in those area that are continuously under stress due to tight hair ties, hair pins, hair bands, and other hair accoutrements. For example, if you like to wear your hair in a ponytail everyday, you might notice down the line that in the same area on every lock you have a spot where your locks look like they might break. This weak spot is from constantly using a hair tie to hold your pigtail. Also, always pulling your hair back may also cause traction alopecia because of the constant tension on your hairline. Just be mindful and try to give your locks time to JUST BE.

THOU SHALL NOT OVERLOAD YOUR HAIR WITH TOO MANY PRODUCTS.

You will get advice from people about what your locks need; but, be careful what advice you listen to. Always research any advice you are not familiar with. For instance, someone might recommend that you use conditioner on your locks; however, during the beginning stages of the locking process, conditioner is a "no-no". If you use a lock stylist to maintain your locks, ask her/his advice when it comes to unfamiliar recommendations. Remember, the less you put on your hair and do to your hair, the better.

THOU SHALL FIND AN EXPERIENCED LOCK STYLIST TO HELP START YOUR LOCKS (OR TO CONSULT WITH).

Unless you are familiar with the locking process, you might find that seeking out a knowledgeable lock stylist is a great value. It is wise to schedule a consultation with a lock stylist, prior to starting your locks. During this appointment, you can discuss your goals, tentative lock sizes, and provide pictures of the type of locks you are seeking. Also, during this appointment, you can also interview the lock stylist regarding her experience as a natural hair stylist. Even if you plan to maintain your locks yourself after you start, having the locks started by a professional will ensure that your beginner locks are uniform and adequate in size. When it comes to starting locks, SIZE DOES MATTER! If you start your locks too small, then your matured locks will be even smaller because locks tighten as they mature. Moreover, starting locks too small will lead to the undesired consequence of your locks breaking and being weak later on down the line.

THOU SHALL LEARN ABOUT THE LOCKING PROCESS BEFORE EMBARKING ON LOCKING YOUR HAIR.

Equipping yourself with the knowledge about the transformations that your locks will undergo will help to make the entire locking experience more enjoyable. Furthermore, learning about the stages of locking will help you to know whether or not you locks are following the norm when it comes to the locking stages. This knowledge will also help you to determine if your hair is doing anything weird that you might want to discuss with your lock stylist.

THOU SHALL EAT PROPERLY.

Remember, your hair is the product of what you put into your body. This includes the food you consume, the liquids you drink, and any medications you are taking. For example, if you find that your scalp is excessively dry, you might simply need to drink more water to hydrate, versus adding any unnecessary oils to your hair. Eating healthy, not only benefits your body, but it also helps to keep your hair growing and shining. Additionally, exercise has also been shown to help with the growth of your hair as well.

THOU SHALL DEVELOP YOUR OWN "LOCKING" SUPPORT SYSTEM.

Keep in mind that you are not the first person to lock. So, there is always someone who has been where you are in the locking process. When you have the urge to quit or give up, reach out to those individuals who understand your plight and can help talk you down off the ledge. The locking process IS NOT easy. It is the best decision you ever made, but it takes commitment and effort to see your locks through. So, tell those friends who are already locked that you are making that transition and that you will need their support. If you don't have friends or family around to speak with, seek online support. There are many hair blog, forums, or social network pages with many people who can let you know that whatever is happening to you, has happened to them. Also, having a support system can help to see your goal more clearly.

THOU SHALL DOCUMENT YOUR LOCKING PROCESS.

A Locking Journal is a great investment. This journal filled with milestone pictures and written words from you will help you to better gauge your growth. You will be able to remember the issues that you had 6 months ago that you are NOT having now. In the journal you can also keep track of any products or new hair regimens that you have taken on just in case you notice any changes in your hair. Also, keeping pictures of your hair in different stages of the locking process will help you to "remember when". So, even if you hate your hair, take a picture. Months from now you will go back to that picture and appreciate that stage a little better. Years into the locking process, your will look back at your journal laugh at yourself and value your locks even more.

How to Play Reggae Guitar

When most people think of reggae, they only think of vocals. However, in reality, reggae is often accompanied by instruments. The most common instrument used in reggae music is the guitar. Are you interested in learning how to play reggae guitar? Do you want to join in on one of today's hottest music genres? If so, read on!

Reggae, originally started in the 1960's in Jamaica, has been rising in popularity ever since. Bob Marley is by far the most commonly known reggae artist, who used a guitar in most of his songs. If you want to know how to play reggae guitar, you should know that music reggae style, which is very similar to ska music, is played at a very slow pace. The music is usually not very complicated, but it can take some getting used to.

The most important thing you need to have before starting to learn how to play reggae guitar is a basic sense of rhythm. Reggae music relies heavily on rhythm, and without at least a basic knowledge of beats, you will find learning how to play reggae guitar very challenging. If you don't think that you have good internal rhythm, try some simple exercises. One good way to practice your rhythm is to tap along with a metronome, then turn the metronome off and continue the beat for a while. After a minute or so, turn the metronome back on, and see how well you maintained the beat.

When you are learning how to play reggae guitar, you will discover quite quickly that most notes in your music land on the off-beat. What this means is that if you are playing along with a metronome, most of your notes will be played while the metronome is NOT playing. The time between metronome beats is called the off-beat. Learning to play on the off-beat can be difficult at first, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes very natural.

If you are having trouble and can't seem to figure out just how to play reggae guitar, a very good thing to do is watch a professional. This can be done either by hiring a tutor, or simply watching videos of professionals playing. If you can afford a tutor, I would highly recommend getting one. If you cannot, there are also a number of affordable internet courses that teach you in the same way a private tutor would, but for much less money.

How to Play a Reggae Bassline?

Everybody loves reggae style. From Bob Marley to Morgan Heritage, reggae leaves people bobbing their heads with groovy basslines. Yes, in the genre of Reggae bass has a very prominent role.Reggae has a very rich history back in the 1960's following Ska and Rocksteady. It has a slower tempo; characterized by a rhythmic beat of the guitar known as skank. The one-drop drum is also a reggae signature.
To get the reggae bass sound you wanted, you need to learn and remember a few things. First, your hands will be fairly active but needs to get loose. Although most reggae chords are around the major and minor areas, the way they are chromatically played needs a lot of practice. With reggae, it's not about the notes but the way you play them. Next, try to play using a palm mute technique. You also may want to consider replacing your round wounds with flat ones. The reason being, you wanted to get that authentic "fat" sound that upright bass guitars produce-just back in the day. Not only that you wanted to emulate the sound but have a smoother feel; perfect for sliding. Another thing to consider is where to place your hands. Plucking the notes near the bridge will produce a clear sound which you do not want. Instead, place your plucking hand near the bridge; where you will make a dark reggae bass you wanted.
When choosing your guitar, look for those who have a pick near the bridge. It will further amplify the sound coming from that area. The Fender Jazz bass is an ideal instrument.
Restrain yourself from playing too many notes. Common reggae grooves have simple majors and minors within them-it is that simple. It is important to stay within the pattern of the beat-dropping the first note or not.
Drum and bass are more prominent to reggae than guitar. Guitars mostly provide the rhythmic off-beat patterns, tailing the drum beat along the song. If you notice in reggae songs, every instrument plays different roles compared from the standard set-up. The guitar provides the beat; the drum holds all together and the bass creates the melody.
Last but not the least, you need to relax. Reggae may have walking basslines and all but the important thing to remember is to allow yourself to follow the rest of the instruments while doing your pattern. It is easy to do this since the rest of the instruments are already providing the rhythm for you.

Reggae Music's Illustrious Ancestors - Mento, Ska & Rocksteady

Mento 

Jamaica's original rural folk music, called mento, is the grandfather of reggae style music and had significant influences on the formation of that genre. Jamaica's "country music" was inspired by African and European music as well as by American jazz and featured acoustic guitars, banjos, bamboo saxes, hand drums and marimbula (large thumb pianos) also called rhumba boxes, which were large enough to sit on and play. There were also a variety of hand percussion instruments like maracas. Mento's vocals had a distinctly African sound and the lyrics were almost always humorous and happy. Everywhere people gathered you could find a mento band and there were many mento and calypso competitions throughout the island. Mento also gave birth to Jamaica's recording industry in the 1950s when it first became available on 78 RPM records. Mento is still around today.

Before World War II, calypso from Trinidad and Tobago had made its way into Jamaica's music and, although quite different, the two were often confused. Jamaica's own calypso artists performed alongside its mento artists throughout the island, for locals and tourists alike. A calypso craze swept the U.S. and U.K. in the late 1950s as Harry Belafonte came onto the scene. Many of his songs were actually mento but they were more often described as calypso. 

After the war, transistor radios and jukeboxes had become widely available and Jamaicans were able to hear music from the southern U.S., particularly jazz and rhythm and blues from some of the greats like Fats Domino and Jelly Roll Morton, and records flooded into the island. 

And then, in the early 1960s, came American R&B. With a faster and far more danceable tempo, the genre caught on quickly in Jamaica. Attempting to copy this sound with local artists, Jamaicans added their own unique twists, blending in elements of their Caribbean heritage, fusing it with mento and calypso and jazz, to create a unique genre heavily driven by drums and bass and accented with rhythms on the off-beat, or the "upstroke".  This purely Jamaican genre dominated the Jamaican music scene at the time and was known as ... ska. 

Ska 

Coinciding with the festive mood in the air when Jamaica won its independence from the U.K. in 1962, ska had a type of 12-bar rhythm and blues framework; the guitar accented the second and fourth beats in the bar, essentially flipping the R&B shuffle beat, and gave rise to this new sound. 

Because Jamaica didn't ratify the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works until 1994, Jamaican musicians often created instrumental ska versions of songs by popular American and British artists; copyright infringement was not an issue! The Skatalites re-made Motown hits, surf music and even the Beatles in their own style. The Wailers' first single Simmer Down was a ska smash in Jamaica in late 1963/early 1964 but they also covered And I Love Her by the Beatles and Like a Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan.

Although the sound system concept had taken root in Jamaica in the mid 1950s, ska led to its explosion in popularity and it became a major, uniquely Jamaican, industry that continues to thrive today. Enterprising DJs with U.S. sources for the latest records would load up pickup trucks with a generator, turntables, and huge speakers, and drive around the island blaring out the latest hits. Essentially these sound systems were like loud mobile discos! DJs charged admission and sold food and alcohol, enabling them to profit in Jamaican's unstable economy. Thousands would sometimes gather and sound systems became big business. Amidst fierce competition, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd and Duke Reid surfaced as two of the star DJs of the day. Reliant on a steady source of new music, these two superstars began to produce their own records, ultimately becoming Studio One (Dodd) and Treasure Isle (Reid). 

Other important ska producers were Prince Buster, whose Blue Beat label records inspired many Jamaican ska (and later reggae) artists, and Edward Seaga, who owned and operated the West Indies Records Limited (WIRL) in the 1960s but went on to become Prime Minister of Jamaica and leader of the Jamaican Labour Party in the 1980s.

As Jamaicans emigrated in large numbers to the U.K., the sound system culture followed and became firmly entrenched there. Without the efforts of a white Anglo-Jamaican named Chris Blackwell, the rest of the world might not have come to know this Jamaican brand of music. Blackwell, a record distributor, moved his label to the U.K. in 1962 and began releasing records there on various labels, including the Island label. His early artists included the Skatalites, Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley. Blackwell's international breakthrough came in 1964 when his artist Millie Small hit the U.S. airwaves with My Boy Lollipop.

Back in Jamaica, as American R&B and soul music became slower and smoother in the mid-1960s, ska changed its sound and evolved into... rocksteady.

Rocksteady 

Songs that described dances were very popular now in the U.S. and U.K, as well as Jamaica.  In the U.S., we had The Twist, The Locomotion, The Hanky Panky and The Mashed Potato. One popular dance-song in Jamaica was The Rock Steady by Alton Ellis. The name for this entire genre may have been based on that song title.

The only noteworthy difference between ska and rocksteady was the tempo. Both styles had the famous Jamaican rhythm guitar complemented by drums, bass, horns, vocals and a groove that kept you on your feet moving, but the drum and bass are played at a slower, more relaxed, pace and the rhythm is more syncopated.

Rocksteady arose at a time when Jamaica's poverty-stricken youths had become disillusioned about their futures after Jamaica gained independence from Britain. Turning into delinquents, these unruly youths became known as "rude boys".  Rocksteady's themes mainly dealt with love and the rude boy culture, and had catchy dance moves which were far more energetic than the earlier ska dance moves. Many bass lines originally created for rocksteady songs continue to be used in today's Jamaican music.

Reggae History 70s-80s

The Reggae beat has been through many stages since its formulation in Jamaica in the early 1960s. It began with the Ska beat which derives from a strong influence of rhythm & blues, and then Rocksteady, before reaching it's worldwide appeal as Reggae during the Seventies to early Eighties and producing such artist's as:

Peter Tosh, Dennis Brown, Junior Delgado, Burning Spear, Third World, Pat Kelly, Matumbi, Black Uhuru, Black Roots, Big Youth, The Mighty Diamonds, One Blood, Junior English, Bunny Wailer, Prince Lincoln , Pablo Gad, Aswad, Steel Pulse, Carol Thompson, Louisa Marks, Janet Kay, Sister Love, and many more big name Reggae performers. We must remember that Bob Marley was the fore runner for all the above mentioned artist's.

The 12" 45rpm vinyl record was first introduced during this period of reggae history, and toasting (an early form of rapping) was a also a seventies invention. It was started by Sound System DJs at dances to further entertain their audiences and became so popular that many artist's began adding toasting to their records to make their tunes unique.

The Reggae beat also became faster and more sophisticated musically, to keep up with the new sound coming in from the USA called Funk which used the aid of the new electronic musical instruments and included the famous syndrome used on many a tune.

Meanwhile artist's and musicians living in the UK had a hard time establishing a foot hold in the Reggae market due to Jamaica's dominance. Up to now Reggae did not have a romantic side, and it was felt that the lovers amongst us should be catered for, so Lover's rock was born right here in the U.K, showing a softer side to this wonderful music. Lovers rock also covered many of the popular pop songs in the UK charts and made cover versions almost the norm.

Even the vinyl records suddenly changed colour from their usual black, to green, white, yellow, blue, multi and many others in between.

Roots music, which had a heavy Reggae bass line and lyrics to match, really captured the mood of what life is like living in the ghetto. It also became the fore runner for another rasta reggae style, called Steppers, an almost dance beat that you step to. Last but not least Rockers derives mainly from taking the old Rock Steady rhythms and revamping them with a new bass line and beat. Think of it as early remixing of a slow tune into disco dance tune which is used today throughout the music industry.

You can find these tunes for sale on this site.

This period was also a very enterprising time for creating your own records labels although most of them are no longer around, but this website has many exhibits of these labels, plus many more to come, they are a rarity in their own right.

Reggae Music's Royal Empress - Queen Ifrica

"My music is music of upliftment. It is music that teaches. It shows you how not to complain, but to seek solutions for yourself." ~ Queen Ifrica

Conscious, roots reggae style music has always been a male-dominated genre, so it can be difficult for female artists to break through into the top. But this "Fyah Muma" (Fire Mother), the royal Rastafarian empress known as Queen Ifrica, is definitely setting a blistering pace to becoming the foremost female in this arena. Hallelujah - we've been waiting for her for too long!  

Born Ventrice Latora Morgan in Spanish Town, Jamaica, on March 25, 1975, this daughter of Ska king, Derrick Morgan, was raised in rural Jamaica. She was nicknamed Ifrica by her mother who thought her face was shaped like a map of Africa. Queen Ifrica burst onto the reggae scene in 1995 when she performed in, and won by a landslide, a Montego Bay talent contest. In 1998, Tony Rebel recognized her gifts and her quality and invited her to join his Flames Production family. Now, Queen Ifrica is using her substantial hereditary talents to help restore the cultural vibes to reggae music and to Jamaica as a whole.  

Her commanding stage presence, strong self-confidence, and her delightful voice and dynamic performances have created a demand for her on the international reggae scene as well. She has toured extensively and been warmly received throughout the U.S. and Europe, appearing at festivals such as Summer Jam (Germany, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008), Reggae on the River (California, 2006), One Love Festival Tour (US, 2006), Sierra Nevada World Music Festival (California, 2007), Reggae Sundance Festival (Holland, 2007, 2008), Ragga Muffins Festival (California, 2007, 2008), Rototom Sunsplash (Italy, 2007, 2008), Montreal International Reggae Festival (Montreal, 2007), Uppsala Reggae Festival (Sweden, 2008), Anthems of Love (Trinidad, 2008) and the Millennium Countdown (Bahamas, 2008). She has shared the stage with the legendary Abyssinians, Black Uhuru, Gregory Isaacs, Buju Banton, Culture, Sly & Robbie, Burning Spear and a host of others. This mother of two also mesmerized a hometown audience in Montego Bay, Jamaica, with her fiery performance at the 2008 Reggae Sumfest. Visiting nearly every continent, she would like to perform in Africa in the upcoming year.  

Stirring up controversy and social awareness by addressing topics like incest and child molestation, Queen Ifrica claims to find inspiration for her music in the people she meets while doing community outreach work. She believes she was put here for a special purpose - to do her part for all the suffering people in the world. Her songs are uplifting, teaching us to appreciate life and to look for solutions wherever there are problems. Some of her role models in the industry were Sister Carol, Rita Marley and Marcia Griffiths.  

Sometimes drawing on her own personal experiences, this mother of two has covered religious discrimination in Natty Fi Grow, Jamaica's violence and negativity in Randy, a poignant rage against gangster violence in Boxers and Stockings, the pain of lost love in Goodbye Love, downtrodden communities living in poverty in Zinc Fence, domestic violence in Below the Waist, incest and child molestation in Daddy Don't Touch Me There, and the dangers of Jamaica's latest skin bleaching trend in Mi Nah Rub. This Rasta Empress doesn't shy away from social commentaries. She proves you can sing about anything; it just has to be done with class.  

Bold and vibrant, sweet and sultry, Queen Ifrica's voice and delivery have improved over the years. She fills arenas with beauty and positive vibes while sharing with us her brand of socially uplifting culture music. She exemplifies what consciousness combined with talent can achieve and proves herself to be a fine example for all women.

Jammin' In Jamaica - The History Of Jamaican Dub Music

Around the explosive, political and musically transitional period of the late '60s, America, Jamaica and England were affected by a new production technique that first reared its head in Jamaican studios. Special effects units like delays, echoes, and reverbs had gained popularity through producers like Osbourne (King Tubby) Ruddock, who owned a sound system and cut acetates at Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Studio. By accidentally leaving out parts of the vocal mix to a song, Ruddock stumbled upon a new formula that offered more options for performing studio magic. He took this new mix with him to a dance, and played the recognizable version first. Then he played his 'accident,' and the dub mix was born. Not only did he blow the people away that night; he ran back into the studio to do it again.

In the 1970s when a single was released, it was often answered by another record that gave the second artists' commentary on the first record. Sometimes, many spin-off versions came out of this technique, known as toasting. This form of rapping caught on later in the United States via the concrete jungles of New York City. On many Rap mixtapes and CDs, artists would modify toasting by 'dissing' each other when they had beef among themselves. Though some of the product was hard to find, fans ate up the resulting, often-exclusive releases anyway. Toasting utilized catch-phrases that incorporated the sharp Jamaican dialect--it added a rhythmically expressive, deep melodic quality to Reggae music. When many of my fellow Jamaicans speak, their accents often make them sound like the music: quite rhythmic, quite expressive, quite melodious, quite harmonic, and quite textural. Some popular Jamaican phrases follow:

Babylon - hard living, trouble My yute - homeboy

Bwoyfren' - boyfriend N'yam - eat food

Cool runnin's - it's all good 'Ole on a likkle - wait just a minute

Cho' - never mind Oonu - you all

Diy'yah - over here Pickney - children

Frock - a dress Redi dress - showing out

Is fi' mi - it's mine Roll tide - keep it moving

Good good - that's fine Selectah - a DJ

Gweh - get out of my face S'mody - somebody

Gwine - going Soccamibassa - dressed poorly

Gyalfren' - girlfriend Tegereg - troublesome; a P.I.T.A.

Leggo beas' - wild, unruly Tump you - hit you

Maahgah - skinny Whe' mek? - why?

Dialects of Jamaican 'patois' can be spoken fast, slow, or moderately. Some of the diction is easier to understand than others because it may depend upon which region of Jamaica one is from. Some people may have emotional inflections in their speech patterns, while others may have musical ones. One thing for sure is that unless you can't hear, you will definitely know it when a person from the islands is talking or singing...'yah, mon.' But even without vocals, this underground Dub music of Jamaica was still shaping itself into a more defined entity. By 1973, 'King Tubby' Ruddock was experimenting with instrumental versions of songs by manipulating sounds on the tracks. His equipment contained a disc-cutter, mixing console, tape machines and effects units. He worked with the top producers on the island to compose and release the dub album "Blackboard Jungle."

Instrumental versions of songs soon showed up on the B-sides of singles, called 'dub mixes.' Whether tracks were abruptly punched-in with buttons or smoothly faded-in with the sliding fader, they were still given a heavy dose of sound effects. In some cases, interesting effects were created by running a looped tape over the heads of a tape machine. To facilitate this method, a section of the tape was identified for 'surgery' or 'splicing.' Splicing occurs by putting the section of tape on a 'chopping block' with vertical and diagonal grooves etched into it. The grooves guided a razor blade as it sliced the tape at the beginning and end of the section to be cut. The two ends of the isolated tape were then taped together and run through the tape rollers, which passed the tape over the three heads (erase, record and playback) in a repeated, looped manner.

The playback head picked up the signal and played it till the 'stop' button was depressed. If the splice wasn't precise, this procedure could become tedious and time-consuming. This method may not have caught on in the fast-paced world of 'put it together quick' Rap music, but sampling sure did. Electronically-made sounds and sampling went on to become worldwide phenomena. Like tape looping, Jamaicans used sampling to create new music such as Dancehall Reggae. You'll want to see the chapter "What Makes Music" in the forthcoming "Musicology 102" for more on sampling. If the info in that chapter tweaks your interest, we'll be covering more studio techniques that you may find interesting in the sequel to that book, "Musicology 103."

Dub remixes were released as a standard configuration by the mid '70s, and DJ's constantly played them in the clubs. The open relationship between the United States and Jamaica allowed new reggae styles and trends to drift between the two cultures. By the end of the decade, Rap music made its introduction by creatively looping drum and bass lines with a rhythmic (non-melodic) vocal track and new sounds. Rap brought showmanship to a new level by using the techniques of Jamaican Dancehalls and sound systems, courtesy of innovative DJs like Kool Herc. In case you may have forgotten, we opened up the book chapter by talking about the DJ who brought thunder to the clubs. 'Big ups' to these unsung heroes--they changed the era's musical protocol by breaking down music and remixing it. In America, R&B, Funk, Jazz and Dance music were also broken down and rebuilt; adding anticipation, excitement and exhilaration to physical activity (dancing) and other types of live performances.

The Rising Popularity of Reggae Festivals

In the modern cosmopolitan world, people are exposed to a wide variety of culture and musical influences. The reggae concert has grown to become a popular choice among many music lovers. A historical predecessor to modern styles like hip hop and rap, it offers a wide variety of choices to the contemporary fan. In recent times, the increasing popularity of these genres has led to the growing demand for reggae festivals at cities like Miami. This allows people a chance to interact with other reggae lovers and meet the best bands of the genre.
There are a number of different music festivals across the world, each catering to a different genre. What began as a trend in the early 60s has taken over as one of the more prominent events today. Musicians of different genres come together and perform on stage providing fans and music lovers with moments of high energy and intensity. Festivals like the Miami music festival have grown popular among crowds wanting to witness their music idols in the flesh. The experience of enjoying a reggae festival live is unparalleled to songs and CD repetitions of it. This is one of the reasons why fans hold a special place for music festivals.
Reggae Music festivals are not only a popular option with fans, but are also preferred by many artists. Rock stars like Bob Marley and the Wailers were known to visit these festivals to share their own new releases and bring out their best. The enthusiasm of fans and the interaction with their favorite stars makes these festivals a much visited event across the world. There are many cities hosting this reggae concert for the requirement of their fans. For most people, these concerts are an annual tradition and keep alive the spirit of music.
Considering the increasing popularity of reggae and rock music, it can be a difficult task for fans to locate the latest reggae festivals happening. In addition, finding tickets for these events can be a difficult task for many fans. The growing popularity of events like the Florida music festivals also make it difficult for people to obtain these tickets on time. The solution for this problem lies on the internet. Many reggae concert fans are turning to the internet in order to find tickets and acquire the best seats to the next event in the calendar.
These reggae festivals and concerts are a great opportunity for fans and musicians alike. But with the popularity of the genre growing, it has become difficult for fans to obtain tickets for these concerts in time. This can be accomplished with the help of the internet. There are many online websites offering information and helping fans obtain tickets to the next reggae concert in the city. This is growing to be the preferred mode of reservation for many people as it saves time and helps them obtain tickets conveniently. This can be the best way to spread the love for Reggae to different parts of the world.

Gospel Reggae - A New Exciting Christian Genre Gospel Reggae

These days being a Christian is not just about wearing uncomfortable clothing and say 'Amen' to everything. Nope not anymore, these days modern Christians live a modern lifestyle. For example I am a Gospel Reggae DJ... read on to hear my story.
Okay so I was born and raised in the United Kingdom in a community that had a very strong Caribbean population, especially Jamaicans. Although I am a hybrid of Irish and Scottish roots my neighbourhood had a very strong impact on my life and from a very young age I was in love with all things Jamaican, not least the sweet, sweet sounds of Reggae Style.
True Reggae has a real sense of class and vintage about it, which like wine is more appreciated the older it gets. Artists such as the great Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs have tracks that are simply legendary and will get any dancehall rocking.
This wonderful musical genre was my passion for years. So it will be no surprise for you to learn that when I became a Christian the first thing I did was look for Gospel Reggae music.
During the mid nineties there was not much of a choice, in fact I have to be honest and say some of the material released was pretty dire. However in recent years a number of high profile Reggae artists have become Christian. This includes people like Papa San, Chevelle Franklyn and Stitchie. In fact I have just heard that Sasha a well known female vocalist from Jamaica who has featured with greats such as Sean Paul has now become a Christian and is releasing music.
So my passion has become an obsession and I now enjoy a worldwide reputation as a specialist DJ playing nothing but Gospel Reggae. I have my own radio show and am part of a Gospel Reggae Sound called Soulcure... life is good.
These days Gospel Reggae has come far, in fact there are so many new albums released even an addict like me struggles to keep up. There are now specialist web sites including a number of online web stores that stock literally thousands of the latest Gospel Reggae and Gospel Dancehall music. You can purchase singles as downloads and hard copy CD's. In addition to this the same can be found on the big online stores such as Amazon and iTunes.
I know many people are very interested in the music and would love to hear it.

Dubstep And Beyond: The Electro Reggae Connection To World Music

Unbeknownst to many fans, Electro Reggae saturates the world's musical landscape. Even before Sly and Robbie coined the term "Electro Reggae" for their 1986 Taxi Gang LP release, they had begun experimenting with dissonant, electronic sounds. Random, computer-generated blips and electric percussion permeated the Black Uhuru albums the duo produced. A year earlier they would claim Reggae's first Grammy on the heels of such innovation.
The 1990's would see a migration in the music with Reggae-related styles becoming as varied as the population. As Drum and Bass took hold, fans of the music never forgot its roots. UK soundsystems and producers would incorporate the MC skills of heavyweights like MC Conrad, Skibadee and The Ragga Twinz. The part they played in the evolution of the music was magnified by the growth of the internet. The scene was no longer confined to a geographic region. Roni Size even conquered the American music marketplace with his 1998 "Reprazent" release on Universal Records.
Around the turn of the millennium, UK producers began building on their more insular genres such as two-step and grime. As Reggae-Dub had by then permeated the cultural landscape, it was included to create a new sound. The result, characterized by a tempo of 140 bpm and syncopated high hats, also placed a heavy emphasis on Electro bass line permutations. It would not be formally recognized or called by its name "Dubstep" for several years after its inception. Championed first by BBC radio host John Peel and Mary Anne Hobbs afterwards, the new form of Reggae-Influenced Electro music took the world by storm.
After 2008 Dubstep began a move to the mainstream, but the Electro-Reggae innovation continued. An XLR8R Magazine acknowledged the contributions of America-based Reggae artists like Trinidadian Dub Poet Juakali, Jamaica's Lexie Lee, Panama's MC Zulu, and DJ Collage. Juakali spent years as the host of New York's Dub War introducing Dubstep sounds to an eager fanbase. MC Zulu and Lexie Lee would both collaborate with Electro-Reggae luminaries South Rakkas Crew, with Zulu taking the modernization to the extremes. Wildly experimental and defiant in his approach, MC Zulu created new cadence structures, incorporated weighty lyricism, and can even be heard singing backwards on some releases.
The commercial success of Dubstep finds fans of Electronic music at odds with one another, separated into camps of those who remember the roots, and those who have no idea. Balance that against the continuing innovation in the production, and you will find genres such as Baile Funk (Carioca), Moombathon, Kuduro beginning to move to the forefront. Each of them are suitable vehicles for Reggae lyrics, with fans from the corresponding areas more readily identifying with Reggae's quasi-political, globalist leanings. Reggae MCs who sing in different languages are emerging.

The movement is now commonly described as Global Bass with new, innovative compositions flooding the net on an almost daily basis. Regardless of their region of origin however, the influence of Jamaica's music is often quite prevalent.

Reggae Music and New Orleans' Legacy

In 2008, the month of February was declared, officially, Reggae month in Jamaica, to be observed annually, with not only a series of parties and stage shows but, "...a month where we bring together our academic resources..." the Jamaican Prime Minister told a local paper.

In February, the city of New Orleans, Louisiana celebrates Mardi Gras: the culmination of a variety of festivities beginning in January.

In the spirit of this festive month, I am obliged to enlighten reggae enthusiasts of the little known relationship between the two cultures, formed out of the integration of the music of New Orleans with the early development of Reggae Style music.

In the late 1800's, an early style of Jamaican folk music played by musicians fusing African and European musical traditions was called Mento.

During the 1950's Mento surged in popularity largely due to the birth of Jamaica's recording industry in 1954, which allowed musicians to record Mento songs of different varieties and styles and made them available on records.

Despite the popularity of Mento locally, it was considered "street music" by local radio station operators, in those days, and so the music was passed over for the more "palatable" American Pop and Jazz music.

American Rhythm 'n' Blues records, were heavily imported by "sound system" operators to provided an alternative to the Pop and Jazz tunes that were being played on local radio. These sound systems were mobile entertainment systems and the disc jockeys or "selectors" who played the records were the entertainers.

The popularity of American Rhythm 'n' Blues grew, with the availability of inexpensive transistor radios to the Jamaican population. Listeners who were less than happy about the American Pop and Jazz tunes, tuned in to super high-powered AM radio stations broadcasting from New Orleans and Miami, powerful enough to reach Jamaica.

Subsequently, a rhythmical shift in Mento music began and musicians began incorporating the American southern accented Rhythm 'n' Blues into Mento music. Bands that played a blend of New Orleans' Blues and Caribbean music, called "Bluebeat" groups, became popular and, eventually, a new rhythmical up-tempo style of music emerged known as Ska.

Ska enjoyed a brief period of popularity in the later part of the 1950's an early 60's then eventually transformed into the next stage of the development of Reggae music called Rocksteady.

Dancehall Reggae - The Music and the Culture

The dance hall style has developed tremendously over the years from the 80's to the 90's and new millennium and is continuing to grow with a speed unimaginable. The first to introduce this new style as digital music was the famous Jamaican producer known as King Jammy. It quickly took over the hearts of the Jamaican youth and started to spread throughout the Caribbean then to the Americas and now to the world. Everyone seems to know this music now and has become die hard fans. The music itself is an up-tempo and addictive sound making you want to dance and enjoy yourself as Caribbean people so love to do and are so famous for doing so.

Some of the first dance hall artists to come about were Wayne Smith, Shabba Ranks, and Super Cat to name a few, Shabba Ranks being the first to be premiered on MTV and Super Cat for being the first East-Indian dancehall artist. These artists made a massive impact on the music scene in America and laid the foundation for major artists such as Shaggy, Mavado, Sean Paul and Elephant man to name a few. There are also artists from Europe and all over the world like Collie Buddz, Ill Inspecta and Cali P. These new artists are quickly improving and changing the sound of dancehall music keeping it fresh and up to date for the younger generation.

Dancehall music being a worldwide genre is still most popular in the Caribbean at its home where most of the artists and producers come from. It gives the younger generation a chance to fulfill a dream and to make a career of it. It is more than just music but a passion and a lifestyle to people. If you have not yet heard dancehall then make it a must to do so, it is captivating and unique and you will surely fall in love with it and would see why it is being so wide spread today.

Jammin' In Jamaica - The History Of Jamaican Dub Music

Around the explosive, political and musically transitional period of the late '60s, America, Jamaica and England were affected by a new production technique that first reared its head in Jamaican studios. Special effects units like delays, echoes, and reverbs had gained popularity through producers like Osbourne (King Tubby) Ruddock, who owned a sound system and cut acetates at Duke Reid's Treasure Isle Studio. By accidentally leaving out parts of the vocal mix to a song, Ruddock stumbled upon a new formula that offered more options for performing studio magic. He took this new mix with him to a dance, and played the recognizable version first. Then he played his 'accident,' and the dub mix was born. Not only did he blow the people away that night; he ran back into the studio to do it again.

In the 1970s when a single was released, it was often answered by another record that gave the second artists' commentary on the first record. Sometimes, many spin-off versions came out of this technique, known as toasting. This form of rapping caught on later in the United States via the concrete jungles of New York City. On many Rap mixtapes and CDs, artists would modify toasting by 'dissing' each other when they had beef among themselves. Though some of the product was hard to find, fans ate up the resulting, often-exclusive releases anyway. Toasting utilized catch-phrases that incorporated the sharp Jamaican dialect--it added a rhythmically expressive, deep melodic quality to Reggae music. When many of my fellow Jamaicans speak, their accents often make them sound like the music: quite rhythmic, quite expressive, quite melodious, quite harmonic, and quite textural. Some popular Jamaican phrases follow:

Babylon - hard living, trouble My yute - homeboy

Bwoyfren' - boyfriend N'yam - eat food

Cool runnin's - it's all good 'Ole on a likkle - wait just a minute

Cho' - never mind Oonu - you all

Diy'yah - over here Pickney - children

Frock - a dress Redi dress - showing out

Is fi' mi - it's mine Roll tide - keep it moving

Good good - that's fine Selectah - a DJ

Gweh - get out of my face S'mody - somebody

Gwine - going Soccamibassa - dressed poorly

Gyalfren' - girlfriend Tegereg - troublesome; a P.I.T.A.

Leggo beas' - wild, unruly Tump you - hit you

Maahgah - skinny Whe' mek? - why?

Dialects of Jamaican 'patois' can be spoken fast, slow, or moderately. Some of the diction is easier to understand than others because it may depend upon which region of Jamaica one is from. Some people may have emotional inflections in their speech patterns, while others may have musical ones. One thing for sure is that unless you can't hear, you will definitely know it when a person from the islands is talking or singing...'yah, mon.' But even without vocals, this underground Dub music of Jamaica was still shaping itself into a more defined entity. By 1973, 'King Tubby' Ruddock was experimenting with instrumental versions of songs by manipulating sounds on the tracks. His equipment contained a disc-cutter, mixing console, tape machines and effects units. He worked with the top producers on the island to compose and release the dub album "Blackboard Jungle."

Instrumental versions of songs soon showed up on the B-sides of singles, called 'dub mixes.' Whether tracks were abruptly punched-in with buttons or smoothly faded-in with the sliding fader, they were still given a heavy dose of sound effects. In some cases, interesting effects were created by running a looped tape over the heads of a tape machine. To facilitate this method, a section of the tape was identified for 'surgery' or 'splicing.' Splicing occurs by putting the section of tape on a 'chopping block' with vertical and diagonal grooves etched into it. The grooves guided a razor blade as it sliced the tape at the beginning and end of the section to be cut. The two ends of the isolated tape were then taped together and run through the tape rollers, which passed the tape over the three heads (erase, record and playback) in a repeated, looped manner.

The playback head picked up the signal and played it till the 'stop' button was depressed. If the splice wasn't precise, this procedure could become tedious and time-consuming. This method may not have caught on in the fast-paced world of 'put it together quick' Rap music, but sampling sure did. Electronically-made sounds and sampling went on to become worldwide phenomena. Like tape looping, Jamaicans used sampling to create new music such as Dancehall Reggae. You'll want to see the chapter "What Makes Music" in the forthcoming "Musicology 102" for more on sampling. If the info in that chapter tweaks your interest, we'll be covering more studio techniques that you may find interesting in the sequel to that book, "Musicology 103."

Dub remixes were released as a standard configuration by the mid '70s, and DJ's constantly played them in the clubs. The open relationship between the United States and Jamaica allowed new styles and trends to drift between the two cultures. By the end of the decade, Rap music made its introduction by creatively looping drum and bass lines with a rhythmic (non-melodic) vocal track and new sounds. Rap brought showmanship to a new level by using the techniques of Jamaican Dancehalls and sound systems, courtesy of innovative DJs like Kool Herc. In case you may have forgotten, we opened up the book chapter by talking about the DJ who brought thunder to the clubs. 'Big ups' to these unsung heroes--they changed the era's musical protocol by breaking down music and remixing it. In America, R&B, Funk, Jazz and Dance music were also broken down and rebuilt; adding anticipation, excitement and exhilaration to physical activity (dancing) and other types of live performances.

Dub music was often fused together in a live setting (people are around), with the mixing board serving as the action centerpiece, as if it were a musical instrument. In the hands of an experienced, partially or totally insane sound engineer or producer, this meant hit records. Besides tweaking the sound processing devices to get a desired or unexpected effect, other studio tricks were also employed. Some techniques include the use of gunshots, screams, sirens, whistles, test tones, mechanical sounds; even physically striking a reverb unit to get a new sound. Therein lays the answer to the exclusivity factor, which was taken very seriously in Jamaican music. Since no one else had the sounds, no one else could play them. To quote pioneering rapper Rakim (of Eric B & Rakim), "I said it before."

By the late '70s, the Imprint label, headed up by top Dub engineer Lloyd James (also known as 'Prince Jammy'), stepped into the limelight to become one of the leading forces in this new wave of music coming from Jamaica. In the meantime, concerts by Jamaican artists were supported by a core group of Blacks and Whites in England and in the United States. The support of British and American recording artists encouraged a curious fan base to listen closer to Reggae. Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton and The Police made hits that hinted at Reggae, while Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder gave their own convincing perspectives. Just take a good listen to groups like The Eagles ("Hotel California") and Steely Dan ("Hey Nineteen") as you dig through hordes of great music tracks to decipher what they and so many others have created during their fabulous careers. More tactical support was on the way when the new Dancehall genre came out of Jamaica. During the late '80s to early '90s, it filtered into the Rap/Hip-Hop culture, by way of transplanted Jamaicans and inner-city Big Apple youth who were already thinking "outside the box."

The loss of Jamaica's musical prophet Bob Marley in 1981 shook the shores of Jamaica and chain-reacted to a worldwide level. Before things improved, things got worse and Jamaica's economics took a nosedive. Political turmoil ran rampant between the Jamaican Labor Party (JLP), and the People's National Party (PNP). Jamaican posses became murderously volatile at home as well as in the States and in the U.K. Well-known activists (including musicians and others) were getting viciously gunned down, left and right. The per-capita statistics were astounding. Something had to give; there was too much trouble popping off on this nearly 150 mile-long island starving for ongoing attention, out in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. Through multiple Prime Minister hand-offs over the years, the bureaucracy of Jamaica (liberated in a year that holds strong significance to me), has passed among seven pairs of hands:

1962 - 1967 Alexander Bustamante (JLP)

1967 Donald Sangster (JLP)

1967 - 1972 Hugh Shearer (JLP)

1972 - 1980 Michael Manley (PNP)

1980 - 1989 Edward Seaga (JLP)

1989 - 1992 Michael Manley (PNP)

1992 - 2006 P.J. Patterson (PNP)

2006 - Present P.S.-Miller (PNP)

Notice anything interesting? It's been said that there's no constant like change: for the first time in history, Jamaica handed off its male-dominated political reigns to another original--the first female Jamaican Prime Minister, in March of 2006. The PNP's own Portia Simpson-Miller succeeded another PNP member, Prime Minister Percival James Patterson.

Over in England, Reggae and Dub artists made successful entrances into the music industry's battle arena by slicing and dicing the studio mix exclusively for the club. By the 90s, the eminent sub-division of Dub music emerged not only from Jamaica, but also the U.K. and U.S. with styles like 'Drum & Bass,' 'Jungle,' 'Trip-Hop' and 'Techno.' International groups from other genres like The Cure, Depeche Mode, Garbage, Living Colour, Nine Inch Nails, and dozens of rappers, producers and DJs tested Dub in their tracks. Dub influences are often heard in recordings with electronic drums, bass, keyboards, strings, and horns in Reggae styles like Dancehall. A popular sound was found in an early form of Reggaeton called Dancehall Reggaespanol, or Spanish Dancehall. This style of music appealed more to people of the Hispanic/Latino societies in Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and abroad. Spanish Reggae featured Reggae music with Spanish lyrics and catchy horn arrangements. Traditional Latin music may often feature the guitar in songs.

An Introduction to Rastafarianism

Rastafarianism is a religious movement born out of the black slums of Jamaica which harnessed the teachings of the Jamaican born black nationalist, Marcus Garvey and conditionally uses selective Old Testament Christian writings to support its teachings and practices. Born in 1887, Garvey's influence on the poor black slave descendants in Jamaica came to its peak in the 1920's where his message of encouragement and calling on black people to take pride in themselves won some fanatical supporters. Although historically Marcus Garvey was a political leader interested in making the black race economically equal with the white, in oral tradition he has become a divinely anointed prophet.

With the crowning of Ras Tafari Makonnen on November 2nd 1930 in Ethiopia, many believed Garvey's prediction of a black king crowned in Africa who would be a redeemer and liberator of the dispossessed black race had come to fruition. Makonnen claimed for himself the titles of "Emperor Haile Selassie I, Conquering lion of the tribe of Judah, Elect of God and King of the kings of Ethiopia." Ethiopia holds great significance to Rastafaris who believe in a coming judgement day when the righteous will be called home to Mount Zion (identified with Africa) to live forever in peace and harmony. Marcus Garvey, although no admirer of Haile Selassie, as he observed that slavery still existed in Ethiopia, continued to be revered by the fanatical Rastafarians despite being a Roman Catholic by birth who never spoke out explicitly to support the growing movement.

Without centralised organisation, any one definitive text, official buildings or a recognisable and ongoing office of leader the religion is difficult to categorise. This results in a wide variety of beliefs and practices coming under the general umbrella of Rastafarianism that often result from individual interpretations. There are however some notable characteristics as covered below.

Distinguishing it from other groups and religions which stress conformity to the powers that be, here it is the individual which is important. Individuals follow a path to truth for themselves and reject the power of modern, oppressive white society ("Babylon") which is seen to be rebelling against God, the "Earth's Rightful Ruler" called "JAH". JAH is within all individuals and all individuals are connected to God. This is reflected in the often used phrase "I and I" when referring to oneself.

One early leader of the movement in Jamaica was Leonard Howell, who was arrested by the Jamaican government in 1933 for preaching a 'revolutionary doctrine'. Howell established the first commune of Rastafari and six principles of Rastafari which have changed little over the years: 1) a hatred for the white race, 2) the complete superiority of the black race, 3) revenge on the wickedness of white peoples, 4) the negation, persecution and humiliation of the government and legal bodies of Jamaica, 5) preparation to return to Africa, and 6) acknowledging Emperor Haile Salassie as the supreme being and only ruler of black people.

Even though he helped to shape the movement's ideas, his arrest is also thought to have a large influence on the movement's organisational structure. The prolonged police harassment that Howell was subjected to is thought to be the main reason why Rastafarians have decided to remain leaderless.

In 1954 the situation grew increasingly tense as the Jamaican government intervened and overran the now Rastafarian mini-state called the Pinnacle that Howell ruled over. After this many followers migrated out of the original rural setting to the ghettos and slums of Kingston. Although authentic Elders advocate non-violence in their teachings, a frustrated and desperate few incited confrontation with authorities which resulted in deadly shoot-outs with British troops in the late '50s and early '60s bringing some negative worldwide attention to the movement.

From the mid 1970s to the present has seen a phenomenal growth in the Rastafarian Movement, namely down to the worldwide exposure and acceptance of reggae music. This is mainly attributed to Bob Marley who as a musical artist was also a prophet of Rastafarianism whose lyrics often touch on themes relevant to Rasta doctrine. The reggae movement was initially attractive to the Caribbean black youths, many of whom saw it as an extension of their adolescent rebellion from school and parental authority. With the migration of Caribbean families to England and America, thus the music spread and became popular, along with a certain other botanical Jamaican export.

Some followers choose to classify the religion as Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity (distinguishing it from Catholic and Protestant Christianity) or even Judaism. In the latter case the belief is held that black people are descended from the twelve tribes of Israel, and that black Jews have lived in Ethiopia for centuries, disconnected from the rest of Judaism. This and other ideas result from interpretation of Bible translations, which are also thought to be incomplete and have been distorted by white oppressors over time.

One of the more obvious symbols of the Rastafarians are the dreadlocks on a Rasta's head. They are said to represent the Lion of Judah and are in contrast to the straight, blond look of the white man and the establishment and in response to interpretations of passages from Leviticus 2 in the Bible.

Another major symbol of Rastafarians are colours, specifically red, gold and green. These were taken from the Garvey movement and form the background of the Ethiopian flag. Red stands for the Rasta Church Triumphant but also the blood of the martyrs of Rasta. The green represents the beauty and vegetation of Ethiopia, the promised land, and the gold symbolises the wealth of the homeland that shall be regained.

The true Rasta also only eats I-tal food. This is special food which never touches chemicals, is natural and not from cans. The food is cooked but served in the rawest form possible, without salts, preservatives, or condiments. Rastafarians are therefore vegetarians. Drink is anything herbal, such as tea and not unnatural such as liquor, milk, coffee and soft drinks.

Marijuana or Ganja is commonly smoked in a ritualised form and as medicine and is not officially advocated for recreational use. It is believed to aid understanding and meditation and is claimed to be the 'holy' or 'green' herb mentioned in some translations of the Bible.

Today the worldwide following of Rastafari is believed to be in the region of 1,000,000, with official branches in many countries including England, Canada, the Caribbean islands and America. Some sources claim that six out of ten Jamaicans are believed to be Rastafarians or Rastafarian sympathisers with more conservative estimates stating that five to ten percent of Jamaicans are Rasta.

Reggae Musics Illustrious Ancestors - Mento, Ska And Rocksteady

Reggae Musics Illustrious Ancestors - Mento, Ska And Rocksteady

Mento 

Jamaica's original rural folk music, called mento, is the grandfather of reggae music and had significant influences on the formation of that genre. Jamaica's "country music" was inspired by African and European music as well as by American jazz and featured acoustic guitars, banjos, bamboo saxes, hand drums and marimbula (large thumb pianos) also called rhumba boxes, which were large enough to sit on and play. There were also a variety of hand percussion instruments like maracas. Mento's vocals had a distinctly African sound and the lyrics were almost always humorous and happy. Everywhere people gathered you could find a mento band and there were many mento and calypso competitions throughout the island. Mento also gave birth to Jamaica's recording industry in the 1950s when it first became available on 78 RPM records. Mento is still around today.

Before World War II, calypso from Trinidad and Tobago had made its way into Jamaica's music and, although quite different, the two were often confused. Jamaica's own calypso artists performed alongside its mento artists throughout the island, for locals and tourists alike. A calypso craze swept the U.S. and U.K. in the late 1950s as Harry Belafonte came onto the scene. Many of his songs were actually mento but they were more often described as calypso. 

After the war, transistor radios and jukeboxes had become widely available and Jamaicans were able to hear music from the southern U.S., particularly jazz and rhythm and blues from some of the greats like Fats Domino and Jelly Roll Morton, and records flooded into the island. 

And then, in the early 1960s, came American R&B. With a faster and far more danceable tempo, the genre caught on quickly in Jamaica. Attempting to copy this sound with local artists, Jamaicans added their own unique twists, blending in elements of their Caribbean heritage, fusing it with mento and calypso and jazz, to create a unique genre heavily driven by drums and bass and accented with rhythms on the off-beat, or the "upstroke".  This purely Jamaican genre dominated the Jamaican music scene at the time and was known as ... ska. 

Ska 

Coinciding with the festive mood in the air when Jamaica won its independence from the U.K. in 1962, ska had a type of 12-bar rhythm and blues framework; the guitar accented the second and fourth beats in the bar, essentially flipping the R&B shuffle beat, and gave rise to this new sound. 

Because Jamaica didn't ratify the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works until 1994, Jamaican musicians often created instrumental ska versions of songs by popular American and British artists; copyright infringement was not an issue! The Skatalites re-made Motown hits, surf music and even the Beatles in their own style. The Wailers' first single Simmer Down was a ska smash in Jamaica in late 1963/early 1964 but they also covered And I Love Her by the Beatles and Like a Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan.

Although the sound system concept had taken root in Jamaica in the mid 1950s, ska led to its explosion in popularity and it became a major, uniquely Jamaican, industry that continues to thrive today. Enterprising DJs with U.S. sources for the latest records would load up pickup trucks with a generator, turntables, and huge speakers, and drive around the island blaring out the latest hits. Essentially these sound systems were like loud mobile discos! DJs charged admission and sold food and alcohol, enabling them to profit in Jamaican's unstable economy. Thousands would sometimes gather and sound systems became big business. Amidst fierce competition, Clement "Coxsone" Dodd and Duke Reid surfaced as two of the star DJs of the day. Reliant on a steady source of new music, these two superstars began to produce their own records, ultimately becoming Studio One (Dodd) and Treasure Isle (Reid). 

Other important ska producers were Prince Buster, whose Blue Beat label records inspired many Jamaican ska (and later reggae) artists, and Edward Seaga, who owned and operated the West Indies Records Limited (WIRL) in the 1960s but went on to become Prime Minister of Jamaica and leader of the Jamaican Labour Party in the 1980s.

As Jamaicans emigrated in large numbers to the U.K., the sound system culture followed and became firmly entrenched there. Without the efforts of a white Anglo-Jamaican named Chris Blackwell, the rest of the world might not have come to know this Jamaican brand of music. Blackwell, a record distributor, moved his label to the U.K. in 1962 and began releasing records there on various labels, including the Island label. His early artists included the Skatalites, Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley. Blackwell's international breakthrough came in 1964 when his artist Millie Small hit the U.S. airwaves with My Boy Lollipop.

Back in Jamaica, as American R&B and soul music became slower and smoother in the mid-1960s, ska changed its sound and evolved into... rocksteady.

Rocksteady 

Songs that described dances were very popular now in the U.S. and U.K, as well as Jamaica.  In the U.S., we had The Twist, The Locomotion, The Hanky Panky and The Mashed Potato. One popular dance-song in Jamaica was The Rock Steady by Alton Ellis. The name for this entire genre may have been based on that song title.

The only noteworthy difference between ska and rocksteady was the tempo. Both styles had the famous Jamaican rhythm guitar complemented by drums, bass, horns, vocals and a groove that kept you on your feet moving, but the drum and bass are played at a slower, more relaxed, pace and the rhythm is more syncopated.

Rocksteady arose at a time when Jamaica's poverty-stricken youths had become disillusioned about their futures after Jamaica gained independence from Britain. Turning into delinquents, these unruly youths became known as "rude boys".  Rocksteady's themes mainly dealt with love and the rude boy culture, and had catchy dance moves which were far more energetic than the earlier ska dance moves. Many bass lines originally created for rocksteady songs continue to be used in today's Jamaican music.

As a musical style, rocksteady was short-lived, and existed for only about two years. Some of the more well-known rocksteady artists were Alton Ellis, Justin Hinds and the Dominos, Derrick Morgan, The Gaylads, The Kingstonians, Delroy Wilson, Bob Andy, Ken Boothe, The Maytals and The Paragons. 

Continuing to evolve, Jamaica's musical tempo slowed, bass patterns became more complex, and the piano gave way to the electric organ, giving birth to... reggae, which eventually became the most popular music genre in the world!

An Introduction to Rastafarianism

Rastafarianism is a religious movement born out of the black slums of Jamaica which harnessed the teachings of the Jamaican born black nationalist, Marcus Garvey and conditionally uses selective Old Testament Christian writings to support its teachings and practices. Born in 1887, Garvey's influence on the poor black slave descendants in Jamaica came to its peak in the 1920's where his message of encouragement and calling on black people to take pride in themselves won some fanatical supporters. Although historically Marcus Garvey was a political leader interested in making the black race economically equal with the white, in oral tradition he has become a divinely anointed prophet.

With the crowning of Ras Tafari Makonnen on November 2nd 1930 in Ethiopia, many believed Garvey's prediction of a black king crowned in Africa who would be a redeemer and liberator of the dispossessed black race had come to fruition. Makonnen claimed for himself the titles of "Emperor Haile Selassie I, Conquering lion of the tribe of Judah, Elect of God and King of the kings of Ethiopia." Ethiopia holds great significance to Rastafaris who believe in a coming judgement day when the righteous will be called home to Mount Zion (identified with Africa) to live forever in peace and harmony. Marcus Garvey, although no admirer of Haile Selassie, as he observed that slavery still existed in Ethiopia, continued to be revered by the fanatical Rastafarians despite being a Roman Catholic by birth who never spoke out explicitly to support the growing movement.

Without centralised organisation, any one definitive text, official buildings or a recognisable and ongoing office of leader the religion is difficult to categorise. This results in a wide variety of beliefs and practices coming under the general umbrella of Rastafarianism that often result from individual interpretations. There are however some notable characteristics as covered below.

Distinguishing it from other groups and religions which stress conformity to the powers that be, here it is the individual which is important. Individuals follow a path to truth for themselves and reject the power of modern, oppressive white society ("Babylon") which is seen to be rebelling against God, the "Earth's Rightful Ruler" called "JAH". JAH is within all individuals and all individuals are connected to God. This is reflected in the often used phrase "I and I" when referring to oneself.

One early leader of the movement in Jamaica was Leonard Howell, who was arrested by the Jamaican government in 1933 for preaching a 'revolutionary doctrine'. Howell established the first commune of Rastafari and six principles of Rastafari which have changed little over the years: 1) a hatred for the white race, 2) the complete superiority of the black race, 3) revenge on the wickedness of white peoples, 4) the negation, persecution and humiliation of the government and legal bodies of Jamaica, 5) preparation to return to Africa, and 6) acknowledging Emperor Haile Salassie as the supreme being and only ruler of black people.

Even though he helped to shape the movement's ideas, his arrest is also thought to have a large influence on the movement's organisational structure. The prolonged police harassment that Howell was subjected to is thought to be the main reason why Rastafarians have decided to remain leaderless.

In 1954 the situation grew increasingly tense as the Jamaican government intervened and overran the now Rastafarian mini-state called the Pinnacle that Howell ruled over. After this many followers migrated out of the original rural setting to the ghettos and slums of Kingston. Although authentic Elders advocate non-violence in their teachings, a frustrated and desperate few incited confrontation with authorities which resulted in deadly shoot-outs with British troops in the late '50s and early '60s bringing some negative worldwide attention to the movement.

From the mid 1970s to the present has seen a phenomenal growth in the Rastafarian Movement, namely down to the worldwide exposure and acceptance of reggae music. This is mainly attributed to Bob Marley who as a musical artist was also a prophet of Rastafarianism whose lyrics often touch on themes relevant to Rasta doctrine. The reggae movement was initially attractive to the Caribbean black youths, many of whom saw it as an extension of their adolescent rebellion from school and parental authority. With the migration of Caribbean families to England and America, thus the music spread and became popular, along with a certain other botanical Jamaican export.

Some followers choose to classify the religion as Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity (distinguishing it from Catholic and Protestant Christianity) or even Judaism. In the latter case the belief is held that black people are descended from the twelve tribes of Israel, and that black Jews have lived in Ethiopia for centuries, disconnected from the rest of Judaism. This and other ideas result from interpretation of Bible translations, which are also thought to be incomplete and have been distorted by white oppressors over time.

One of the more obvious symbols of the Rastafarians are the dreadlocks on a Rasta's head. They are said to represent the Lion of Judah and are in contrast to the straight, blond look of the white man and the establishment and in response to interpretations of passages from Leviticus 2 in the Bible.

Another major symbol of Rastafarians are colours, specifically red, gold and green. These were taken from the Garvey movement and form the background of the Ethiopian flag. Red stands for the Rasta Church Triumphant but also the blood of the martyrs of Rasta. The green represents the beauty and vegetation of Ethiopia, the promised land, and the gold symbolises the wealth of the homeland that shall be regained.

The true Rasta also only eats I-tal food. This is special food which never touches chemicals, is natural and not from cans. The food is cooked but served in the rawest form possible, without salts, preservatives, or condiments. Rastafarians are therefore vegetarians. Drink is anything herbal, such as tea and not unnatural such as liquor, milk, coffee and soft drinks.

Marijuana or Ganja is commonly smoked in a ritualised form and as medicine and is not officially advocated for recreational use. It is believed to aid understanding and meditation and is claimed to be the 'holy' or 'green' herb mentioned in some translations of the Bible.

Today the worldwide following of Rastafari is believed to be in the region of 1,000,000, with official branches in many countries including England, Canada, the Caribbean islands and America. Some sources claim that six out of ten Jamaicans are believed to be Rastafarians or Rastafarian sympathisers with more conservative estimates stating that five to ten percent of Jamaicans are Rasta.

Caribbean Party Themes

Ahhh, the Caribbean. Creating Caribbean party themes is a pleasure. Anyone who has ever been to any of the Islands knows what I mean. Turquoise blue water, white beaches, rum drinks, and the Island beat give this theme all the ideas needed to create an awesome party.

Where

As with most theme parties, you'll need a decent-sized room or backyard, or you can rent a party room. The Caribbean party themes, weather permitting, definitely would be great in an outdoor setting (especially if you have a pool). Or, in the winter, Caribbean party themes are just what is needed for an escape from the cold weather.

Invitations

One creative idea for Caribbean party themes is to make fake flight tickets, arrival destination at one of the the Islands on the date and time of the party. Another idea is to create a flyer for a "Caribbean Festival" (or Jamacian Reggae Jam, San Juan Latin Dance Contest, Bermuda Triangle Party, etc.).

Other options are to get tropical looking blank invitations or paper and print them on your computer, or to buy fill-in-the-blank invitations.

Costumes

Caribbean party themes call for grass skirts, beach hats, rasta wigs, reggae hats, dreadlock wigs, coconut bikini tops, bright prints, etc. Be sure to note on the invitation if you expect your guests to dress up!

Favors

Caribbean party themes favors (or game/door prizes) for your guests can include palm tree shaped votive candles, shell necklaces, reggae CDs, small bottles of hot sauce, sunglasses, sun visors, sunscreen, small bottles of Bacardi, a gift bag with several of these things, or any other gifts that have a Caribbean flair.

Decorations

Decorations and favors for the Caribbean party themes abound, but you have to be careful to include only stuff that you'd find in the Caribbean. In other words, you aren't having a luau, so no tiki masks or other uniquely Hawaiian decor. You can, however, use many of the luau or Hawaiian labeled decorations for your Caribbean party. Here are some ideas for decorating:

* Cover a wall with a tropical photo mural

* Scatter tan and shades of blue balloons around (beach colors) or bright tropical floral colors like yellow, pink, purple, green. There are even balloons shaped like flamingos, shells, and palm trees! Or, get white and blue round paper lanterns.

* Use any of several kinds of palm trees, flamingos, parrots, tropical fish, and suns (inflatable, metallic, paper, tissue, lighted strings or otherwise) for Caribbean party themes.

* Exotic flowers (real or silk) or tropical candle holders or luminaries can be table centerpieces or accents anywhere in your party area.

* Grass skirting on the tables is a neat touch too. If you really want to go all out, you can get a grass tiki "hut" and use it as the bar or other serving area.

Food

The Caribbean's unique flavors will be sure to delight your guests! Be sure to use Caribbean sauces and spices like Jerk sauce, Jamacian hot sauce, tabasco, and a host of pepper sauces and spices when creating your food. Some menu ideas are: Jerk Chicken (or Pork Chops, Beef, Lamb), Fried Plantains, Banana Bread, Jamacian Rice and Beans, Fishcakes, Seafood Patties, Coconut Shrimp, Any kind of Kabobs (with Island style spices), Conch Fritters, Spicy Pasta Salad, Crab Souffle, and for those who aren't that adventurous, regular barbequed chicken.

Have some Caribbean sweets and desserts on hand too! Try Bermuda Triangle cookies, coconut cookies/cake, pineapple cake with rum sauce, rum bananas, pineapple tarts, fruit pies, fruit salad with pina colada sauce. Be sure to have stuff on hand for non-fruit lovers, like chocolate cake, chocolate souffle (remember the French influence on some of the islands), etc.

Drinks

Don't forget tropical drinks! Serve daiquiris, pina coladas, rum punch, Bahama Mamas, and a whole host of other tropical drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Caribbean party themes wouldn't be complete without Bacardi-based rum drinks!

Cake

If it's a birthday or other celebration, you'll need a cake. Or you might just want a cake as a dessert item. With a tropical theme, I'd go with coconut or pineapple upside down cake! Or you might want a round or sheet cake decorated as Bob Marley or with the Bemuda Triangle. Other ideas could be a palm tree, Jamacian flag, turquoise ocean with tropical fish, steel drum instruments, etc.

Games

Anyone up for a conga line or limbo? How low can YOU go? Other than those games, I wouldn't "clutter" the party with any scheduled games. Let the music and the guests entertain themselves. Dancing and rum make for great fun!

Entertainment

Reggae, steel drum, calypso, and other Caribbean sounds are mandatory. You can also play an Ocean Sounds CD (This would be nice during a sit-down dinner.) Or, hire a band or DJ and let them worry about keeping the sounds coming!