The Musical Genre Of Reggae - 900 Words

The musical genre, reggae, was originally coined in the 1960s. Derived from rege-rege – Jamaican for â€Å"rags or ragged clothing† – the genre was used to describe the raggedy music style found in Jamaica at the time. Reggae incorporates the traditional Jamaican music such as mento and ska, rhythm blues, and rocksteady. Ska characteristics such as the walking bass line of the guitar and piano off-beats are used in reggae. However, ska is much faster than reggae, so the use of rocksteady in the genre slows the ska tempo. Reggae songs are heavily backbeated, meaning the music has highly emphasized second and fourth beats; this style is typically found in African-based musical genres. In reggae’s foundation, artists typically wrote of love, but the seventies foresaw the use of socio-political and religious lyrics. To English listeners, reggae lyrics are nearly incomprehensible. For example, â€Å"Jah† means God, and â€Å"Ganga† is the Jamaica n slang term for marijuana, a medical herb Rastafarians smoked to feel closer to God. Since those not of this faith do not understand the importance of marijuana, reggae lyrics often get misinterpreted as â€Å"getting high.† Never the less, reggae music first rose to international acclaim in the 1970s following the release of the movie, The Harder They Came, a story of a young man traveling through urban Jamaica. The movie’s soundtrack was comprised entirely of reggae music, skyrocketing the genre into the mainstream. Despite the movie’s success inShow MoreRelatedReggae Music : A Musical Genre That Influenced Jamaican Music1268 Words   |  6 Pages Reggae is a musical genre that has revolutionized Jamaican music. Reggae originated in Jamaica in the late sixties, early seventies. It’s slow jerky rhythm and spiritual lyrics have influenced many artists, genres, cultures, and societies throughout the world. This had contributed to the advancement of new counterculture movements, especially in the United States of America, as well as Europe and Africa. In the late seventies, it had impacted western punk and rock/pop cultures, which had resultedRead MoreReggae Is Not Only A Type Of Musi c1560 Words   |  7 PagesFor indigenous communities throughout the world, reggae is not only a type of music, but a culture. One of the most worldwide forms of popular culture, reggae is able to be found in many communities, such as Native American, Aboriginal Australian, Hawaiian and Pacific. Reggae has a very well known and well defined associated culture. It must be kept in mind the appeal of the Rastafarian ‘lifestyle’ associated with the reggae genre. For many youth in indigenous communities, this lifestyle may be seenRead MoreReview Of David M. Greenberg Et Al Divided People And Their Musical Choices814 Words   |  4 Pagescomes to topics that can cause a heater argument. Musical preferences are sacred to most people and we tend to divide into small tribes over music, considering the other tribes as less sophisticated. Interestingly, your music choices are not a random grouping – your tribe isn’t determined by where your friends go. Instead, you r personality and the music you like are interlinked, both influencing each other. Three thinking groups and their musical choices A 2015 study by David M. Greenberg et alRead MoreSimilarities Between Rock And Blues719 Words   |  3 PagesThis week we learned about many genres of music, some similar some different. The two genres I want to compare and contrast are Rock and Blues. When you hear rock music, you picture electric guitars, amplified sounds, and complex styles of play. But if you take a deeper look you would probably be surprised to learn that rock would not even have existed without simple 12-bar forms, antiphonal textures, or â€Å"walking bass lines† used in much blues music. Though Rock and Blues are distinctly differentRead More An Overview of Reggae Music Essay1268 Words   |  6 Pages Reggae is a genre of music that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. It is known for the heavy and strong emphasis on the bass within the background beat. Reggae was perceived as a kind of music used to express feelings about the social, political, and economic hardships in Jamaica during the l ate 1960s and early 1970s. It was performed by musicians from black ghettos who used unhurried beats to make a style of music of their own. Reggae became an important part of the lifestyle of manyRead MoreReggae Paper1223 Words   |  5 PagesReggae, â€Å"a generic name for all Jamaican popular music since 1960, is defined as a ‘West Indian style of music with a strongly accented subsidiary beat† (Chang). Reggae music is a great style of music that was popularized by one of the world’s most famous musicians, Bob Marley. Personally, I never listened to it until I made it to college, and it has quickly become one of my favorite genres. For that reason is why I chose to write this paper on Reggae music. This genre is a very calming and relaxingRead MoreUnit 22 Essay2299 Words   |  10 PagesBTEC Extended Diploma in Music Unit 22: Music Performance Session Styles You are to recognise 3 genre of music and evaluate that style with the aim of performing that style accurately. P1 Explain the fundamental stylistic elements of a wide range of musical genres. You will understand the stylistic elements across a wide range of musical genres Reggae Reggae is most easily recognized by the rhythmic accents on the off-beat, usually played by guitar or piano (or both), known as the skankRead MoreHistory of Jamaican Music1268 Words   |  6 Pagesfirst by Spanish colonists, and later by English colonists. (Megan, R.) Jamaicans possess a musical heritage that comes from their African and European roots. Reggae music is Jamaica’s best sound. These thumping sounds are rich and infectious and encompass expression of private freedom, independence, religion, and gossip. Jamaica’s most well-known is Bob Marley whose influence helped bring Reggae music in to the Jamaican main stream. (Cultural Attraction Tour in American (2010).) Jamaicans alsoRead MoreThe Great Bob Marley1537 Words   |  7 Pages If someone was asked to name the first famous reggae artist that came to mind, the majority of people would say one name, Bob Marley. Robert Nesta Marley, commonly known as Bob Marley, is undoubtedly the most famous reggae artist of all time. Additionally, he is responsible for bringing reggae to the masses, and he did this through his unique style, raspy voice, guitar playing and drumming. Bob Marley is known around the world for not only his music, but also his greater message of peace. FurthermoreRead MoreJamaica is known for its jerked chicken, clear waters, and more notably for Reggae, which makes1000 Words   |  4 PagesJamaica is known for its jerked chicken, clear waters, and more notably for Reggae, which makes Jamaican culture globally recognized. However, despite its mainstream entertainment value of today, reggae is not only music; however it is a way of life for some Jamaicans. It originated as a political form of protest against the colonial forces operative in the s ocial context of Jamaican life. Musical ambassadors like the Abyssinians, Burning Spear, Sir Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer