Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.

Reggae is most easily recognized by the rhythmic accents on the off-beat, usually played by guitar or piano (or both), known as the skank. This pattern accents the second and fourth beat in each bar (or the "and"s of each beat depending on how the music is counted) and combines with the drums emphasis on beat three to create a unique feel and sense of phrasing in contrast to most other popular genres focus on beat one, the "downbeat".^[1] The tempo of reggae is usually felt as slower than the popular Jamaican forms, ska and rocksteady, which preceded it.^[2] It is this slower tempo, the guitar/piano offbeats, the emphasis on the third beat, and the use of syncopated, melodic bass lines that differentiates reggae from other music, although other musical styles have incorporated some of these innovations separately.

Etymology[link]

The 1967 edition of the Dictionary of Jamaican English lists reggae as "a recently estab. sp. for rege", as in rege-rege, a word that can mean either "rags, ragged clothing" or "a quarrel, a row".^[3] Reggae as a musical term first appeared in print with the 1968 rocksteady hit "Do the Reggay" by The Maytals, but there are many different theories as to how the term originated. The music itself was faster than rocksteady, but tighter and more complex than ska, with obvious debts to both styles, while going beyond them both.^[4] Speaking to the terms origins, reggae artist Derrick Morgan stated:

We didn't like the name rock steady, so I tried a different version of 'Fat Man'. It changed the beat again, it used the organ to creep. Bunny Lee, the producer, liked that. He created the sound with the organ and the rhythm guitar. It sounded like 'reggae, reggae' and that name just took off. Bunny Lee started using the world [sic, recte word] and soon all the musicians were saying 'reggae, reggae, reggae'.^[4]

Reggae historian Steve Barrow credits Clancy Eccles with altering the Jamaican patois word streggae (loose woman) into reggae.^[4] However, Toots Hibbert said:

There's a word we used to use in Jamaica called 'streggae'. If a gal is walking and the guys look at her and say 'Man, she's streggae' it means she don't dress well, she look raggedy. The girls would say that about the men too. This one morning me and my two friends were playing and I said, 'OK man, let's do the reggay.' It was just something that came out of my mouth. So we just start singing 'Do the reggay, do the reggay' and created a beat. People tell me later that we had given the sound its name. Before that people had called it blue-beat and all kind of other things. Now it's in the Guinness World of Records.^[5]

Bob Marley is said to have claimed that the word reggae came from a Spanish term for "the king's music".^[6] The liner notes of To the King, a compilation of Christian gospel reggae, suggest that the word reggae was derived from the Latin regi meaning "to the king".

Precursors[link]

Although strongly influenced by traditional African, American jazz and old-time rhythm and blues, reggae owes its direct origins to the progressive development of ska and rocksteady in 1960s Jamaica. An important factor in this development was the influence of Rastafari, with Rasta drummers like Count Ossie contributing to seminal recordings, bringing the influence of these rhythmic patterns into the music.^[7]

Ska arose in the studios of Jamaica in the late 1950s; it developed from the earlier mento genre.^[4] Ska is most easily characterized as a quarter note walking bass line, accentuated guitar or piano rhythms on the offbeat, and a drum pattern that places the emphasis on the 3rd beat of the bar. It is very memorable for its jazz-influenced horn riffs. Jamaica gained its independence in 1962 and ska became the music of choice for Jamaican youth seeking music that was their own. It is also worth noting that ska gained some popularity among mods in Britain.

There have been many interesting theories as to why Jamaican musicians slowed the ska sound to make rocksteady, including the singer Hopeton Lewis simply being unable to sing his hit record "Take It Easy" at a ska tempo.^[4] By 1968, many musicians had begun playing the tempo of ska slower, while utilizing more syncopated bass patterns and smaller bands. This new, slower sound was called rocksteady, a name solidified after the release of a single by Alton Ellis. The rocksteady style is most often indistinguishable from reggae, although reggae tends to focus lyrically more on lyrics based on black consciousness, Rastafari and the effects of poverty. Some reggae also introduced a much slower tempo than rocksteady. The "double skank" guitar strokes on the offbeat were also part of the new reggae style.

History[link]

Reggae developed from ska, mento and R&B music in the 1960s. The shift from rocksteady to reggae was illustrated by the organ shuffle pioneered by Jamaican musicians like Jackie Mittoo and Winston Wright and featured in transitional singles "Say What You're Saying" (1967) by Clancy Eccles and "People Funny Boy" (1968) by Lee "Scratch" Perry. The Pioneers' 1967 track "Long Shot Bus' Me Bet" has been identified as the earliest recorded example of the new rhythm sound that became known as reggae.^[8]

Early 1968 was when the first genuine reggae records were released: "Nanny Goat" by Larry Marshall and "No More Heartaches" by The Beltones. American artist Johnny Nash's 1968 hit "Hold Me Tight" has been credited with first putting reggae in the American listener charts.^[9] Around that time, reggae influences were starting to surface in rock music. An example of a rock song featuring a slight taste of reggae rhythm is 1968's "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" by The Beatles.^[10]

Bob Marley in 1980.

The Wailers, a band started by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in 1963, is perhaps the most recognized band that made the transition through all three stages of early Jamaican popular music: ska, rocksteady and reggae. Other significant reggae pioneers include Prince Buster, Desmond Dekker and Ken Boothe.

Notable Jamaican producers influential in the development of ska into rocksteady and reggae include: Coxsone Dodd, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Leslie Kong, Duke Reid, Joe Gibbs and King Tubby. Chris Blackwell, who founded Island Records in Jamaica in 1960, relocated to England in 1962, where he continued to promote Jamaican music. He formed a partnership with Lee Gopthal's Trojan Records in 1968, which released reggae in the UK until bought by Saga records in 1974.

The 1972 Jimmy Cliff milestone The Harder They Come reached U.S. theatres and generated considerable interest and popularity for reggae there, while Eric Clapton's 1974 cover of Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff" helped bring the mustic mainstream.^[4] By the mid 1970s, reggae was getting radio play in the UK on John Peel's radio show, who promoted the genre the rest of his career. At the same time British filmmaker Jeremy Marre documented the Jamaican music scene in Roots Rock Reggae, capturing a slice of the "Golden Age of Reggae" during the heyday of roots reggae.

In the second half of the 1970s, the UK punk rock scene was starting to form, and reggae was a notable influence. Some punk DJs played reggae songs during their sets and some punk bands incorporated reggae influences into their music. At the same time, reggae began to enjoy a revival in the UK that continued into the 1980s, exemplified by groups like Steel Pulse, Aswad, UB40, and Musical Youth. Other reggae artists who enjoyed international appeal in the early 1980s include Third World, Black Uhuru and Sugar Minott. The Grammy Awards introduced the Best Reggae Album category in 1985.

Musical characteristics[link]

Skank guitar rhythm often considered "'the' reggae beat"^[11] Play straight (help·info) or  Play shuffle (help·info).

Stylistically, reggae incorporates some of the musical elements of rhythm and blues (R&B), jazz, African and Latin American music, as well as other genres. Reggae is either played in 4/4 time or swing time, because the symmetrical rhythmic pattern does not lend itself to other time signatures such as 3/4 time. One of the most easily recognizable elements is offbeat rhythms; staccato chords played by a guitar or piano (or both) on the offbeats of the measure, often referred to as the skank.

This offbeat can be counted so that it falls between each count as an "and" (example: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and etc.) or counted as a half time feel at twice the tempo so it falls on beats 2 and 4. Harmonically, the music is essentially the same as any modern popular genre with a tendency to make use of simple modal chord progressions. For example: I - bVII7 and I - ii - iii - ii are both common progressions in reggae and both examples of the kind of chord structures used in modal jazz. The use of repetitive rhythmic patterns and static, modal chord structures add to reggae's sometimes hypnotic effect.

The concept of "call and response" can be found throughout reggae music, in the lyrics but also in the way parts are composed and arranged for each instrument. The emphasis on the "third beat" of the bar (depending on how it's counted) also results in a different sense of musical phrasing with bass lines and melody lines often emphasizing what might be considered "pick up notes" in other genres.

Drums and other percussion[link]

A standard drum kit is generally used in reggae, but the snare drum is often tuned very high to give it a timbales-type sound. Some reggae drummers use an additional timbale or high-tuned snare to get this sound. Cross-stick technique on the snare drum is commonly used, and tom-tom drums are often incorporated into the drumbeat itself.

Robbie Shakespeare

Reggae drumbeats fall into three main categories: One drop, Rockers and Steppers. With the One drop, the emphasis is entirely on the third beat of the bar (usually on the snare, or as a rim shot combined with bass drum). Beat one is empty except for a closed high hat commonly used, which is unusual in popular music. There is some controversy about whether reggae should be counted so that this beat falls on three, or whether it should be counted half as fast, so it falls on two and four. An example played by Barrett can be heard in the Bob Marley and the Wailers song "One Drop". Barrett often used an unusual triplet cross-rhythm on the hi-hat, which can be heard on many recordings by Bob Marley and the Wailers, such as "Running Away" on the Kaya album.

Sly Dunbar

An emphasis on beat three is in all reggae drumbeats, but with the Rockers beat, the emphasis is also on beat one (usually on bass drum). This beat was pioneered by Sly and Robbie, who later helped create the "Rub-a-Dub" sound that greatly influenced dancehall. Sly has openly stated he was influenced to create this style by listening to American drummer Earl Young as well as other disco and R&B drummers in the early to mid 1970s, as stated in the book "Wailing Blues". The prototypical example of the style is found in Sly Dunbar's drumming on "Right Time" by the Mighty Diamonds. The Rockers beat is not always straightforward, and various syncopations are often included. An example of this is the Black Uhuru song "Sponji Reggae".

In Steppers, the bass drum plays four solid beats to the bar, giving the beat an insistent drive. An example is "Exodus" by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Another common name for the Steppers beat is the "four on the floor". Burning Spear's 1975 song "Red, Gold, and Green" (with Leroy Wallace on drums) is one of the earliest examples. The Steppers beat was adopted (at a much higher tempo) by some 2 Tone ska revival bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

An unusual characteristic of reggae drumming is that the drum fills often do not end with a climactic cymbal. A wide range of other percussion instrumentation are used in reggae. Bongos are often used to play free, improvised patterns, with heavy use of African-style cross-rhythms. Cowbells, claves and shakers tend to have more defined roles and a set pattern.

Bass[link]

Aston Barret

The bass guitar often plays the dominant role in reggae, and the drum and bass is often the most important part of what is called, in Jamaican music, a riddim (rhythm), a (usually simple) piece of music that's used repeatedly by different artists to write and record songs with. Literally hundreds of reggae singers have released different songs recorded over the same rhythm. The central role of the bass can be particularly heard in dub music — which gives an even bigger role to the drum and bass line, reducing the vocals and other instruments to peripheral roles.

The bass sound in reggae is thick and heavy, and equalized so the upper frequencies are removed and the lower frequencies emphasized. The bass line is often a repeated two or four bar riff when simple chord progressions are used. The simplest example of this might be Robbie Shakespeare's bass line for the Black Uhuru hit "Shine Eye Girl". In the case of more complex harmonic structures, such as John Holt's version of "Stranger In Love", these simpler patterns are altered to follow the chord progression either by directly moving the pattern around or by changing some of the interior notes in the phrase to better support the chords.

Guitars[link]

Al Anderson

The guitar in reggae usually plays the chords on beats two and four, a musical figure known as skank or the 'bang'. It has a very dampened, short and scratchy chop sound, almost like a percussion instrument. Sometimes a double chop is used when the guitar still plays the off beats, but also plays the following 8th beats on the up-stroke. An example is the intro to "Stir It Up" by The Wailers. Artist and producer Derrick Harriott says, “What happened was the musical thing was real widespread, but only among a certain sort of people. It was always a down-town thing, but more than just hearing the music. The equipment was so powerful and the vibe so strong that we feel it.”^[12]

Keyboards[link]

From the late 1960s through to the early 1980s, a piano was often used in reggae to double the rhythm guitar's skank, playing the chords in a staccato style to add body, and playing occasional extra beats, runs and riffs. The piano part was widely taken over by synthesizers during the 1980s, although synthesizers have been used in a peripheral role since the 1970s to play incidental melodies and countermelodies. Larger bands may include either an additional keyboardist, to cover or replace horn and melody lines, or the main keyboardist filling these roles on two or more keyboards.

The reggae organ-shuffle is unique to reggae. Typically, a Hammond organ-style sound is used to play chords with a choppy feel. This is known as the bubble. This may be the most difficult reggae keyboard rhythm. The organ bubble can be broken down into 2 basic patterns. In the first, the 8th beats are played with a space-left-right-left-space-left-right-left pattern, where the spaces represent downbeats not played—that and the left-right-left falls on the ee-and-a, or and-2-and if counted at double time. In the second basic pattern, the left hand plays a double chop as described in the guitar section while the right hand plays longer notes on beat 2 (or beat 3 if counted at double time) or a syncopated pattern between the double chops. Both these patterns can be expanded on and improvised embellishments are sometimes used.

Horns[link]

Horn sections are frequently used in reggae, often playing introductions and counter-melodies. Instruments included in a typical reggae horn section include saxophone, trumpet or trombone. In more recent times, real horns are sometimes replaced in reggae by synthesizers or recorded samples. The horn section is often arranged around the first horn, playing a simple melody or counter melody. The first horn is usually accompanied by the second horn playing the same melodic phrase in unison, one octave higher. The third horn usually plays the melody an octave and a fifth higher than the first horn. The horns are generally played fairly softly, usually resulting in a soothing sound. However, sometimes punchier, louder phrases are played for a more up-tempo and aggressive sound.

Vocals[link]

UB40's former frontman Ali Campbell performing in 2009.

The vocals in reggae are less of a defining characteristic of the genre than the instrumentation and rhythm, as almost any song can be performed in a reggae style. However, it is very common for reggae to be sung in Jamaican Patois, Jamaican English, and Iyaric dialects. Vocal harmony parts are often used, either throughout the melody (as with vocal groups such as the Mighty Diamonds), or as a counterpoint to the main vocal line (as with the backing vocalists, the I-Threes). More complex vocal arrangements can be found in the works of groups like The Abyssinians and British reggae band Steel Pulse.

An unusual aspect of reggae singing is that many singers use tremolo (volume oscillation) rather than vibrato (pitch oscillation). Notable exponents of this technique include Horace Andy and vocal group Israel Vibration. The toasting vocal style is unique to reggae, originating when DJs improvised spoken introductions to songs (or "toasts") to the point where it became a distinct rhythmic vocal style, and is generally considered to be a precursor to rap. It differs from rap mainly in that it is generally melodic, while rap is generally more a spoken form without melodic content.

Lyrical themes[link]

Reggae is noted for its tradition of social criticism in its lyrics, although many reggae songs discuss lighter, more personal subjects, such as love and socializing. Many early reggae bands covered Motown or Atlantic soul and funk songs. Some reggae lyrics attempt to raise the political consciousness of the audience, such as by criticizing materialism, or by informing the listener about controversial subjects such as Apartheid. Many reggae songs promote the use of cannabis (also known as herb, ganja, or sinsemilla), considered a sacrament in the Rastafari movement. There are many artists who utilize religious themes in their music — whether it be discussing a specific religious topic, or simply giving praise to God (Jah). Other common socio-political topics in reggae songs include black nationalism, anti-racism, anti-colonialism, anti-capitalism and criticism of political systems and "Babylon".

Criticism of dancehall and ragga lyrics[link]

Some dancehall and ragga artists have been criticised for homophobia,^[13][14] including threats of violence.^[15] Buju Banton's song "Boom Bye-Bye" states that gays "haffi dead". Other notable dancehall artists who have been accused of homophobia include Elephant Man, Bounty Killer and Beenie Man. The controversy surrounding anti-gay lyrics has led to the cancellation of UK tours by Beenie Man and Sizzla. Toronto, Canada has also seen the cancellation of concerts due to artists such as Elephant Man and Sizzla refusing to conform to similar censorship pressures.^[16][17]

After lobbying from the Stop Murder Music coalition, the dancehall music industry agreed in 2005 to stop releasing songs that promote hatred and violence against gay people.^[18][19] In June 2007, Beenie Man, Sizzla and Capleton signed up to the Reggae Compassionate Act, in a deal brokered with top dancehall promoters and Stop Murder Music activists. They renounced homophobia and agreed to "not make statements or perform songs that incite hatred or violence against anyone from any community". Five artists targeted by the anti-homophobia campaign did not sign up to the act, including Elephant Man, TOK, Bounty Killa and Vybz Kartel.^[20] Buju Banton and Beenie Man both gained positive press coverage around the world for publicly renouncing homophobia by signing the Reggae Compassion Act. However, both of these artists have since denied any involvement in anti-homophobia work and both deny having signed any such act.^[21]

Subgenres[link]

Peter Tosh performing with his band in 1978.

Early reggae[link]

The "early reggae" era can be looked as starting in roughly 1968. The influence of funk music from American record labels such as Stax began to permeate the music style of studio musicians and the slowing in tempo that occurred with the development of rocksteady had allowed musicians more space to experiment with different rhythmic patterns. One of the developments which separated early reggae from rocksteady was the "bubble" organ pattern, a percussive style of playing that showcased the eighth-note subdivision within the groove.

The guitar "skanks" on the second and fourth beat of the bar began to be replaced by a strumming pattern similar to mento and the so-called double chop that can be heard so audibly in the introduction of Bob Marley's "Stir It Up" was developed during this time. More emphasis was put on the groove of the music, and there was a growing trend of recording a "version" on the B-side of a single. The mass popularity of instrumental music in the ska and rocksteady eras continued in reggae, producing some of the most memorable recordings of the early reggae era. Cover versions of Motown, Stax and Atlantic Records soul songs remained popular in early reggae, often helping Jamaican artists gain a foothold in foreign markets such as the U.K.

As a testament to its far reaching impact in other markets, this era and sound of reggae is sometimes referred to in retrospect as "skinhead reggae" because of its popularity among the working class skinhead subculture in the UK during the late 1960s and early 1970s. One Caribbean band based in London, The Pyramids, even released an entire album dedicated to the unruly English youth culture under the name Symarip which featured songs such as "Skinhead Moonstomp" and "Skinhead Girl". Eventually the, often experimental, sounds of early reggae gave way to the more refined sound made popular by Bob Marley's most famous recordings. Indeed this era seems fittingly capped off by the 1973 release of "Catch A Fire". Notable artists from this era include John Holt, Toots & the Maytals and The Pioneers.

Roots reggae[link]

Roots reggae usually refers to the most recognizable kind of reggae, popularized internationally by artists like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, which dominated Jamaican recordings from around 1972 into the early 1980s. While there are distinct musical characteristics to this era of reggae music, the term "roots" often implies more the message of the music than specifically its musical style and is still often used today to refer either to a musical style/sub-genre or to give context to an artists music that may, in fact, cover several sub-genres of reggae. Roots reggae, in this descriptive sense, can be typified by lyrics grounded in the Rastafarian movement's "Back to Africa" message, equation of colonialism and slavery with the Biblical captivity in Babylon, and, of course, the belief in one living God, Jah, manifested as Ethiopia's Emperor Haile Selassie. Recurrent lyrical themes include poverty and resistance to economic and racial oppression as well as more poetic meditations on spiritual or topical themes.

Musically, the "roots" sound and era have a number of distinct features. Drummers developed more complex kick drum patterns based around the "one drop" of rocksteady and incorporated influences from funk and R&B. The guitar, piano and keyboard patterns in the music were refined from the creative explorations of the early reggae era into the patterns most recognizable as reggae throughout the world. Simple chord progressions were often used to create a meditative feeling to compliment the lyrical content of the songs. This refining of rhythmic patterns and simplification of chord progressions brought the bass guitar entirely to the forefront, helping to make bass one of the most definitive features of reggae as a genre. Producer/engineers like King Tubby, Lee "Scratch" Perry and Prince Jammy (before he became a king) also played a large role in the development of the roots sound, with their heavy use of tape delay and reverb effects becoming one of the most recognizable features of the music. The roots sound can be best identified in the Jamaican recordings of the late 1970s by artists such as Burning Spear, Max Romeo, The Abyssinians, Culture and Israel Vibration.

Dub[link]

Lee "Scratch" Perry

Dub is a genre of reggae that was pioneered in the early days by studio producers Lee 'Scratch' Perry and King Tubby. It involves extensive remixing of recorded material, and particular emphasis is placed on the drum and bass line. The techniques used resulted in an even more visceral feel described by King Tubby as sounding "jus’ like a volcano in yuh head."^[22] Augustus Pablo and Mikey Dread were two of the early notable proponents of this music style, which continues today.

Rockers[link]

The term "rockers" refers to a particular sound of roots reggae, pioneered in the mid-1970s by Sly & Robbie, and very popular in the late seventies. Rockers is best described as a somewhat more mechanical and aggressive style of playing reggae^[23] with a greater use of syncopated drum patterns.

Lovers rock[link]

The lovers rock subgenre originated in South London in the mid-1970s. The lyrics are usually about love. It is similar to rhythm and blues. Notable lovers rock artists include: Gregory Isaacs, Freddy McGregor, Dennis Brown, Maxi Priest and Beres Hammond.

Newer styles and spin-offs[link]

Hip hop and rap[link]

Toasting is a style of talking over music, making heavy use of rhythmic phrasing and rhyme patterns, that was developed in the 1950s by Jamaican disc jockeys looking to add excitement to the mainly American R&B records they played in outdoor venues, called "lawns", and dancehalls. This style was developed by pioneers Count Machuki, King Stitt and Sir Lord Comic who took the current style of introducing and speaking over records played by sound systems and developed it into a unique style. As ska moved to rocksteady, this style of vocals gained a wider audience among Jamaican listeners. One of the earliest examples of this style is Sir Lord Comic's 1966 recording, "The Great Wuga Wuga". This style finally gained chart topping popularity in the late 1960s with deejays such as U-Roy and Dennis Alcapone scoring numerous hits. This style of speaking over records may have had a great impact on a young Jamaican DJ named Kool Herc, who had emigrated to New York City in the late 1960s where he began holding parties in the Bronx. It was Kool Herc's parties and the scene that sprung up around them that is generally credited as birth of hip hop and rap. Mixing techniques developed later in dub music have also influenced hip hop.

Dancehall[link]

The dancehall genre was developed in the late 1970s by pioneers such as Yellowman and Eek-A-Mouse. The style is characterized by a deejay singing and rapping over riddims and was originally developed in the sound system culture in the wake of the increased popularity of early pioneers like Big Youth. The style of these early deejays was developed into a more continual rhythmic pattern of rapping that contained much more melody than the rapping style being developed in America around this time. It's important to note that the rhythmic patterns dancehall deejays developed in their rapping are based around the phrasing and speech patterns of Jamaican patois. An important characteristic of dancehall was the role of the selectors (and later operators) on the sound systems, who would routinely use the volume control on their mixers to remix the riddim around the vocalists rhythmic patterns. Musicians took the rhythms created by this mixing technique and began incorporating them into the music they played and recorded, a style still often referred to today as the "mix". An early example of this in recording would be Barrington Levy's 1984 hit, "Here I Come". Ragga (or raggamuffin) is usually used to refer to the type of dancehall music that emerged since the 1980s which is based almost entirely around these "mix" rhythms and contains almost no elements of what is traditionally perceived as reggae. In recording, ragga instrumentation primarily consists of synthesizers and drum machines. Sampling and midi sequencing is also often used in ragga production. A definitive example of "ragga" might be Beenie Man's 1998 hit, "Who Am I". Dancehall is a style and genre that was developed primarily by urban youth in Jamaica, as such its lyrical content is based in the lives of the people who made it and often contains lyrical content considered by many Jamaicans to be overly sexual or violent. In a word, dancehall might be described as "raw" and it has often been maligned in a similar way to gangsta rap despite the fact that many "conscious" artists continue to release dancehall music. In February 2009, dancehall with lyrical content "deemed explicitly sexual and violent" was banned from the airwaves by the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica.^[24][25]

Raggamuffin[link]

Raggamuffin, usually abbreviated as ragga, is a sub-genre of reggae that is closely related to dancehall and dub. The term raggamuffin is an intentional misspelling of ragamuffin, and the term raggamuffin music describes the music of Jamaica's "ghetto youths". The instrumentation primarily consists of electronic music. Sampling often serves a prominent role as well. As ragga matured, an increasing number of dancehall artists began to appropriate stylistic elements of hip hop music, while ragga music, in turn, influenced more and more hip hop artists. Ragga is now mainly used as a synonym for dancehall reggae or for describing dancehall with a deejay chatting rather than deejaying or singing on top of the riddim.

Reggaeton[link]

Reggaeton is a form of urban music that first became popular with Latin American youths in the early 1990s. Reggaeton's predecessor originated in Panama as reggae en español. After the music's gradual exposure in Puerto Rico, it eventually evolved into reggaeton.^[26] It blends West-Indian reggae and dancehall with Latin American genres such as bomba, plena, salsa, merengue, Latin pop, cumbia and bachata, as well as hip hop, contemporary R&B and electronica. Modern reggaeton beats follow the structure of the Dem Bow Riddim, a beat created by Jamaican producers Steely & Clevie in the late 1980s and early 1990s. However, over the years, it has been losing every noticeable similarity with its original reggae origins.

Reggae fusion[link]

Reggae fusion is a mixture of reggae or dancehall with elements of other genres, such as hip hop, R&B, jazz, rock, drum and bass, punk or polka.^[27] Although artists have been mixing reggae with other genres from as early as the early 1970s, it was not until the late 1990s when the term was coined.

Reggae outside of Jamaica[link]

Reggae has spread to many countries across the world, often incorporating local instruments and fusing with other genres.

Americas[link]

Reggae en Español spread from mainland South American Caribbean from Venezuela and Guyana to the rest of South America. It does not have any specific characteristics other than being sung in Spanish, usually by artists of Latin American origin. Samba reggae originated in Brazil as a blend of samba with Jamaican reggae.

In the United States, bands like Rebelution, Slightly Stoopid, and SOJA are considered progressive reggae bands. For decades, Hawaiian reggae has a big following on the Hawaiian islands and the West coast of the US.^[28]

Europe[link]

The U.K. was a primary destination for Caribbean people looking to emigrate as early as the 1950s. Because of this Caribbean music in the United Kingdom, including reggae, has been popular since the late 1960s, and has evolved into several sub-genres and fusions. Most notable of these is lovers rock, but this fusion of Caribbean music into English culture was seminal in the formation of other musical forms like drum and bass and dubstep. The U.K. became the base from which many Jamaican artists toured Europe and due to the large number of Jamaican musicians emigrating there, the U.K. is the root of the larger European scene that exists today. Many of the world's most famous reggae artists began their careers in U.K. Singer and Grammy Award winning reggae artist Maxi Priest began his career with seminal British sound system Saxon Studio International. Also British reggae is played by UB40 and Ali Campbell.

Other U.K. based artists that had international impact include Misty In Roots, Janet Kay, Tippa Irie, Smiley Culture and more recently Bitty McLean. There have been a number of European artists and bands drawing their inspiration directly from Jamaica and the Caribbean community in Europe, whose music and vocal styles are almost identical to contemporary Jamaican music. The best examples might be Alborosie (Italy) and Gentleman (Germany). Both Gentleman and Alborosie have had a significant chart impact in Jamaica, unlike many European artists. They have both recorded and released music in Jamaica for Jamaican labels and producers and are popular artists, likely to appear on many riddims. Alborosie has lived in Jamaica since the late 1990s and has recorded at Bob Marley's famous Tuff Gong Studios. Since the early 1990s, several Italian reggae bands have emerged, including Sud Sound System, Pitura Freska and B.R. Stylers.

In Iceland reggae band Hjálmar is well established having released six CDs in Iceland. They were the first reggae band in Iceland, but a few Icelandic artist had written songs in the reggae style before their showing up at the Icelandic music scene. The Icelandic reggae scene is expanding and growing at a fast rate. In the past few years a number of bands have come forth such as Ojba Rasta and Amaba Dama. Ojba Rasta's first album is due before summer 2012. RVK Soundsystem is the first Icelandic sound system, counting 5 DJ's. They hold reggae nights in Reykjavík every month at clubs Hemmi og Valdi and more recently in Faktorý as the crowd has grown so much.

The first homegrown Polish reggae bands started in the 1980s with groups like Izrael. In Sweden, Uppsala Reggae Festival attracts attendees from across Northern Europe, and features Swedish reggae bands such as Rootvälta and Svenska Akademien as well as many popular Jamaican artists. Summerjam, Europe's biggest reggae festival, takes place in Cologne, Germany and sees crowds of 25,000 or more. Rototom Sunsplash, a week long festival which used to take place in Osoppo, Italy, until 2009, is now held in Benicassim, Spain and gathers up to 150,000 visitors every year.

Africa[link]

Reggae in Africa was much boosted by the visit of Bob Marley to Zimbabwe on Independence Day 18 April 1980. Nigerian reggae had developed in the 1970s with artists such as Majek Fashek proving popular. In South Africa, reggae music has played a unifying role amongst cultural groups in Cape Town. During the years of Apartheid, the music bonded people from all demographic groups. Lucky Dube recorded 25 albums, fusing reggae with Mbaqanga. The Marcus Garvey Rasta camp in Phillipi is regarded by many to be the reggae and Rastafarian center of Cape Town. Reggae bands play regularly at community centres such as the Zolani center in Nyanga.

In Ethiopia, Dub Collosus emerged in 2008, and has received wide acclaim.^[29][30] In Mali, Askia Modibo fuses reggae with Malian music, and is described by Last FM as "the most significant African reggae musician to emerge internationally within the past five years."^[31] In Malawi, Black Missionaries produced five albums. In Ivory Coast a country where reggae music is extremely popular, Tiken Jah Fakoly fuses reggae with traditional music. Alpha Blondy from Ivory Coast sings reggae with religious lyrics. In Sudan, beats, drums and bass guitar from reggae music has been adopted into their music as reggae is a very popular among the generations from young to old, some spiritual (religious) groups grow their dreadlocks and have some reggae beats in their chants.

Asia and the Pacific[link]

In the Philippines, several bands and sound systems play reggae and dancehall music. Their music is called Pinoy reggae. Japanese reggae emerged in the early 1980s. Reggae is becoming more prevalent in Thailand as well. Aside from the reggae music and Rastafarian influences seen ever more on Thailand's islands and beaches, a true reggae sub-culture is taking root in Thailand's cities and towns. Many Thai artists, such as Job 2 Do, keep the tradition of reggae music and ideals alive in Thailand. By the end of the 1980s, the local music scene in Hawaii was dominated by Jawaiian music, a local form of reggae. Indonesia also has a thriving reggae scene, with the music brought by tourists to Bali in the 1970s and 1980s. Tony Q, and Steven and TheCoconutTreez are leading the charge for Indonesian reggae.

Australia & New Zealand[link]

Reggae in Australia originated in the 1980s. Desert Reggae is a developing contemporary style possibly originating in Central Australia. Lyrics are often sung in Australian Aboriginal languages.^[32]

New Zealand reggae was heavily inspired by Bob Marley's 1979 concert in the country, and early reggae groups such as Herbs. The genre has seen many bands like Fat Freddy's Drop and Katchafire emerging in more recent times, often involving fusion with electronica.

See also[link]

Music portal

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• Caribbean music in the United Kingdom
• Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album
• List of reggae festivals
• List of reggae musicians
• Bob Marley
• Rastafarian

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Jérémie Kroubo Dagnini (2008). Les origines du reggae: retour aux sources. Mento, ska, rocksteady, early reggae, L'Harmattan, coll. Univers musical. ISBN 978-2-296-06252-8 (French)
• Jérémie Kroubo Dagnini (2011). Vibrations jamaïcaines. L'Histoire des musiques populaires jamaïcaines au XXe siècle, Camion Blanc. ISBN 978-2-35779-157-2 (French)
• Manuel, Peter, with Kenneth Bilby and Michael Largey (2006). Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae (2nd edition). Temple University Press, 2006. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press. ISBN 1-59213-463-7. 
• O'Brien Chang, Kevin & Chen, Wayne (1998). Reggae Routes: The Story of Jamaican Music. Ian Randle Publishers. ISBN 976-8100-67-2. 
• Larkin, Colin (ed.) (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae. Virgin. ISBN 0-7535-0242-9. 
• Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004 for the 3rd edition). The Rough Guide to Reggae. Rough Guides. ISBN 1-84353-329-4. 
• Morrow, Chris (1999). Stir It Up: Reggae Cover Art. Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-28154-8. 
• Jahn, Brian & Weber, Tom (1998). Reggae Island: Jamaican Music in the Digital Age. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-80853-6. 
• Hurford, Ray (ed.) (1987). More Axe. Erikoispaino Oy. ISBN 951-99841-4-3. 
• Potash, Chris (ed.) (1997). Reggae, Rasta, Revolution: Jamaican Music from Ska to Dub. Schirmer Books. ISBN 0-8256-7212-0. 
• Baek, Henrik & Hedegard, Hans (1999). Dancehall Explosion, Reggae Music Into the Next Millennium. Samler Borsen Publishing, Denmark. ISBN 87-981684-3-6. 
• Katz, David (2000). People Funny Boy: The Genius of Lee Scratch Perry. Payback Press, UK. ISBN 0-86241-854-2. 
• Lesser, Beth (2002). King Jammy's. ECW Press. ISBN 1-55022-525-1. 
• Stolzoff, Norman C. (2000). Wake The Town And Tell The People. Duke University Press, USA. ISBN 0-8223-2514-4. 
• Davis, Stephen & Simon, Peter (1979). Reggae Bloodlines: In Search of the Music and Culture of Jamaica. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-80496-4. 
• Katz, David (2003). Solid Foundation - An Oral history of Reggae. Bloomsburry, UK. ISBN 1-58234-143-5. 
• de Koningh, Michael & Cane-Honeysett, Laurence (2003). Young Gifted and Black - The Story of Trojan Records. Sanctuary Publishing, UK. ISBN 1-86074-464-8. 
• de Koningh, Michael & Griffiths, Marc (2003). Tighten Up - The History of Reggae in the UK. Sanctuary Publishing, UK. ISBN 1-86074-559-8. 
• Bradley, Lloyd (2001). Bass Culture. When Reggae Was King. Penguin Books Ltd, UK. ISBN 0-14-023763-1. 
• Bradley, Lloyd (2000). This Is Reggae Music. The Story of Jamica's Music. Penguin Books Ltd, UK. ISBN 0-802-3828-4. 
• Chang, Jeff (2005). Can't Stop Won't Stop.. St. Martin's Press, 2005. ISBN 0-312-30143-X. 

External links[link]

• Reggae Music at the Open Directory Project

v t e Reggae Genres Roots reggae · Dub music · Dub poetry · Lovers rock · Dancehall · Reggaeton · Reggae en Español · Reggae fusion · Ragga · Ragga jungle · Samba reggae Characteristics Walking bass · Hammond organ · Reverb · Delay · Deejay (Toasting) · Singjay Related topics Music of Jamaica · Caribbean Music · Caribbean music in the United Kingdom · Reggae in Australia · Reggae Grammy winners 1985-present · Rastafari · Rude boy · Skinhead · Suedehead · Dance Hall (venue) · Dubplate · Sound system (Jamaican) · Sound system (DJ) · Riddim · Jamaican English · Jamaican Patois · Studio One · Trojan Records · Island Records · Blue Beat · Reggae musicians · Dub artists · Jamaican record producers · Reggae festivals

Julian Marley
Background information
Birth name	Julian Ricardo Marley
Also known as	Ju Ju Royal
Born	(1975-06-04) June 4, 1975 (age 37) London, England
Genres	Roots Reggae
Labels	Tuff Gong, Ghetto Youth International, Lightyear
Associated acts	Bob Marley Ky-Mani Marley Ziggy Marley Damian Marley Stephen Marley

Julian Ricardo Marley (born 4 June 1975 in London) is an English Jamaican reggae musician. He is the son of Bob Marley and a Bajan mother, Lucy Pounder. He is a member of the Rastafari movement.

Biography[link]

Julian's childhood was spent between England and Jamaica. Musical from an early age, he learned to play the keyboard, drums, bass, guitar, among other instruments. Along with his brothers Ziggy Marley and Stephen Marley, he became involved with Ghetto Youth International, a production company, in 1989. Julian released a solo album, Lion in the Morning, in 1996 and embarked on a world tour. He and his brother Damian Marley toured with the Lollapalooza festival in 1997. His second album, A Time And Place was released in 2003. In 2011 he participated in Mawazine festival which took place at Rabat, Morocco.

Discography[link]

• Lion in the Morning (1996)
• A Time & Place (2003)
• Awake (2009)

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Julian Marley

• Julian Marley Fanpage
• Julian Marley Photos
• GYI: Julian
• Interview with Julian Marley
• Article on Marley Family

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Beres Hammond (born Hugh Beresford Hammond, 28 August 1955, Annotto Bay, Saint Mary, Jamaica)^[1][2] is a reggae singer known in particular for his romantic lovers rock and soulful voice. While his career began in the 1970s, he reached his greatest success in the 1990s.

Biography[link]

Born the ninth of ten children; Hammond grew up listening to his father's collection of American soul and jazz music; including Sam Cooke and Otis Redding.^[2] He was further influenced by the native musics of ska and rocksteady, in particular Alton Ellis.^[2]

Hammond began participating in local talent contests from 1972 to 1973,^[1] which led to his first recording, of Ellis' "Wanderer".^[2] In 1975 he joined the band, Zap Pow, as lead singer,^[3] leading to the hit 1978 single, "The System" under the Aquarius Records label. However, he simultaneously sought a solo career, releasing his debut album, Soul Reggae, in 1976.^[2] His solo ballads "One Step Ahead" (1976) and Joe Gibbs produced "I'm in Love" (1978), were both hits in Jamaica.^[2] He left Zap Pow in 1979 to pursue his solo career, and recorded two more albums Let's Make A Song in 1980 and Red Light 1981. He formed Tuesday's Children, a harmony group that toured but never recorded.^[2]

Hammond formed his own record label, Harmony Records, in 1985 for the release of his Make a Song album,^[1] which had two Jamaican chart-toppers that were influenced by the emerging dancehall style: "Groovy Little Thing" and "What One Dance Can Do".^[2] The latter, produced by Willie Lindo,^[3] began to break Hammond into the international market. He scored another hit in 1986 with "Settling Down" on his eponymous release. He left his fame in Jamaica for New York in 1987,^[1] after being tied up as thieves ransacked his house during a home invasion.^[2] There he recorded the Have a Nice Weekend album and the duet single "How Can We Ease the Pain" with Maxi Priest.^[3]

Hammond returned briefly to Jamaica to record Putting Up Resistance, which was significantly harder than his typical ballads, produced by Tappa Zukie, which spawned the hits "Putting Up Resistance" and "Strange".^[2] He signed with Penthouse Records in 1990 and returned to Jamaica permanently to record the dancehall smash "Tempted to Touch", with producer Donovan Germain.^[3] This is perhaps his best known song in the United States and United Kingdom, and set the foundation for the hits "Is This a Sign" and "Respect to You Baby" on the 1992 Love Affair album.^[2] Also in 1992, Beres released the single "Fire". The song received critical acclaim within the Reggae music industry and it was an extremely sought after 7" single. Now garnering interest from major studios such as Elektra Records, Hammond recorded five more albums in the 1990s as well as several compilations, establishing himself as one of the top lovers rock artists. His first album of the new millennium was 2001's Music Is Life, which featured an appearance by Wyclef Jean, and contributions from Earl "Chinna" Smith and Flourgon. The album spawned several hits, including "They Gonna Talk", "Rockaway" and "Ain't It Good To Know".^[1][2] The 2004 release Love Has No Boundaries, had guest spots by Buju Banton and Big Youth.^[2]

He returned to Jamaica to perform at the Opening Ceremony for the Cricket World Cup 2007.^[4]

He released yet another album in 2008, A Moment in Time, on VP Records, which featured the single "I Feel Good".

Discography[link]

• Soul Reggae (1976), Water Lily
• Let's Make a Song (1981), Brotherhood Music Inc.
• Red Light (1993), Heavybeat - recorded 1983
• Beres Hammond (1985), Charm
• Have A Nice Weekend (1988), Charm
• Full Attention (1993), VP
• In Control (1994), Warner Bros.
• Expression (1995), Heartbeat - Beres Hammond & Derrick Lara
• A Love Affair (1997), Jet Star
• Love from a Distance (1997), VP
• A Day in the Life (1998), VP
• Music Is Life (2001), VP
• Sweetness (2001), VP
• Love Has No Boundaries (2004), VP
• Putting Up Resistance (2004), VP
• Lifetime Guarantee (2005), Greensleeves
• A Moment in Time (2008), Greensleeves - with DVD
• Just a Man (2010), VP

Compilations

• Jet Star Reggae Max (1996), Jet Star
• Beres Hammond: Collectors Series (1998), Penthouse
• Beres Hammond and Friends (2001), Ejaness
• Soul Reggae and More, Heavybeat
• Can't Stop a Man: The Best of Beres Hammond (2003), VP
• Something Old Something New (2009), Penthouse

DVD[link]

• Beres Hammond: Music is Life - Live From New York (2002), VP

References[link]

External links[link]

• Smokeyroom's Harmony House Silekshan
• Yahoo! Music biography

Romain Virgo (born c. 1990) is a singer from Jamaica, specializing in the lovers rock style of reggae music.

Biography[link]

Virgo hails from Stepney in Saint Ann Parish.^[1] He rose to prominence in the television choir contest All Together Sing in 2006, going on to win the Digicel Rising Stars competition in 2007, two months before his graduation from high school in St. Ann, Jamaica.^[1] At 17 years old, he was the youngest contestant to ever win top prize at the competition, which included a JA$1,000,000 prize and a recording contract with Greensleeves Records.^[2] A few weeks after winning the competition, Virgo met Donovan Germain who produced his first hit record "Mi Caan Sleep" on the Penthouse label.^[3] Several hit singles followed, including "Wanna Go Home", "Live Mi Life", and "Alton's Medley". In June 2010, VP Records released his debut album, self-titled Romain Virgo.

After winning the Digicel competition, Romain performed dances and stageshows, including Rebel Salute, Passa Passa, and Weddy Weddy. In the autumn of 2010, he joined fellow artists Capleton and Munga on a tour of the United States.^[4] In addition to his music career, Virgo is pursuing his bachelor's degree at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston, majoring in voice and minoring in keyboard.^[5]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Romain Virgo RV (2010), VP
• The System (2012), VP

Singles[link]

• "Love Doctor" (2008), Penthouse
• "Wanna Go Home" (2009), Vikings Production
• "Watch Over Me" (2010), Juke Boxx Productions - B-side of Elephant Man's "Don't Trust Dem"
• "Live My Life" (2010), Juke Boxx Productions - B-side of Busy Signal's "Dem Nuh Care"
• "Ghetto" (2010), Juke Boxx Productions
• "Taking You Home" (2011), Penthouse
• "Wha Dis Pon Me" (2011), Penthouse
• "Can't Sleep", VP/Penthouse
• "Who Feels It Know's It", VP/Penthouse

References[link]

Richie Spice (born Richell Bonner on September 8, 1971 in Rock Hall, St. Andrew, Jamaica) is a Jamaican reggae artist.^[1] He is a member of the Rastafari movement. Some of his most famous songs include, "Youth Dem Cold", "Groovin' My Girl", "Earth A Run Red", "Marijuana" and "The Plane Land". He is one of the Bonner brothers all of whom are reggae artists, including Pliers and Spanner Banner.

Biography[link]

Spice's first Jamaican single "Killing a Sound" was produced by Dennis "Star" Hayes. This was followed by "Shine" by ace Jamaican record producer/musician Clive Hunt. Spice also teamed up with Hunt for his debut album on the Island Jamaica Label from which came his first major hit "Grooving my girl". His sister, Bridgett Bonner for Bonner Productions Ltd., organized his second album. The album produced hits such as "Earth a Run Red", "Living Ain't Easy", Land of Jamaica "Time So Rough", the aforementioned "Grooving My Girl" and many others.

Having gained popularity in the mid-'90s, Spice has performed at all major shows staged locally namely Reggae Sun Splash (a paid tribute by him to Bob Marley), White River Reggae Bash, Rebel Salute and many others. Spice has opened shows for the likes of Chaka Demus and Pliers, Spanner Banner and Rita Marley on extensive tours of Europe and the United States 1996-1997.

He again toured East North America from June to September 2001. His increased popularity has gained him spots at numerous venues. His most recent projects include performances at Sting held at Jam World St. Catherine (December 26, 2002) and Sting Miami (March 2003).

More recently, a remix of one of his more popular tracks, "Marijuana" by Digital Mystikz's Coki, re-named "Burnin'" has focused more attention to him in the blossoming dubstep scene coming out of the UK. The original version of "Marijuana" also appears on the "These Are Serious Times" modern reggae compilation on XL Recordings.

His song 'Youth Dem Cold' was featured on Grand Theft Auto IV's Massive B Soundsytem 96.9 and the ending sound track of Attack the Block.

Richie Spice-Book of Job The Old Testament’s Book of Job considered the Bible’s most profound and scholarly work, addresses the significance of unwavering faith as it relates the tribulations endured by a godly man named Job. As a series of circumstances take Job from prosperity to destitution, it is his devotion to the Almighty that carries him through his greatest adversities and ultimately, restores his fortunes.

Singer Richie Spice’s chose “Book of Job” as the title for his 5th album, scheduled for release on February 22, 2011 on VP Records, because his commitment to creating uplifting music is as unwavering as Job’s faith was while enduring his many hardships. “A whole heap of things reach Job, he lose wealth, he lose him family, him lose everything, but because he was praising God, he regain,” Spice explains. “It’s the same thing with the music: it is righteousness me declare to the fullest and me nah go switch. A lot of people switch and sing other songs but we say righteousness because righteousness shall cover the earth like water cover the sea. We never give up on those words. It is something that we know must happen in time.”

Although prevailing trends find many reggae artists glorifying an array of vices, Spice’s steadfast commitment to Jah Rastafari propels his mission of using music as an honorable weapon, which he wields to stunning effect throughout “Book of Job”. Whether he is extolling “The Mother of Creation” or honoring his “Father”, celebrating the “Joy of Reggae” or “The Soothing Sound” that is Jamaican music overall (and Spice’s music in particular) Spice’s evocatively sung vocals complemented by scatted punctuations and deejayed phrases are neatly woven into organically crafted one drop riddims (courtesy of the set’s primary producer Donovan Germain) yielding a benchmark release for contemporary cultural reggae. “When you sing of good, you will find that evil rise up and try to dominate the good,” Spice observes. “Culture music might rise, people start to accept it and artists jump on the bandwagon but if they see evil more popular than good then they will go towards the evil. But there are artists who never stray and I will always use my talent to do good because good will always overcome evil.”

Since he began singing Richie Spice has dependably used his music for good, guaranteeing that inspirational roots reggae isn’t relegated to a bygone era but continues as a thriving, evolving genre. Born Richell Bonner in the Kingston, Jamaica suburb of St. Andrew, Richie Spice hails from a musical family that includes his older brother Pliers (from the deejay/singer duo Chaka Demus and Pliers of “Murder She Wrote” fame), singer Spanner Banner and deejay Snatcher Dogg. It was Spanner Banner (best known for his hit “Life Goes On”) who first brought Spice to the recording studio; the hopeful singer, initially, couldn’t manage the rigors of voicing on a riddim track but the opportunity opened his eyes to the proficiency required to succeed in the (reggae) music industry. “That experience show me that to reach anywhere there is a lot of work to be done,” Spice reflects.

Spice continued working towards gaining a foothold in the music business and before long, he met veteran producer Clive Hunt who produced his breakthrough single “Grooving My Girl”, a captivating lovers rock tune that is still one of the most popular songs within Spice’s repertoire. “Grooving” was initially featured on Spice’s 2000 debut album “Universal” (Heartbeat Records) as was the song that would make him a household name in Jamaica, the apocalyptic roots anthem “Earth A Run Red”. In 2004 he joined forces with Kingston based 5th Element Records/Management who recognized Spice’s songs had the potential to reach a wider audience. 5th Element rereleased “Earth A Run Red” and shot an accompanying video; the song went on to become (arguably) the biggest reggae hit of 2004 and the New York Times named Spice’s sophomore release “Spice in Your Life” as one of that year’s best reggae albums (VP Records rereleased “Spice in Your Life” in 2006).

Since then Spice has gone on to reap numerous awards including Male Singer/Singjay of the Year at Jamaica’s IRIE FM Awards in 2007 and, following his performance at the first annual “Black My Story” concert held in Kingston on Feb. 2, 2008 Spice was honored for his positive musical contributions. Spice has also released three superb albums for VP Records: “In the Streets To Africa”, reached no. 6 on the Billboard Reggae chart in 2007, its hit single “Youth Dem Cold”, produced by popular New York Reggae radio personality Bobby Konders, peaked at no. 59 on the Billboard Top 100 Singles Chart. “Gideon Boot” debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard Reggae chart, in May 2008, propelled by the hits “Di Plane Land” and the inspiring title track that details his vow to continually wage war for the survival of righteous reggae.

“Book of Job” builds upon those valorous efforts with a compelling mix of Rasta anthems (“Jah Never Let Us Down”), unity pleas (“No More War”) selections for the ladies (“Serious Woman” produced by Shane Brown) and social commentaries drawn from Spice’s life experiences (“Street Life” and “Yap Yap”, produced by Stephen “Lenky” Marsden). Spice has performed throughout the world including concerts in Japan, all over Europe and in Africa, and his interactions with people from various hscultures has influenced his writing. “Legal”, for example, was inspired by his visit to Goree Island, just off the coast of Senegal, where slaves were held before they were shackled and forced on to ships that sailed across the Atlantic, making stops throughout the Caribbean on their way to the Americas. “That song is to honor the tribulation that those people go through at those time,” Spice explains. The song’s memorable hook, meanwhile, sums up the injustices that persist today: “Wi legal still dem a gwaan like seh wi illegal.”

Spice targets the drugs, guns and other oppressive tools of the “Babylon” system (“some don’t want you lift your head above the water…Babylon dem want to keep you in the gutter’) on “Confirmation”; he urges his brothers to show respect to each other and honor their ancestors’ sacrifices as he cautions “Don’t Call Mi No Dog” (produced by Horace Davis): “To call one’s self a dog is to lower one’s self-esteem and self-worth,” says Spice, acknowledging a common street slang used among the youths. “I don't feel good to hear my brothers calling themselves dogs. As an artist, it is my job to uplift the youths and teach them right from wrong, that's why I do this song.”

In Spice’s heartfelt prayer to the Almighty, “Better Tomorrow”, he asks for strength to face a new day while expressing hope for a brighter future. “You have people out there who need help,” says Spice, “and the only way for me to give dem hope right now is through music.” With the release of “Book of Job” Spice honors his pledge towards making music that empowers and educates as it entertains, insuring a better tomorrow for reggae music.”

 The most recent works of the artiste, Richie Spice, is he has been touring West Coast, USA for the past 4 consecutive years, with much success and gaining added recognition of his works and messages from all class, creed and culture.  He has graced many a countries, cities and states belting an imprint of what authentic, life-long reggae music is to be, such places include, Kenya, Australia, The Caribbean, Europe, USA, Costa Rica and Brazil, just to name a few.

Reggae Music is my conscious livity that helps me to embrace life each new day as it dawns, "Spice proclaims".

Discography[link]

• 1999: Living Ain't Easy
• 2000: Universal
• 2006: Spice In Your Life
• 2007: In The Streets To Africa #6 at Top Reggae Albums^[2]
• 2008: Gideon Boot #1 at Top Reggae Albums^[2]
• 2009: Street Life
• 2011: Book Of Job

References[link]

This Jamaican biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This article about a reggae musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e