Music and the Society: the Origin of Reggae Genre - Essay Example

? Music and the Society Joshane Sagoo Luke Harris FD Music 27/04 CW1: Seminar Presentation Introduction Music issimply defined as a specialty of sound that communicates thoughts and feelings in a noteworthy degree through components of musicality, tune, amicability and colour (King, 2008). The purpose of this paper is to discuss or explore on musicians who have extensively contributed to the development of reggae music and how they have made this contribution. Reggae Reggae can simply be defined as a lyrics sung in a Jamaican dialect which in most times reveals the message about the local people and events. Reggae has always been associated with Rastafarianism, a culture where people wear dreadlocks hair covered with woollen hats in green, gold and red colours (Blake, 1997). Origin of Reggae Most of reggae’s original versions can be found in Mento, Ska and Rocky Steady. Reggae changed the original traditional patterns when they allowed guitar to play off-beat chords, while the bass guitar played melodic patterns (Waters, 1985). Music in the society was used to explain to the rest of the world the oppressions that the citizens were going through. The extreme pressures of lack of jobs, good houses and political unrest was becoming a menace at Kingston. This made many Rastafarians and singers to get into Rastafarianism as a way of escaping from the injustices that were being experienced in the society. Popular artists such as the wailers, Burning Spear, Bob (Andy), Gregory Isaacs, Culture and Marcia (Griffiths), became popular during this era and they all turned into Rastafarianism as a way of life (Knight & Martnez-Vergne, 2005). Reggae music had also an impact to the politics of Jamaica. The opposition leader at one time spoke of how the message in the music is interwoven with politics and it’s a good avenue where information can be passed from one generation to another. Thus music and politics cannot be separated. Since reggae evolved in the 60’s, it has become among the most listened to music genres as the culture that is contained in it is really appreciated. Bob Marley and the Wailers are the biggest sellers of the gene ever and their hit Exodus was voted the best and most influential album of the twentieth century. Musicians and groups such as; Black Uhuru, Gregory Isaacs, UB40, Maxi Priest, Shabba Ranks, Super Cat Shaggy, Buju Banton, Chaka Demus & Pliers, Beenie, Bounty, Sean Paul, TOK among others are the most influential artists that are spreading the music genre to many generations. They have earned a lot of cash and fame globally, an aspect that was not imagined to ever happen in the world of music (Longhurst, 2007). Impacts of Reggae in modern society The modern society is full of many social, political and economic issues. Music plays a greater role in spreading important information about what happens in any given societies. Gospel music, spreads the good news of God, patriotic songs talks about the love of one’s country, reggae music too has a message to pass to the rest of the world. Main themes that are found in most reggae songs are equality, justice, poverty, marriage, sex, drugs politics, religion among other many types of themes that the music spreads all over the world. It has been liked by most international audiences who views most African culture as being rich and of important lessons to their day to day lives (Potter, 1988). For a better understanding of the themes and message that the music brings forth, it is important to closely examine an artist who is commonly recognised as the father of reggae and Rastafarianism in Jamaica. The music of the late Bob Nesta Marley who introduced reggae music to international perspectives can be termed to combine a feel good of rhythm with militant call for justice and freedom from oppression. He was born in Jamaica’s countryside, but later moved to at a young age to Trench Town, Kingston, one of Jamaica’s most hopeless towns that one could imagine of living in. He abandoned school and left studying and joined the gangsta life of the street only to discover music as his only way out of the hell life of “sufferers”. He has been called prophet for the religion, Rastafarianism, an advocate for the descendant of slavery still struggling to develop a niche in what he termed as “Babylon”, peace maker, a rebel or troublemaker, a musical genius and the popular first Third world superstar. His philosophy or religion believed in the use of ganja or marijuana, and his music contained words of revelatory and revolutionary truth for those who had ears to hear (Prahlad, 2001). Through Marley reggae music has been appreciated for bringing change in the; post-colonial poverty stricken and newly independent Africa. Through reggae Marley created a mutual language that people across all cultures could identify with and therefore promoted a multiracial system of communication in which multicultural audiences interacted in (Salewicz & Boot, 2001). Through reggae themes of justice, freedom and hope have also been propangated.The first type of freedom that Marley focused on was freedom from slavery. This especially focuses on Jamaica long years of slavery and how it finally came to a stop after gaining the much awaited independence. Reggae music has also been known for exploring controversial issues such as the era of apartheid, racism and capitilasim.Issues that affect everyday living have also been explored through reggae music. This helps in providing enlightment and helping people to focus on the real world they live in of love, sex, relationships, peace, injustice and poverty (Foehr, 2000). Today reggae music continues to have a great influence on other music genres while at the same time its continuation remains an important factor. Several efforts have therefore been put in place as way of creating a future for reggae. Buffalo soldier is a song in the reggae genre that was composed by Bob Marley. This song represents political identity in terms of people whose history has been greatly concealed. The song was in his 1983 album and represents a group of slaves that had been formerly employed by the US army to fight the Native Americans of the Great Plains. The term Buffalo soldier represent the Native Americans described the Africans who has kinky hair and they likened this to the buffalo hides. Marley sought to use metaphosis to liken the fate of the buffalo soldiers and that of the Jamaican suffers who were in America. Like the Buffalo Soldiers brought the idea of how his people had been brought out of Africa to America with their kinky hair being represented by the dreadlocks of the rastafarians.In addition Marley is remembered as a soldier of justice and redemption. This represents a national origin as an identity (King, 2008). In conclusion therefore, reggae has contributed to both the social aspects of everyday living and to the music. Reggae music has developed by influencing genres such as hip hop and disco. Today’s version of hip-hop is often accredited to reggae and the Jamaican culture, as it’s through reggae traditional dubbing that the aspect of scratching and rapping came about. Reggae music therefore gave America a ground to create hip hop as it’s through its roots that new techniques emerged. Reggae as a music genre is therefore a completely dynamic and evolving form of art that touches on both social and cultural issues (Chang & Chen, 1998). ReferencesTop of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Top of Form Bottom of Form Blake, A., 1997. The land without music: Music, culture and society in twentieth century Britain. Manchester: Manchester Univ. Press. Chang, K. O. B., & Chen, W., 1998. Reggae routes: The story of Jamaican music. Philadelphia: Temple Univ. Press. Foehr, S., 2000. Jamaican warriors: Reggae, roots & culture. London: Sanctuary Publ. King, S. A., 2008. Reggae, rastafari, and the rhetoric of social control. 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