Deejaying, now known as Dancehall became popular in the early 70s.  It may have been way earlier, since it is not dissimilar to what MCs did at the time – talking while the music plays in the back ground.  It is to be noted here that the beginnings of Hip Hop can be traced back to this early form of Jamaican music.    

Roots Reggae is the most popular form of reggae and it was made popular by Marley and others. It started to take shape some time in the mid 70s and has continued to this very day. It is what most people around the world identify as authentic reggae music.  

3. Who invented reggae?

It would certainly make life far easier if one could attribute the creation of reggae music to a single individual. But we know from above that reggae developed over a period of time. Here is where the history of reggae becomes somewhat fuzzy. Marley said it is the music that "I man" (referring to himself) created.

Others have said it was Lee Perry after he left Studio One and was experimenting on his own.  And again we have those who claimed it came from Africa.  Truth be told many individuals, some more than others, contributed to the development of reggae music.

The pioneers of reggae are too numerous to list here but all the early Ska, Rocksteady, Early Reggae, Nyabhingi, Dub, Deejay (Dancehall) and Roots Reggae artists all played their role in the formation and development of reggae music as we’ve come to know it.

4. Why was reggae created?

Jamaica became independent in the 60s and the music by that time was starting to gain a political edge but not to any great extent.  But that was soon to change.

For you to get the full grasp as to why reggae evolved, you will have to put yourself in the position of the every day man or woman on the street.

If you can picture yourself working in the hot tropical sun all day, at the end of which your employer takes most if not all your wages; and when you go home the living conditions are horrible to say the least and your mind can not remotely fathom there being a better day.

Imagine the joy of being freed from slavery and yet bond by your circumstances, and to be part of a new system that degrades and miserably fails its own people.  If you can imagine this state of affairs, then you can understand the frustrations that weighted down the spirit of the people of Jamaica during this time.

It is out of this frustration reggae music evolved.  In the inner cities (ghettos) of Kingston conditions were even more dire; and we know from experience that the oppression of people anywhere will always bring about some unique form of self expression or a complete cultural renaissance.

A musical renaissance occured in Jamaica.  Even if the musicians wanted to write about other forms of social commentary, they could not ignore the rapid political decline and the acute spiritual awakening of themselves and the masses.

They simple had no choice but to make music from their experiences. And so, Roots Reggae developed and the rest as they say is history, reggae history that is.

   

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