Reggae is a vibrant music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. It quickly emerged as the country’s dominant music and later gained international popularity, particularly in Britain, the United States, and Africa. Reggae is often perceived as a powerful voice of the oppressed.

The roots of reggae lie in an earlier Jamaican music style called ska. Producers like Duke Reid and Coxson Dodd played a crucial role in transforming ska into the slower-tempo rock steady, which paved the way for reggae. This new sound featured a distinctive four-beat rhythm driven by drums, bass guitar, electric guitar, and the “scraper” (a corrugated stick rubbed by a plain stick). The chunking sound of the rhythm guitar at the end of measures became synonymous with reggae and expressed the sounds and pressures of ghetto life.

So, whether you’re grooving to the iconic basslines or feeling the rhythm of the streets, reggae continues to captivate audiences worldwide. 🎶🌟