Reggae

• My secret obsession! I can never get enough of it. No I'm not just talking about Bob Marley (although he plays a big part in the rise of reggae) but UB40 , Big Mountain, Inner Circle,Wayne Wade, well those are some of my favorites. Though I know the list doesn't end there. Reggae has a lot of good artist. Unfortunately some people identify Reggae as music for marijuana smokers for the simple fact that Rastafarians(Reggae's roots) used to practice their religion with the drug. But to be honest I think the music really holds it's own. Anyone who believes Reggae music is for people who smoke weed is just being arrogant.

REGGAE

So from what I know, the word Reggae was taken from a jamaican word "Regalia" which translates to "Ragged Clothing"...I'm guessing that has to do with the fact that Reggae rose from Jamaica and being that Jamaica is a very poverous country, the founders of Reggae wanted to identify the name with their roots. But thats just my guess :) lol.

History - Reggae in the 1960's was highly influence by African Music, jazz, rythm and blues then eventually progressed to a more ska and rocksteady mix.The instruments used for Reggae are drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, and horns.  The lyrical themes include praise for the Rastifarian god "Jah", poverty, government resistance and social opression. Just listen to Bob Marle's music and you'll see every single one of those themes within his songs. The music was meant for the Jamaican people to rise above the social and political issues of the time.