Dancehall is a type of Jamaican popular music which developed in the late 1970s, with exponents such as Yellowman and Shabba Ranks. The term Reggae, in a proper sense only covers the period in Jamaican music from 1969 to 1979 (or 1985 depending on opinion Raggamuffin music, usually abbreviated as ragga, is a sub-genre of Dancehall music or Reggae, in which the instrumentation primarily consists Reggaeton (also spelled reggaetón, and known as reguetón and reggaetón in Spanish) is a form of urban music which became popular Hip hop music, also referred to as rap music, is a Music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rap which is accompanied with Spanish dancehall sounds similar to English-language Dancehall, the exception is that it is in the Spanish language. Bhangragga is a Slang term for the style of Music incorporating elements of Bhangra and Dancehall (or Ragga, short for the word Ragga jungle is the type of music that emerged circa 1989-1990 and is initially heavily based on production of Michael West (Rebel MC Congo Natty Label The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. The Rastafari movement (also known as Rastafari, Rastafarianism or simply Rasta) is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, New Testament Slackness refers to over all vulgarity in Jamaican and Caribbean idioms Popular music is Music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and are disseminated by one or more Yellowman (born Winston Foster in Negril, Jamaica in 1959 is a Jamaican Reggae (rub-a-dub and Dancehall Deejay, widely Shabba Ranks (born Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon, 17 January 1966, Sturgetown St It is also known as bashment.

The style is characterized by a deejay singing and toasting (or rapping) over raw and danceable music riddims. A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Not to be confused with Disc jockey A deejay (alternatively spelled DJ) is a Reggae or Dancehall musician who sings Toasting, Chatting, or Deejaying is the act of talking or Chanting over a Rhythm or beat. Rapping (also known as emceeing, MCing, spitting, or just rhyming) is the Rhythmic spoken delivery of Rhymes wordplay and A riddim is an Instrumental version of a song which applies to Jamaican music (mostly dancehall and reggae or other forms of Caribbean music. The rhythm in dancehall is much faster than in reggae, usually with drum machines replacing acoustic sets. Reggae is a Music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s For the early "drum machine" computers that used a rotating cylinder as their main memory see Drum memory A drum machine is an In the early years of dancehall, some found its lyrics crude or "slack", particularly because of its sexual tones, popular among youths in Jamaica. Slackness refers to over all vulgarity in Jamaican and Caribbean idioms Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. Like its reggae predecessor, dancehall eventually made inroads onto the world music scene. It is the predecessor of hip hop music. Hip hop music, also referred to as rap music, is a Music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rap which is accompanied with

This deejay-led, largely synthesized chanting with musical accompaniment departed from traditional conceptions of Jamaican popular musical entertainment. Dub poet Mutabaruka maintained, "if 1970s reggae was red, green and gold, then in the next decade it was gold chains". Dub Poetry is a form of performance poetry consisting of spoken word over reggae rhythms that originated in Jamaica in the 1970s. Mutabaruka (b 26th December 1952 Rae Town, Jamaica as Allan Hope) is a Jamaican dub poet. It was far removed from its gentle roots and culture, and there was furious debate among purists as to whether it should be considered some sort of extension of reggae music. ^[1]

History

Origins

Dancehall owes its moniker to the spaces in which popular Jamaican recordings were aired by local sound systems and readily consumed by its "set-to-party" patronage; commonly referred to as "dance halls". The music of Jamaica includes Jamaican folk music and many popular genres such as Mento, Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, Dub music Kumina is a cultural form indigenous to Jamaica It is a religion music and dance practiced by in large part Jamaicans who reside in the eastern parish on St Niyabinghi chanting typically includes recitation of the Psalms, but may also include variations of well-known Christian hymns and adopted by Rastafarians The article is about the Jamaican musical style For the DC comics character see Mento (comics. Ska ( pronounced /ska/ or in Jamaican Patois /skja/ is a Music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and which was the precursor Rocksteady is a Music genre that was most popular in Jamaica, starting around 1966 and its Reggae successor was established around 1968 Reggae is a Music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s In the context of Jamaican Popular culture, a sound system is a group of Disc jockeys engineers and MCs playing Ska, For other uses see Lovers Rock (disambiguation. Lovers rock is a style of Reggae music noted for its romantic sound and content Dub is a form of music which evolved from Reggae in the late 1960s Dub Poetry is a form of performance poetry consisting of spoken word over reggae rhythms that originated in Jamaica in the 1970s. Toasting, Chatting, or Deejaying is the act of talking or Chanting over a Rhythm or beat. Raggamuffin music, usually abbreviated as ragga, is a sub-genre of Dancehall music or Reggae, in which the instrumentation primarily consists Roots reggae is a subgenre of Reggae that concerns itself with the life of the ghetto sufferer and the rural poor The music of Anguilla is part of the Lesser Antillean music area. Antigua and Barbuda is a Caribbean nation in the Lesser Antilles island chain The Music of The Bahamas is associated primarily with Junkanoo, a celebration which occurs on Boxing Day ( December 26) and again on The music of Barbados includes distinctive national styles of folk and Popular music, as well as elements of Western classical and Religious Bermuda is an Atlantic island and an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, often treated as part of the Caribbean music area. The Cayman Islands a Caribbean island chain is a Crown Colony of the United Kingdom. The music of Jamaica includes Jamaican folk music and many popular genres such as Mento, Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, Dub music Montserrat is a dependency of the United Kingdom. The influence of Irish traditions is apparent in Montserrat's symbols and heritage especially the Set dance -like Saint Kitts and Nevis is an island nation in the Caribbean, known for a number of musical celebrations including Carnival ( December 17 to January 3 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a Caribbean island with thriving music scenes based on Big Drum, calypso, soca, Steelpan and also The Caribbean state of Trinidad and Tobago is best known as the homeland of Calypso music, including 1950s stars Lord Kitchener and Mighty Sparrow The Turks and Caicos Islands are an overseas dependency of the United Kingdom. The music of the Virgin Islands reflects long-standing cultural ties to the island nations to the south as well as to various European colonialists The music of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba is a mixture of native African and European elements and is closely connected with trends from neighboring countries like Venezuela The Caribbean island of Cuba has developed a wide range of creolized musical styles based on its cultural origins in Europe and Africa The music of Dominica plays an important role in the social and culture life of the Antillean island of Dominica. The Dominican Republic is known primarily for Merengue, though Bachata and other forms are also popular The Music of Haiti is influenced most greatly by European colonial ties and African migration (through Slavery) The music of Hawaii includes an array of traditional and popular styles ranging from native Hawaiian folk music to modern rock and hip hop. The former French Colony of Martinique is a small island in the Caribbean. The Music of Puerto Rico has been influenced by the African, Taíno Indians and the Spanish, and has become very popular across Saint Lucia, an island in the Caribbean, is home to many vibrant oral and folk traditions The vast majority of the inhabitants of the United States are immigrants or descendents of immigrants Music from Trinidad Large-scale Caribbean migration to England began in 1948 A moniker (or " monicker " is a Slang expression for a Nickname, Pseudonym, or Cognomen. In the context of Jamaican Popular culture, a sound system is a group of Disc jockeys engineers and MCs playing Ska, The dance halls of Jamaica in the 1950s and 1960s were home to public dances usually targeted at younger patrons Dancehall, the musical genre, is long considered to be the creation of Henry "Junjo" Lawes in 1979. Henry "Junjo" Lawes ( 1960, Kingston, Jamaica — 13 June 1999, London, England) was a highly influential The production of dancehall music was further refined by King Jammy in the early 80s, during the transition from dub to dancehall, and original attempts to digitize "hooks" to "toast" over by Jamaican deejays. Lloyd James, (born in 1947 Montego Bay, Jamaica) better known as Prince Jammy or King Jammy, is a dub mixer and Record producer Dub is a form of music which evolved from Reggae in the late 1960s

King Jammy's 1985 hit, "(Under Me) Sleng Teng" by Wayne Smith, with an entirely-digital rhythm hook took the dancehall reggae world by storm. Sleng Teng is the name given to the first fully computerised Riddim in Jamaican music. Wayne Smith (born 5 December 1965, Waterhouse Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican Reggae Musician. Many credit this song as being the first "digital rhythm" in reggae, leading to the modern dancehall era. ^{[2] [3]} However this is not entirely correct since there are earlier examples of digital productions; Horace Ferguson's single "Sensi Addict" (Ujama) produced by Prince Jazzbo in 1984 is one. Prince Jazzbo (born Linval Carter 3 September, 1951, Clarendon, Jamaica) is a Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall

Major artists and milestones

Dancehall emerged in the early 1980s, and most of the creative output can be credited to studio musicians Steely & Clevie, along with the handful of producers they collaborated with. Steely & Clevie aka Wycliffe Johnson and Cleveland Browne are a Jamaican dancehall reggae production duo They created the music for many of the riddims that the genre was based on. A riddim is an Instrumental version of a song which applies to Jamaican music (mostly dancehall and reggae or other forms of Caribbean music. The decade saw the arrival of a new generation of deejays, most distinct were the harder edged, such as Ninjaman, Flourgon, General Trees, Tiger, Admiral Bailey, Super Cat, Yellowman, Tenor Saw, Shelly Thunder, Reggie Stepper, Shabba Ranks, Johnny P, Peter Metro, Charlie Chaplin, Cutty Ranks, and Papa San to name a few. Not to be confused with Disc jockey A deejay (alternatively spelled DJ) is a Reggae or Dancehall musician who sings Ninjaman, alias Don Gorgon, (born Desmond John Ballentine on January 20 1966, in Annotto Bay Jamaica) is a popular Dancehall Super Cat (born William Maragh in Kingston Jamaica, 1963 is one of the originators of the late 80's and early 90's Dancehall movement Yellowman (born Winston Foster in Negril, Jamaica in 1959 is a Jamaican Reggae (rub-a-dub and Dancehall Deejay, widely Tenor Saw (born Clive Bright, Kingston, Jamaica, February 11 1966 died August 1988 Houston, Texas, United States Shabba Ranks (born Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon, 17 January 1966, Sturgetown St Peter Metro (b Peter Clarke Kingston Jamaica, c1960 is a Reggae Deejay, who released five albums in the 1980s Charlie Chaplin (born Richard Bennett is a Jamaican Dancehall and Ragga Deejay and Singer. Cutty Ranks, born Philip Thomas in Jamaica in 1965 is a Reggae and Dancehall artist To complement their sound, a "sweet sing" vocal style evolved out of roots reggae and R&B, marked by its falsetto and almost feminine intonation, with proponents like Pinchers, Cocoa Tea, Sanchez, Admiral Tibet, Frankie Paul, Half Pint, Conroy Smith, Courtney Melody, Carl Meeks, and Barrington Levy. Pinchers (born Delroy Thompson 12 April 1965 in Jamaica) is a Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall artist Cocoa Tea (born September 3, 1959 as Calvin George Scott, Jamaica) is a Jamaican Reggae Dancehall singer songwriter Conroy Smith (b 1966 in Canterbury Jamaica) is a Reggae Musician, currently living in New York City. Barrington Levy (born 30 April 1964, in Clarendon, Jamaica) is a Reggae and Dancehall Recording artist. It is important to note that a lot of established reggae singers like Gregory Isaacs, Militant Barry, Beres Hammond, Johnny Osbourne and U-Roy transitioned into dancehall. Gregory Isaacs (born Gregory Anthony Isaacs, 15 July, 1950, Fletchers Land Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican Reggae Johnny Osbourne (born Errol Osbourne, 1948) is a popular Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall Singer, who rose to success in the U-Roy (born Ewart Beckford OD, 21 September 1942, Jones Town Jamaica) is a Jamaican Musician, also known as

In the early 90s, songs like Dawn Penn's "No, No, No", Shabba Ranks's "Mr. Dawn Penn (born Dawn Pickering 1952, Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican Reggae Singer. Shabba Ranks (born Rexton Rawlston Fernando Gordon, 17 January 1966, Sturgetown St Loverman", Patra's "Worker Man" and Chaka Demus and Pliers' "Murder She Wrote" became some of the first dancehall megahits in the U. Chaka Demus & Pliers are a Jamaican Reggae duo made up of Deejay Chaka Demus, and singer Pliers S. and abroad. Various other varieties of dancehall achieved crossover success outside of Jamaica during the mid-to-late 1990s. Tanya Stephens gave a unique female voice to the genre during the 1990s. Vivienne Stephenson, better known by her stage name Tanya Stephens (born July 2 1973 in Kingston Jamaica) is one of the most influential

The years 1990-1994 saw the entry of artists like Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, Lady Saw, Shaggy, Diana King, Spragga Benz, Capleton, Beenie Man and a major shift in the sound of dancehall, brought on by the introduction of a new generation of producers and for better or for worse, the end of Steely & Clevie's stranglehold on riddim production. Buju Banton (born Mark Anthony Myrie) is a Jamaican Dancehall, Ragga, and Reggae musician Bounty Killer (born Rodney Basil Price June 12, 1972 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican Reggae and Dancehall Lady Saw (born Marion Hall, 12 July 1972, Saint Mary, Jamaica) is a Jamaican Reggae Singer, known as "the Orville Richard Burrell (born October 22 1968 Kingston, Jamaica) better known by his stage name Shaggy, is a Jamaican American Reggae Diana King (born November 8 1970 in Spanish Town) is a Jamaican R&B, pop, Reggae, and Dancehall Spragga Benz (born Carlton Grant 30 May 1969, Kingston, Jamaica) is one of Jamaica's most famous Deejays Career Capleton (born Clifton George Bailey III on 13 April 1967 in Saint Mary, Jamaica) is a Reggae and Dancehall Anthony Moses Davis (born August 22 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica) better known by his Stage name Beenie Man, is a popular Reggae

In the late 1990s, many practitioners like Buju Banton and Capleton returned to the Rastafari movement and changed their lyrical focus to "consciousness", a reflection of the spiritual underpinnings of Rastafari. The Rastafari movement (also known as Rastafari, Rastafarianism or simply Rasta) is a monotheistic, Abrahamic, New Testament

The early 2000s saw the success of newer charting acts such as Elephant Man and Sean Paul. Elephant Man, also known as the Energy God, (born O'Neil Bryan on September 11, 1975, in Kingston, Jamaica) is a dancehall Sean Paul Henriques (born January 8 1973) in Upper Saint Andrew Parish, a few miles north of his birthplace

Currently, Sean Paul has achieved mainstream success within the United States and has produced several Top 10 Billboard hits, including "We Be Burnin'", "Get Busy", "Temperature" and the 2006 single "Give It Up To Me". Sean Paul Henriques (born January 8 1973) in Upper Saint Andrew Parish, a few miles north of his birthplace " We Be Burnin' " is the first single from Sean Paul 's third studio album The Trinity.

VP Records dominates the dancehall music market with Sean Paul, Elephant Man, and Buju Banton. VP Records is an independent Reggae Record label, located in Queens New York. ^[4] VP often has partnered with major record labels like Atlantic and Island in an attempt to further expand their distribution potential particularly in the U. Atlantic Records ( Atlantic Recording Corporation) is an American Record label best known for its many recordings of Rhythm & blues, Rock Island Records is a Record label that was founded by British record producers in Jamaica. S. market.

The culture of dancehall

Dancehall music originated in the late 70s in Jamaica, as a result of varying political and socio-economic factors. Its antecedent; reggae music, was influenced heavily by the ideologies of the Rastafarian culture and was further goaded by the socialist movements of the era. Many became embittered by the movements and the harsh economic realities they brought the island to bear. It was during this time that neo-liberal axioms and avariciousness began factoring into the lives of many Jamaicans, which subsequently spawned this ostentatious new form of entertainment.

Typically, dance halls are found in more urbanized areas of Jamaica, i. The dance halls of Jamaica in the 1950s and 1960s were home to public dances usually targeted at younger patrons e. , Kingston, but can also be seen in more rural locations. Furthermore, the term 'dancehall' alludes not only to a musical genre or venue, but on a grander scheme, it suggests the institution of an entire culture in which music, dance, community and politics collide.

As an evolution of first reggae, then rocksteady, dancehall draws upon its roots with regard to its stylistic rudiments. However, that, some say, is where the similarities end. The subject matters of dancehall music tend towards profanity, misogyny, violence and homophobia – a stark contrast from the songs of acceptance and social progression sung by reggae spearheads. Its caustic libretti, which are referred to in the region as "slack lyrics", have been rigorously criticized - most notably by artists and followers of archetypal reggae music, and by members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered community (GLBT). LGBT (also GLBT) is an initialism referring collectively to Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, and Transgender / transsexual

Such a drastic change in the popular music of the region generated an equally radical transformation in fashion trends, specifically those of its female faction. In lieu of traditional, modest "rootsy" styles, as dictated by Rastafari-inspired gender roles; women began donning flashy, revealing – sometimes x-rated outfits. This transformation is said to coincide with the influx of slack lyrics within dancehall, which objectified women as apparatuses of pleasure. These women would team up with others to form "modeling posses", or "dancehall model" groups, and informally compete with their rivals.

This newfound materialism and conspicuity was not, however, exclusive to women or manner of dress. Appearance at dance halls was exceedingly important to acceptance by peers and encompassed everything from clothing and jewelry, to the types of vehicles driven, to the sizes of each respective gang or "crew", and was equally important to both sexes.

One major theme behind dancehall is that of Space. Stanley Niaah in his article "Mapping Black Atlantic Performance Geographies" says "Dancehall occupies multiple spacial dimensions (urban, street, police, marginal, gendered, performance, liminal, memorializing, communal), which are revealed through the nature and type of events and venues, and their use and function. Most notable is the way in which dancehall occupies a liminal space between what is celebrated and at the same time denigrated in Jamaica and how it moves from private community to public and commercial enterprise. "^[5][6]

Homophobia in dancehall music

Main article: Murder music

Dancehall music has come under criticism from Jamaican and international organizations and Jamaican journalists, like Ian Boyne,^[7] for homophobic lyrics. BenPhelpsJPG|thumb|right|Westboro Baptist Church picket signs with Ben Phelps grandson of Fred Phelps Such lyrics have been described by J-FLAG, a Jamaican gay rights organization, as one aspect of "widespread Jamaican cultural bias against homosexuals and bisexuals". A report by the human rights organization Human Rights Watch points to the widespread existence of homophobia in Jamaica. Human Rights Watch is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Human rights. ^[8] Homosexual sex is illegal in Jamaica (see LGBT rights in Jamaica). LGBT (Lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender rights in Jamaica are dominated by the prohibition of sexual acts between men

In some rare cases, dancehall artists whose music features homophobic lyrics have had their concerts canceled. Various singers have had international travel restrictions placed on them, and have been investigated by international law enforcement agencies such as Scotland Yard on the grounds that the lyrics incite the audience to assault homosexuals. New Scotland Yard or Scotland Yard, informally known as The Yard and NSY, is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service, responsible In 2003, the British LGBT rights group OutRage! called for the arrest of Elephant Man for allegedly inciting the killing of gay men in his song lyrics. LGBT (also GLBT) is an initialism referring collectively to Lesbian, Gay, bisexual, and Transgender / transsexual OutRage! is a direct action campaigning group in the United Kingdom which was formed to fight for what they saw as the rights of Lesbian, Gay and bisexual Elephant Man, also known as the Energy God, (born O'Neil Bryan on September 11, 1975, in Kingston, Jamaica) is a dancehall He was not arrested. ^[9] Many of the affected singers believe that such legal or commercial sanctions are essentially an attack against freedom of speech. ^[10] Some artists eventually agreed not to use offensive lyrics during their concerts in Europe and the US. These kind of lyrics are virtually non-existent in female dancehall artists' output.

Critics of the LGBT-movement claim that attempts to suppress such lyrics in Afro-Caribbean music represents European cultural imperialism, and are disrespectful to the traditions and religion of the region. Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender social movements share related goals of social acceptance of Homosexuality, Bisexuality and Transgenderism Lesbian They argue that homosexuality is almost universally reviled except in a few relatively small but wealthy countries, and that Jamaica, a relatively poorer and smaller country, is an easy target in an attempt to spread pro-homosexual propaganda. ^[11]

Dancehall dances

The popularity of dancehall has spawned dance moves that help to make parties and stage performances more energetic. Many dance moves seen in hip-hop videos are actually variations of dancehall dances. Examples of such dances are: "The Myspace", "The Bogle", "Heel-Toe", "Blazay-Blazay", "Pon the River, Pon the Bank", "Spongebob", "Hot Fuk", "Tek Weh Yuhself", "Whine Up" (melange of R&B, dancehall and hip hop), "Boosie Bounce", "Drive By", "Shovel It", "To Di World" and the popular "Dutty Wine". " Whine Up " is a song by Dominican-American pop / R&B singer Kat DeLuna, released as her debut single from her album 9 Contemporary R&B (also known as R&B, urban) is a Music genre of western Popular music (predominantly American and Canadian Hip hop music, also referred to as rap music, is a Music genre typically consisting of a rhythmic vocal style called rap which is accompanied with "Dutty Wine" (Dirty Wind is a song by Dancehall artist Tony Matterhorn, and the dance of the same name is usually performed by women

References

• Manuel, Peter, with Kenneth Bilby and Michael Largey. Caribbean Currents: Caribbean Music from Rumba to Reggae (2nd edition). Temple University Press, 2006. ISBN 1-59213-463-7.  
• White, G. (1984). “The Development of Jamaican Popular Music, Part 2. Urbanization of the Folk, the merger of traditional and the popular in Jamaican Music, ACIJ Research Review, No. 1. , The African-Caribbean Institute of Jamaica
• Stanley Niaah, S. (2004). “Kingston's Dancehall: A Story of Space and Celebration”, in Space and Culture, 7:1, pp. 102-118
• Stewart, K. (2002). “`So wha, mi nuh fi live to’: Interpreting violence in Jamaica through the Dancehall Culture” in Ideaz, 1 : 1, pp. 17-28
• Stolzoff, Norman C. : Wake the Town and Tell the People: Dancehall Culture in Jamaica. Durham, London: Duke University Press 2000. ISBN 0823245144 (hardcover)
• Sunday Observer: Vol. 10, No. 49: Sunday November 21, 2004. Events 164 BC - Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family restores the Temple in Jerusalem. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " [1]
• X-news: November
• Realvibez.com Dancehall Music Videos
• A popular resource that catalogs videos of all new and old Jamaican dance moves.

External links

• (French) West Indies Radio, Dancehall Reggae Zouk Soca
• One Drop Radio, Dancehall Reggae Foundation Podcast
• Latest Dancehall Reggae at Jamaica's Home Online