How Did Reggae Affect Jamaica

Reggae began in Jamaica around the mid 1960’s. Reggae was performed by the poor and for the poor. Although it was made for the lower class Reggae very rapidly became famous all around the world. In the beginning reggae was about the awareness of the Rastafarian religion but it has changed over the years. Reggae music has been influenced by different things. From its different rhythms, beats, and melodies to the different artists over the years.

The starting point of reggae began with the rise of mento music which is a combination of African folk music with calypso which is the carnival music of Trinidad. Mento highlights syncopated guitar strumming and lively verses but by the 1950’s regge started to change. Many artist started

It was known for the heavy and strong emphasis on the bass within the background beat. Reggae was used to express people's feelings on the political, social, and economic hardships of the county during the 1960’s and early 1970’s. It was performed by artists in ghettos who used slow beats to make a style of music of their own. Reggae became a way of expressing a sense of pride for the caribbean culture and is an important part of the lifestyle of many caribbean islanders. Reggae has a particular music style that oriented from the music styles of ska and rocksteady. Ska is characterized by a walking bass line accented with rhythms on the upbeat. Rocksteady is noticeable by its counted offbeats with a slow tempo while the Reggae beat is most distinguishable by having a slow tempo, bass beat within the background with an uptempo beat over it. Reggae is based on a rhythmic style characterized by accents on the off beat known as a skank. Unlike rocksteady reggae is fast but it is still slower than ska music. Reggae accents on the second and fourth beat in each bar while the rhythm guitar emphasizes the third beat or the fourth. The speed and the use of complex bass lines is what makes reggae different from rock steady. Reggae music tends to have lyrics that are consistent in theme with their predecessor, rocksteady, along with songs that tend to do with love. In the 1970’s reggae