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Dancehall Explosion
The Reggae-RaggaVibration

In Jamaica, sound systems have been the mode of broadcasting music for decades. In the beginning, they were mobile units (usually packed in a van as pictured below) that enabled people passing through town to be able to listen to music. These first mobile units came out of economic necessity in the 1950’s. In America, one could purchase a nice home stereo (record player and speakers) for about five percent of his yearly income. At the same time in Jamaica, he would have to spend his yearly income to afford such a luxury. Today in Jamaica’s cities and towns, instead of mobile units, there are enormous speaker sets found nearly on every busy street corner. What a unique, fun, and entertaining atmosphere for passers by!

Jamaica is a culture that loves music—there is no doubt about that! The culture of Jamaica is, indisputably, a music culture. Jamaicans love music. The music culture is a sound-system culture. Music is played everywhere on the small island. Tourists walking along any Jamaican city street will be able to hear the deep and pounding bass coming from massive sound systems blaring the current and popular Jamaican music—dancehall reggae. Today, essentially, reggae music in Jamaica is known as dancehall. Dancehall music is present day Jamaican Reggae, which voices the current population's concerns, conflicts, fantasies, and frustrations. The music also offers an escape, a humor, and a new outlook towards the country’s harsh economic situation.

Dancehall reggae came from a vanishing Roots-Reggae era. With the success of Bob Marley, whose music later became mainly lyrical and intellectual, Reggae music established itself as music to enjoy while enveloped in a cloud of ganja smoke. Bob Marley was the one who revolutionized reggae. The Bob Marley era was the peak of Roots Reggae. Bob and his contemporaries were looking for an international market. Unfortunately, with this shift, it seemed that the local Jamaican people and artists were forgotten. With the international efforts of reggae, it seemed that reggae had lost its original feel, which was in the rhythm. Worst of all, many bandwagon artists lost touch with the everyday concerns of the common Jamaican. To the native Jamaican, the constant songs about Rastafari, which were previously popular, became boring, outdated, and lost its appeal.

In 1983, there was a show called “Dancehall ‘83,” which several popular deejays performed including Yellowman and Charlie Chaplin. The event was well marketed and a massive crowd of dancegoers packed the venue. Because of the big success of this show, (due to the deejays) the name “Dancehall” was used to promote later shows. It was at this time that songs of popular deejays ruled virtually all the dancehalls. The new music that was being played became known as “Dancehall” and the name has stuck ever since. However, dancehall was no longer just a place where dances where held, but it became the new form of reggae music—deejay music. In addition, once digital music took off in Jamaica in 1985 and computers played a big part in mixing beats, dancehall became the in vogue scene. This spawned the new music revolution of Jamaica called Ragga.

Although the dancehall scene is a male dominated one, it is the female, like a queen, who reigns supreme. Her individualized, risqué fashions, adorned with excessive amounts of jewelry, pastel colored wigs, thigh high patent leather boots and enticing makeup expresses a bold and defiant sexuality; as the Reggae rhythms blare from the sound system speakers, she "Whines" her pelvis, rolls her waistline and gyrates her body in the latest dance moves, leaving her male subjects breathless!

Today’s most popular Ragga deejays are: Bounty Killer, Ninja Man, Spragga Benz, Sizzla, T.O.K., Lady Saw, Frisco Kid, Elephantman, Cobra, Mr. Vegas, Lexxus, Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Capleton, Shabba Ranks, Sean Paul, Red Rat, Antony B, Luciano, and Shaggy. These deejays are the stars, symbols, and idols of Jamaican pop culture.