REGGAE MONTH // Rebellion, Resistance, and Revolution
February is the time of year when I reflect on the essence of reggae music, how it has shaped and informed my life's activities, and how I can contribute to the conversation, development, and preservation of the genre. On a good year, that appears as a pre-February trip to Jamaica to attend the Rebel Salute reggae festival and immerse myself in the sounds, the atmosphere, and the legacy of the artists and environment. Most years, I reflect from the cold of Toronto, Canada, and give thanks for the music that gets me through the winter, the remaining months, and all of the occurrences that come with the changing seasons. In life.
What I love most about reggae music is the intentional and transformational messaging that the genre is rooted in. In every iteration of reggae since its inception in 1960s Jamaica, the music continues to be a force of cultural communication, identity formation, and solidifying Jamaica's place in world history as a nation of trendsetters and creative individuals who are fearless and willing to lead change and set standards.
While writing my young adult novel Dancehall Rebel (available February 2024 through James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers), I thought about the young generation of Jamaican-Canadians in particular, and the ways in which they were enjoying and interpreting reggae music and culture. I thought about dancehall music, and how I had seen numerous videos on social media (TikTok specifically) from Caribbean-Canadian millennials and GenY & Z, who were sharing and celebrating the music of their ancestors, although the narrative and cultures are quite different.
Dancehall has evolved from, say, 1994 to 2024. The artists, the lyrics, the sounds, and the culture in general has gone through adjustments and developments. Now being on the side of culture that can observe the previous 30 years of the culture that I have experienced first hand, it's been fascinating to see the ways in which various communities interact (or reject) cultural expressions, lyrics, and intentions. We can also see the messages and sentiments that have stood the test of time, and continue to ring out as anthems and inspiration across generations (e.g., Bob Andy's "Unchained," released in 1970...performed in the video below in 2012).
The commonality: reggae music continues to be a music that is cutting edge, and fearless in its approach. Dancehall Rebel is based on the spirit of resistance and revolution that are naturally embedded in Jamaican people and reggae culture.
As Katrina Lacey writes in her article Rastafari, Reggae, and Resistance, "...despite its mainstream viability and entertainment value, reggae music originated as a deeply political form of protest and contestation against the colonial and imperialist forces operative in the social context of Jamaican life."
Here are links to a few relevant readings and musical lists that demonstrate the various ways in which reggae music has been centered in change and movement.
REBEL MUSIC: 11 OF THE BEST REGGAE PROTEST SONGS
DAMIAN MARLEY ON 5 GREAT REGGAE PROTEST SONGS
TEN REGGAE SONGS THAT BEST NARRATE THE TIMES
THE DISCOURSE OF PROTEST, RESISTANCE, AND SOCIAL COMMENTARY IN REGGAE MUSIC
REGGAE AND THE AFRICAN CULTURE OF RESISTANCE
INDIA'S REGGAE RESISTANCE: DEFENDING DISSENT UNDER MODI
ROOTS, REGGAE, REBELLION (BBC DOCUMENTARY)
Happy Reggae Month to those who celebrate it warmly. May this music of our hearts continue to invoke progress, change, wellness, and strength in those who consume, create, and communicate it.
(AI-generated image above from Medium.com)
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