Roots rocking reggae
published: Sunday | March 25, 2007

Kavelle Anglin-Christie and Krista Henry, Staff Reporters

Welton Irie (left) poses with a friend after ashow.-File and Burning Spear performs at Tru-Juice Rebel Salute 2006, held at Port Kaiser Sports Club, St. Elizabeth, on January 14. Photo by Herbert McKenis/Freelance Photographer

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;

None but ourselves can free our mind.

- Marcus Garvey.

For most people, Jamaica is synonymous with reggae music. Reggae music captured the essence of a country in strife and the need for unity. Lyrically, it deals with issues of poverty, politics, oppression and Rastafarianism. This spiritual emphasis placed upon reggae through Ratafarianism made it different from its predecessors of ska and rocksteady.

The traditional form of reggae music was 'roots reggae', which is predominantly associated with Bob Marley, who carried reggae music to the international arena. Roots reggae is the most popular form of reggae music that has caused the most impact globally.

Creative peak

Reaching its creative peak in the 1970s, roots reggae's main proponents were Burning Spear, Horace Andy, Johnny Clarke, Jimmy Cliff and others. In 1969, Desmond Dekker and the Aces took their hit, Israelites, to the top of the charts in several countries including Britain, Canada, Holland, South Africa, Sweden, and West Germany. Israelites also went top-10 in the U.S.A. For many people around the world, this was their first exposure to Jamaican music.

Then suddenly, in Jamaica, roots reggae took a back seat to its child, dancehall. While roots thrived overseas, she was no longer a fore-runner in her homeland.

Though new generations of artistes such as I-Wayne, Richie Spice and others are aiming for their share of the roots pie, which has hit the consciousness of many worldwide, veteran reggae artistes find themselves relinquished to 'oldies shows' or travelling abroad where they are still in the know for shows.

Singer, Bob Andy, said roots music may be less popular in Jamaica simply because it is not the music of this generation.

"The fact that roots music was more popular about three of four generations ago and the present generation is more inclined to deal with

the music of the their generation," he said.

He also stated that those abroad wanting to cling to their roots, are more likely to love roots music. "The Jamaicans who have first generation children in their Diaspora will embrace the music and will identify with their parents' culture and that is one of the things that enhances popularity in far away places," he said.

Ra-Umi Alkebu-Lan, producer and music journalist gave another reason why Roots music is quickly gobbled up by foreigners.

"With Roots music, or what we call one drop, the rhythm is slower and the people can understand what the artistes are saying. For the people, it carries the message and for them it has always represented 'protest music'. It's the music for the downtrodden and they prefer that, when fighting for liberation struggles," he said.

Alkebu-Lan continued: "From ever since, if the Americans sneeze, we catch a cold. In the '70s, there was a radical movement both abroad and in Jamaica with people like Malcolm X, so they embraced the message of Bob. But then the music changed to talking about bling bling and that sort of thing and the people are also less educated and the artistes prefer to focus on the passa and the sensationalism because the Roots music is too heavy. Now the people don't listen they just want to dance."

Alkebu-Lan speaks passionately because roots music comes from an age of struggle; the struggle for identity and it now seems that struggle was in vain.

Andy briefly spoke of the inception, growth and struggle of reggae music: "With the genesis of roots or reggae music, it was looked down on and was called 'garden music' or 'garden bwoy music'; that is until Bob went international. Before that, radio stations played about 60 perc ent American music and 40 per cent Jamaican and Caribbean music. It just seems to me that we are an export nation, we export our people and everything we have and then prefer totake junk from everywhere else."

Like others, prominent Roots reggae singer Max Romeo too, claims Roots Reggae is the essence of Jamaican music that has been forgotten in recent years.

"Roots Reggae is the real reggae, up until the '70's it taught the people unity. When the 80s hit, it was pure perversion wid the dancehall music. Dancehall has only caused danger to the music industry. Roots reggae was Rastafari music, where you sing about people like Marcus Garvey and soon bout Bob Marley and Peter Tosh," he said.

According to Romeo, by international standards roots reggae is the most acknowledged music from Jamaica, its the only one that has stood the test of time on the International level. Despite this, he claims there has been a decline in the music that is now beyond the control of the people. He elaborates "singers like me, Roots Reggae singers caan mek money in Jamaica no more. Is abroad mi haffi go fi mek my bread, roots reggae people don't mek money in Jamaica."

Andy says he is not sure if there is anything much people can do to make Jamaicans embrace their history.

"If our artistes weren't so hung up on conspicuous consumption and items like houses, cars and things like that then the music would go much further. To them artistry is not necessarily longevity. My personal opinion is that instead of us always rushing off overseas to do shows, we should have them come here. I'm not saying that we shouldn't travel at all, but just to have more foreigners come here to see the artistes it would improve our economy. This is a personal dream of mine, and we wouldn't just showcase reggae, it would be Ska, Rocksteady and dancehall, but I don't see any artiste coming together to do it."

Alkebu-Lan, however gave another point of view. "What comes out on the radio seems to be the problem. The disc jockeys have a lot to do with it. Not a lot of roots music is being played and as a result of that people here don't think the reggae artistes are really wanted. What we also need is a lot moreRoots artistes coming to the fore here and not just traveling abroad."

Retro selector Wellington Irie, who plays on Mega Jams 98 FM in the 'Platinum Box' on Sundays, reiterates the importance of Roots Reggae internationally.

He affirms that on the European and Japanese front persons like Toots and the Maytals, Burning Spear, Ziggy Marley, Anthony B among other Roots Reggae acts are the most popular.

He says "the thing with roots reggae music, the riddim is played slower, so the DJ can chat slower. For people in Europe and around the world, its easier for them to understand, than dancehall which goes faster. They need to understand what is being said, Roots Reggae is the driving force that breaks the ice when you play for International crowds. "

He always claims that Bob Marley set the trend of roots reggae, the one love vibe that people love, so they are expecting to hear that out of love for Bob.

When Irie plays on Sundays he caters for an older crowd in their '40s to '60s and '70s, as the young crowd are more interested in dancehall. He claims that he plays early '60s and 70s Bob Marley, songs such as 'Soul Rebel'. Otherwise he plays a lot of Ken Boothe Ellis, Delroy Wilson and countless others. "What I strive for on my show is the big oldies hits that aren't played at retro parties. A lot of people don't make it to Mas Camp to hear that music. There are few selectors on radio that play that kind of thing, everyone wants a party vibes from dancehall or retro '80s and '90s. From the calls I receive and requests older people appreciate the Roots Reggae, cause they don't hear it that often."

History extracts from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots_reggae and http://caribplanet.homestead.com/101_Reggae.html