Jah Music

Jah music is more often known as Jamaican Reggae and it was well-known for its customs of criticizing societal issues. It seems no topic was spared by most of this reggae artist, when they did not write in the lyrics for the songs, while performing they would encourage and introduce contentious issues to their audiences and try to evoke a response. Not all reggae lyrics were of this nature though, there were some who write on subjects such as sex, love and entertaining. When not writing their own materials some of the reggae artist would do cover versions of the R&B and funk music from America. At one stage in Jamaica the American music was the type they could get to listen to through the sound systems.

The Rastafarians had big influence on reggae, many of the songs encouraged persons to utilize the “ganja or herb” or cannabis. Even when the subjects where of a more religious thesis, where they would give praise to “Haile Selassie” or Jah, the ganja was highly promoted as it was said to be an atonement in their movement. The Rastafarians use their songs in other social and political issues to criticize the system, racism, colonialism, capitalism, black patriotism, the need for more attention to paid to the young people and “Babylon system” this is what led to the thoughts of Jah music.

After the country gained independence most persons were not satisfied with the progress as some feel more could be done for poorer class. The music was the only medium for these people to speak out on some of these issues. The reggae began within the poor communities in Kingston Jamaica, in areas such as Trenchtown; this was one of the major ghetto areas. These people were listening to the American music at this time, until persons starting recording Jamaican music. Many of these persons were the Rastafarians and they starting combining the R & B and Jazz to the Jamaica folk music and the result to Ska and which further advances to the Reggae.

The Rastafarians helped to propel the Reggae internationally in the early 1970’s, this popularity was credited to Bob Marley. He was an energetic and dedicated preacher of the Rastafarian principles, which he incorporated through his lyrics, music and album covers. The reggae through songs such as “Rastaman Chant” pilot the Rastafarian movement all over the world and knotted the awareness of the poorer class of first nations Canadians, African Americans, Native Americans and right through the African countries.

Bob Marley was not the only artist that influenced the reggae music in this way, there were other reggae artist such as Freddie McGregor, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Bunny Wailer, Toots & the Maytals, Dennis Brown and many more. It is important to note here that Bob Marley was not the Rastafarian with a song on the musical chart, a singer called Little Roy, had a song called Bongo Man that was number one on the Jamaican charts. The Rastafarian ideas also spread outside the Jamaican music and had artist in South Africa with reggae recordings as it is called Jah music.

There were other genres apart from the Reggae that expresses the Rastafarians doctrine it extended right through to the dancehall. In the twenty first century you have artist such as Sizzla, Anthony B, Capleton and Turbulence, just to name a few, who have gained success internationally.