Reggae, Rastas and Bob Marley
The
protest music of the Rasta religion, with Bob
Marley as its high priest, reggae is the most important
development in Caribbean music since the steel band.
Unlike calypso, which sings about yellow birds and other
idyllic things, reggae is an honest, often harsh look
at the world through the eyes of black islanders.
Anything
but sentimental, reggae is primarily message music about poverty,
social injustice and worshipping Jah.
Bob Marley (the museum to him in Kingston is holy ground
to reggae lovers) is credited with developing the form, as
a prophet, he sang the praises of Jah.
However,
as with every music form, there is good reggae and there
is junk. It is not all "sacred music."
The
Rastafarian Religion
Return
to Jamaica Homepage
|