Skip to main content

What Do You Call It? Islands-flavoured? R&B/Hip-Hop fusion? Carib-pop?

I wrote an article for SoulCulture this other day, driven by my frustrations at the incorrect labelling of commercial reggae songs. Since time began, they've tried their hardest to label reggae music as something else, so I ensured people know that it's all from the tree of reggae. It's mainly directed at TV & radio programmers and other blogs though. Every day people just wanna hear good music that those people prevent the masses from accessing unless it's labelled something else.

"Hi, I’m Marvin Sparks and I appreciate all types of music (generic mucho?). You can follow me on Twitter to see the madness I listen to. Some may criticise, but I’m genre-blind; it’s all about chord progressions, drums and (in my case) HEAVY bass.
While I say I’m genre-blind, this whole post is about genres. Seems a bit contradictory until I explain why…

The genre that takes my body into the next dimension is, to put it simply, reggae. Now, reggae is a broad term because in reggae circles, artists such as Sean Paul, Shaggy, Beenie Man and Shabba Ranks are all known as dancehall artists. However when it comes to the big stages and corporate descriptions, they are known as reggae — the aforementioned are all Best Reggae Grammy Award winners.

So, following much thought and talks to people, I figured that maybe it’s time for a description for Jamaican music.

If that is the case, this is where the problem I’m going to address arises: When a non-Jamaican does a reggae song, why do music journalists, commentators and, in the end, fans use every word but “reggae” to describe a reggae song?"


Read the rest here: http://www.soulculture.co.uk/features/scarticles/what-do-you-call-it-islands-flavoured-rbhip-hop-fusion-carib-pop/

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Marvin Sparks x Raekwon interview

Wu-Tang's in-house "Chef" better known as Raekwon proved he is still a force to be mentioned alongside the hottest rappers in the hip hop game with the release of Only Built For Cuban Linx... pt. II - sequel to his 1995 debut album. Marvin Sparks caught up with the hip hop legend to discuss rapping for drug dealers, people caring "more about stats than raps", his inclusion in MTV's Top 10 Hottest Rappers list, and converting to Islam. Marvin Sparks: It has been almost fifteen years since the first Only Built For Cuban Linx, an album that was a 5-mic classic when The Source magazine held weight. Why did you decide make a sequel?

Why Cheetah Woods, whhyyyy?!?!?!

We must all know about the predator nyamin woman (no bowcat reference intended - or am I lying? *shudders*). Anyone heard the voicemail he left for the girl he's been PARrin (there was a golf reference there) his wife with? Easy now my selekta as we rinse some tunes for di one name Tiger. Man like him doesn't know how to play. (By The Endz not Ruff Sqwad) How you gonna leave a voicemail for a girl with your real name at the beginning? Do you want to be held to ransom? Man from 'the ends' know (in the words of Kano) "That's slippin'!" And when isht hits the fan (like it has) he's buggered. Not something I deal in but surely the point of cheating is for an assortment of ladies. All his ones look the same; blonde, no breast nor batty. Rachel Uchitel bawlin at the scene of 9/11 where her man (fiancee/boyfriend/husband) died The chick whose sold his voicemail on and can be heard above The wifey (why cheat on her with the ones above I'll never kno

Remember When Riddims Were King

Before you read, thank you for your interest and hope you enjoy. I actually fleshed it out into a book. You can get your copy from www.nolongstories.com   Now for what you came here for... When Riddims Were King 23rd May 2020 will be remembered in history for one of the most epic events in one of our universe's darkest times. We will never forget the night dancehall kings and former extremely heated rivals, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer, battled on the Verzuz platform built by hall-of-fame producers, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz. An unfiltered, 360-degree view on Jamaican dancehall events was showcased; DJ’s and dancing (Beenie Man’s daughter Desha Ravers) to deejay’s clashing on the same riddims. The latter elements provided the jewels in the night’s highlight reel, and undoubtedly the best thing to happen on the Verzuz series. Word spread like guava jelly within the dancehall community and Jamaican diaspora upon announcement. Not only was it a clash between the longest and fier