Reggae Reggae, born in Jamaica in the late 1960s, fused ska, rocksteady, and Rastafarian spirituality into a slow, bass-heavy groove that carried messages of peace, resistance, and Pan-African unity. Rooted in the island’s colonial trauma and post-independence struggles, it gave voice to the oppressed through lyrics steeped in biblical imagery and calls for justice. Bob Marley became its global prophet, turning songs like “Redemption Song” and “Get Up, Stand Up” into anthems of liberation. Reggae’s offbeat rhythm (the “skank”), dub effects, and conscious lyricism influenced punk, hip-hop, and electronic music. Beyond sound, it promoted a lifestyle—natural living, anti-materialism, and reverence for Haile Selassie I as divine. Despite commercialization, reggae remains tied to activism: from anti-apartheid rallies to climate justice movements. UNESCO recognized it as intangible cultural heritage for its “contribution to international discourse on issues of injustice.” Reggae teaches that music can be both meditative and militant—a drumbeat for the soul and a weapon against oppression.
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