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153-429: Stylistically, reggae incorporates some of the musical elements of rhythm and blues, jazz, mento (a celebratory, rural folk form that served its largely rural audience as dance music and an alternative to the hymns and adapted chanteys of local church singing), calypso , and also draws influence from traditional African folk rhythms. One of the most easily recognizable elements is offbeat rhythms; staccato chords played by

306-462: A chantuelle and eventually, calypsonian . As English replaced "patois" ( Antillean ) as the dominant language, calypso migrated into English, and in so doing it attracted more attention from the government. It allowed the masses to challenge the doings of the unelected Governor and Legislative Council, and the elected town councils of Port of Spain and San Fernando . Calypso continued to play an important role in political expression. Calypso in

459-522: A Myal , was an early musical influence on Marley. Marley began to play music with Neville Livingston, later known as Bunny Wailer , while at Stepney Primary and Junior High School in Nine Mile, where they were childhood friends. At age 12, Marley left Nine Mile with his mother and moved to the Trenchtown section of Kingston . Marley's mother and Thadeus Livingston, Bunny Wailer's father, had

612-587: A civil servant from the United States, giving Marley two half-brothers: Richard and Anthony. In February 1962, Marley recorded four songs, " Judge Not ", "One Cup of Coffee", "Do You Still Love Me?" and "Terror", at Federal Studios for local music producer Leslie Kong . Three of the songs were released on Beverley's with "One Cup of Coffee" being released under the pseudonym Bobby Martell. In 1963, Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh , Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith were called

765-548: A cover version of a Lord Invader song, became an American hit despite the song being a very critical commentary on the explosion of prostitution, inflation and other negative influences accompanying the American military bases in Trinidad at the time. Perhaps the most straightforward way to describe the focus of calypso is that it articulated itself as a form of protest against the authoritarian colonial culture which existed at

918-924: A 1937 speech given by Marcus Garvey in Nova Scotia. Marley held that independence of African countries from European domination was a victory for all those in the African diaspora. In the song "Africa Unite", he sings of a desire for all peoples of the African diaspora to come together and fight against "Babylon"; similarly, in the song "Zimbabwe", Marley marks the liberation of the whole continent of Africa, and evokes calls for unity between all Africans, both within and outside Africa. Marley married Alfarita Constantia "Rita" Anderson in Kingston, Jamaica, on 10 February 1966. He had many children: three were born to his wife Rita, and two additional children were adopted from Rita's previous relationships as his own, and they have

1071-860: A 24-minute tape of Marley performing several of his own and Norman-Pyfrom's compositions. According to reggae archivist Roger Steffens , this tape is rare in that it was influenced by pop rather than reggae, as part of an effort to break Marley into the US charts. According to an article in The New York Times , Marley experimented on the tape with various sounds, adopting a doo-wop style on "Stay With Me" and "the slow love song style of 1960s artists" on "Splish for My Splash". He lived in Ridgmount Gardens, Bloomsbury , during 1972. In 1972, Bob Marley signed with CBS Records in London and embarked on

1224-510: A Little Love", "One Love", or "Three Little Birds", all written by Bob Marley, can be sung and enjoyed for their optimism and cheerful lyrics. Some dancehall and ragga artists have been criticised for homophobia , including threats of violence. Buju Banton 's song "Boom Bye-Bye" states that gays "haffi dead" (have to die). Other notable dancehall artists who have been accused of homophobia include Elephant Man , Bounty Killer and Beenie Man . The controversy surrounding anti-gay lyrics has led to

1377-508: A UK tour with soul singer Johnny Nash . While in London the Wailers asked their road manager Brent Clarke to introduce them to Chris Blackwell , who had licensed some of their Coxsone releases for his Island Records . The Wailers intended to discuss the royalties associated with these releases; instead, the meeting resulted in the offer of an advance of £4,000 to record an album. Since Jimmy Cliff , Island's top reggae star, had recently left

1530-515: A big following on the Hawaiian islands and the West coast of the US. On the east coast upstate NY has seen a rise in original roots reggae bands such as Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad and John Brown's Body who were inspired by Jamaican reggae bands that performed in the area in the 1980s and 1990s. Matisyahu gained prominence by blending traditional Jewish themes with reggae. Compounding his use of

1683-668: A certain sort of people. It was always a down-town thing, but more than just hearing the music. The equipment was so powerful and the vibe so strong that we feel it." The reggae organ-shuffle is unique to reggae. In the original version of reggae, the drummer played a reggae groove that was used in the four bar introduction, allowing the piano to serve as a percussion instrument. Reggae is noted for its tradition of social criticism in its lyrics, although many reggae songs discuss lighter, more personal subjects, such as love and socializing. Many early reggae bands covered Motown or Atlantic soul and funk songs. Some reggae lyrics attempt to raise

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1836-515: A concert tribute to the late Dennis Brown, who Bob Marley cited as his favorite singer. On the business side, RIAJam held events focused on reggae's employment opportunities and potential international revenue. . Reggae Month 2019 in Jamaica was welcomed with multiple events ranging from corporate reggae functions to major celebrations in honour of Bob Marley's Birthday on 6 February to a tribute concert in honour of Dennis Brown on 24 February along with

1989-452: A couple of vocalists. Reggae is played in 4 time because the symmetrical rhythmic pattern does not lend itself to other time signatures such as 4 . One of the most easily recognizable elements is offbeat rhythms; staccato chords played by a guitar or piano (or both) on the offbeats of the measure, often referred to as the skank . This rhythmic pattern accents the second and fourth beats in each bar and combines with

2142-459: A daughter together named Claudette Pearl, who was a younger sister to both Bob and Bunny. With Marley and Livingston living together in the same house in Trenchtown, their musical explorations deepened to include the new ska music and the latest R&B from United States radio stations whose broadcasts reached Jamaica. Marley formed a vocal group with Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh . The line-up

2295-713: A fantastic experience opening for more established acts or in early sets at larger reggae festivals. The live experience is a major part of the American Reggae world and the presence of so many emerging bands to combine with established international acts has allowed the movement to grow in recent years. The American reggae scene is heavily centred in Southern California , with large scenes also in New York City , Washington, D.C. , Chicago , Miami , and Honolulu . For decades, Hawaiian reggae has had

2448-480: A frenzy, captured the intensity of Marley's live performances. "Marley wasn't singing about how peace could come easily to the World but rather how hell on Earth comes too easily to too many. His songs were his memories; he had lived with the wretched, he had seen the downpressers and those whom they pressed down."  – Mikal Gilmore , Rolling Stone Survival , a defiant and politically charged album,

2601-460: A genre slower than ska featuring more romantic lyrics and less prominent horns. Theories abound as to why Jamaican musicians slowed the ska tempo to create rocksteady; one is that the singer Hopeton Lewis was unable to sing his hit song "Take It Easy" at a ska tempo. The name "rocksteady" was codified after the release of a single by Alton Ellis . Many rocksteady rhythms later were used as the basis of reggae recordings, whose slower tempos allowed for

2754-424: A girl is walking and the guys look at her and say "Man, she's streggae" it means she don't dress well, she look raggedy. The girls would say that about the men too. This one morning me and my two friends were playing and I said, "OK man, let's do the reggay." It was just something that came out of my mouth. So we just start singing "Do the reggay, do the reggay" and created a beat. People tell me later that we had given

2907-472: A guitar or piano (or both) on the offbeats of the measure. The tempo of reggae is usually slower-paced than both ska and rocksteady. The concept of call and response can be found throughout reggae music. The genre of reggae music is led by the drum and bass. Some key players in this sound are Jackie Jackson from Toots and the Maytals, Carlton Barrett from Bob Marley and the Wailers , Lloyd Brevett from

3060-633: A jazzy pop style. Other 7" singles to appear in Jamaica around this time were covers of popular American R&B hits, made by Kingston sound system operators to be played at public dances. Meanwhile, Jamaican expatriates started issuing 45s on small independent labels in the United Kingdom, many mastered directly from Jamaican 45s. Ska arose in Jamaican studios in the late 1950s, developing from this mix of American R&B, mento and calypso music . Notable for its jazz-influenced horn riffs, ska

3213-802: A live version of " No Woman, No Cry ", from the Live! album. This was followed by his breakthrough album in the United States, Rastaman Vibration (1976), which reached the Top 50 of the Billboard Soul Charts. On 3 December 1976, two days before " Smile Jamaica ", a free concert organised by Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley in an attempt to ease tension between two warring political groups, Bob Marley, Rita, and manager Don Taylor were wounded in an assault by unknown gunmen inside Marley's home. Taylor and Rita sustained serious injuries but later made full recoveries. Marley sustained minor wounds in

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3366-482: A major role throughout Marley's life. As well as playing the game, in parking lots, fields, and even inside recording studios, Marley followed the Brazilian club Santos and its star player Pelé growing up and was also a supporter of English football club Tottenham Hotspur and Argentine midfielder Ossie Ardiles , who played for the club for a decade beginning in 1978. Marley surrounded himself with people from

3519-684: A number of European artists and bands drawing their inspiration directly from Jamaica and the Caribbean community in Europe, whose music and vocal styles are almost identical to contemporary Jamaican music. The best examples might be Alborosie (Italy) and Gentleman (Germany). Both Gentleman and Alborosie have had a significant chart impact in Jamaica, unlike many European artists. They have both recorded and released music in Jamaica for Jamaican labels and producers and are popular artists, likely to appear on many riddims . Alborosie has lived in Jamaica since

3672-697: A partnership with Lee Gopthal 's Trojan Records in 1968, which released reggae in the UK until bought by Saga records in 1974. Reggae's influence bubbled to the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts in late 1972. First Three Dog Night hit No. 1 in September with a cover of the Maytones ' version of " Black and White ". Then Johnny Nash was at No. 1 for four weeks in November with " I Can See Clearly Now ". Paul Simon 's single " Mother And Child Reunion " –

3825-696: A pattern in which the surdo bass drums (four of them at minimum) divided themselves into four or five interlocking parts. In the state of Maranhão , in northeastern Brazil , reggae is a very popular genre. São Luís , the state capital, is known as the Brazilian Jamaica. The city has more than 200 radiolas , the name given to sound teams formed by DJs and sound systems with dozens of powerful amplifiers stacked. Reggae in Maranhão has its own characteristics, such as melody and dance style, as well as having its own radio and television programs. In 2018,

3978-687: A presence in Veracruz , Mexico . The most notable Jarocho reggae group being Los Aguas Aguas from Xalapa . Some of the most popular reggae groups across Latin America come from the Southern Cone, such as the Chilean band Gondwana , and the Argentinian band Los Cafres. The Puerto Rican band Cultura Profética is also widely recognized in the region. Hispanic reggae includes three elements:

4131-500: A significant role in spreading calypso in its early days. Sá Gomes, a Portuguese immigrant who owned a local music and phonograph equipment shop in Port of Spain , promoted the genre and gave financial support to the local artists. In March 1934, he sent Roaring Lion and Attila the Hun to New York City to record; they became the first calypsonians to record abroad, bringing the genre out of

4284-566: A softer and more commercial sound.Other reggae artists who enjoyed international appeal in the early 1980s include Third World , Black Uhuru and Sugar Minott . The Grammy Awards introduced the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album category in 1985. Women also play a role in the reggae music industry personnel such as Olivia Grange, president of Specs-Shang Musik; Trish Farrell, president of Island/Jamaica; Lisa Cortes, president of Loose Cannon; Jamaican-American Sharon Gordon, who has worked in

4437-563: A sold-out concert by 2019 Reggae Grammy nominated artiste Protoje for his A Matter of Time Live held at Hope Gardens in Kingston on 23 February. In November 2018 "reggae music of Jamaica" was added to the UNESCO 's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity the decision recognised reggae's "contribution to international discourse on issues of injustice, resistance, love and humanity underscores

4590-530: A special participation of the Amocco Renegades (a traditional steel-drum band from Trinidad and Tobago ). In the first track is possible to notice a strong style influence. Calypso had another short burst of commercial interest when Tim Burton 's horror/comedy film Beetlejuice (1988) was released, and used Belafonte's " Jump in the Line " as the soundtrack's headliner and also "The Banana Boat Song" in

4743-615: A specific religious topic, or simply giving praise to God ( Jah ). Other common socio-political topics in reggae songs include black nationalism , anti-racism , anti- colonialism , anti-capitalism and criticism of political systems and "Babylon" . In recent years, Jamaican (and non-Jamaican) reggae musicians have used more positive themes in reggae music. The music is widely considered a treasured cultural export for Jamaica, so musicians who still desire progress for their island nation have begun focusing on themes of hopefulness, faith, and love. For elementary children, reggae songs such as "Give

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4896-724: A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , and induction into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame . Marley was born on 6 February 1945 at the farm of his maternal grandfather in Nine Mile , Saint Ann Parish , Jamaica , to Norval Sinclair Marley and Cedella Malcolm . Norval was a white Jamaican born in Clarendon Parish , and whose cousins claimed that the Marley surname had Syrian-Jewish origins. This

5049-481: A track which he recorded in Kingston, Jamaica with Jimmy Cliff 's backing group – was ranked by Billboard as the No. 57 song of 1972. In 1973, the film The Harder They Come starring Jimmy Cliff was released and introduced Jamaican music to cinema audiences outside Jamaica. Though the film achieved cult status, its limited appeal meant that it had a smaller impact than Eric Clapton 's 1974 cover of Bob Marley's " I Shot

5202-536: A unique form of music, especially during the Carnival season. Dominicans mainly use this genre to express their concerns and feedback on the everyday affairs and happenings of their country. Most of the music pieces composed normally have a negative stigma attached to them, expressing dissatisfaction with how their current government choose to conduct the affairs of the country. The first Calypso monarch in Dominica who

5355-437: A variety of ways to slip songs past the scrutinizing eyes of the editor. Double entendre , or double-speak, was one way, as was the practice of denouncing countries such as Germany and its annexation of Poland , while making pointed references toward the colonial government's policies in Trinidad. Sex, scandal, gossip, politics, local news, and insulting other calypsonians were the order of the day in classic calypso, just as it

5508-508: A vital factor in religious growth and connection with Jah, and as a way to philosophise and become wiser. Marley was a Pan-Africanist and believed in the unity of African people worldwide. His beliefs were rooted in his Rastafari religious beliefs. Marley was substantially inspired by Marcus Garvey and had anti-imperialist and pan-Africanist themes in many of his songs, such as " Zimbabwe ", "Exodus", "Survival", "Blackman Redemption" and " Redemption Song ." The lattermost draws influence from

5661-663: A week-long festival which used to take place in Osoppo , Italy , until 2009, is now held in Benicassim , Spain , and gathers up to 150,000 visitors every year. In Iceland reggae band Hjálmar is well established having released six CDs in Iceland. They were the first reggae band in Iceland, but few Icelandic artists had written songs in the reggae style before their arrival on the Icelandic music scene. The Icelandic reggae scene

5814-559: A word that can mean either "rags, ragged clothing" or "a quarrel, a row". Reggae as a musical term first appeared in print with the 1968 rocksteady hit " Do the Reggay " by the Maytals which named the genre. Reggae historian Steve Barrow credits Clancy Eccles with altering the Jamaican patois word streggae (loose woman) into reggae . However, Toots Hibbert said: There's a word we used to use in Jamaica called "streggae". If

5967-462: Is 1968's " Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da " by the Beatles . The Wailers , a band started by Bob Marley , Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in 1963, is perhaps the most recognized band that made the transition through all three stages of early Jamaican popular music: ska, rocksteady and reggae. Over a dozen Wailers songs are based on or use a line from Jamaican mento songs. Other significant ska artists who made

6120-468: Is again a reference to French influence). The first major stars of calypso started crossing over to new audiences worldwide in the late 1930s. Attila the Hun, Roaring Lion and Lord Invader were first, followed by Lord Kitchener , one of the longest-lasting calypso stars in history—he continued to release hit records until his death in 2000. 1944's " Rum and Coca-Cola " by the Andrews Sisters ,

6273-471: Is characterized by a quarter note walking bass line, guitar and piano offbeats , and a drum pattern with cross-stick snare and bass drum on the backbeat and open hi-hat on the offbeats. When Jamaica gained independence in 1962, ska became the music of choice for young Jamaicans seeking music that was their own. Ska also became popular among mods in Britain. In the mid-1960s, ska gave rise to rocksteady ,

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6426-594: Is expanding and growing at a fast rate. RVK Soundsystem is the first Icelandic sound system , counting five DJs. They hold reggae nights in Reykjavík every month at clubs Hemmi og Valdi and more recently in Faktorý as the crowd has grown so much. Calypso music Music television Calypso is a style of Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago during the early to mid-19th century and spread to

6579-537: Is however not conclusive and speculative. Norval went by the moniker "Captain", despite only having been a private in the British Army . At the time of his marriage to Cedella Malcolm, an Afro-Jamaican then 18 years old, Norval was supervising a subdivision of land for war veteran housing, and he was about 64 years old at the time of Bob Marley's birth. Norval, who provided little financial support for his wife and child and rarely saw them, died when Marley

6732-430: Is this slower tempo, the guitar/piano offbeats, the emphasis on the third beat, and the use of syncopated , melodic bass lines that differentiate reggae from other music, although other musical styles have incorporated some of these innovations. Reggae drummers often involved these three tips for other reggae performers: (1) go for open, ringing tones when playing ska and rocksteady, (2) use any available material to stuff

6885-592: Is thought that the name "calypso" was originally "kaiso" which is now believed to come from Efik "ka isu" ("go on!") and Ibibio "kaa iso" ("continue, go on"), used in urging someone on or in backing a contestant. There is also a Trinidadian term "cariso" that means "old-time" calypsos. The term "calypso" is recorded from the 1930s onwards. Alternatively, the insert for The Rough Guide to Calypso and Soca (published by World Music Network ) favours John Cowley's arguments in Carnival, Canboulay and Calypso: Traditions in

7038-507: Is today with classic hip-hop . And just as the hip-hop of today, the music sparked shock and outrage in moralistic sections of society. Countless recordings were dumped at sea in the name of censorship, although in truth, rival US companies did this in the spirit of underhanded competition, claiming that the rivals' material was unfit for US consumption. Decca Records lost untold pressings in this manner, as did its rival, RCA 's Bluebird label. An entrepreneur named Eduardo de Sá Gomes played

7191-510: The Live! album. This was followed by his breakthrough album in the United States, Rastaman Vibration (1976), which reached the Top 50 of the Billboard Soul Charts. A few months later, Marley survived an assassination attempt at his home in Jamaica, which was believed to be politically motivated. He permanently relocated to London, where he recorded the album Exodus , which incorporated elements of blues , soul , and British rock and had commercial and critical success. In 1977, Marley

7344-468: The Coachella festival , after Chronixx in 2016. The UK was a primary destination for Caribbean people looking to emigrate as early as the 1950s. Because of this, Caribbean music in the United Kingdom , including reggae, has been popular since the late 1960s, and has evolved into several subgenres and fusions. Most notable of these is lovers rock , but this fusion of Jamaican music into English culture

7497-559: The Reggae Museum of Maranhão was inaugurated, the second reggae museum in the world (after Jamaica ), with the objective of preserving the state's reggae cultural history. In the United States, bands like Rebelution , Slightly Stoopid , Dirty Heads , and Iration are the leading bands in a growing genre. Other bands like The Movement, The Elovaters, Artikal Sound System, Soja, Fortunate Youth, Hirie, Common Kings and Tribal Seeds have enthusiastic followings and typically provide

7650-603: The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity . Reggae en Español spread from mainland South American Caribbean from Venezuela and Guyana to the rest of South America. It does not have any specific characteristics other than being sung in Spanish, usually by artists of Latin American origin. Samba reggae originated in Brazil as a blend of samba with Jamaican reggae. Reggae also has

7803-510: The civil rights movement and the Black Soul movement, and especially the Jamaican independence movement since the 1960s and its messages in reggae and Rastafari. Thus, the sudden popularity of reggae music and musicians in Bahia, Brazil, was not the result of the effects of the transnational music industry, but of the need to establish cultural and political links with black communities across

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7956-462: The hazzan style, Matisyahu's lyrics are mostly English with more than occasional use of Hebrew and Yiddish . There is a large Caribbean presence in Toronto and Montreal , Canada , with English and French influences on the reggae genre. Canadian band Magic! 's 2013 single " Rude " was an international hit. In 2017, Toots and the Maytals became the second reggae-based group to ever perform at

8109-417: The ska and rocksteady of 1960s Jamaica, strongly influenced by traditional Caribbean mento and calypso music , as well as American jazz and rhythm and blues . Ska was originally a generic title for Jamaican music recorded between 1961 and 1967 and emerged from Jamaican R&B, which was based largely on American R&B and doo-wop. Rastafari entered some countries primarily through reggae music; thus,

8262-468: The "Calypso King " competition, the first time a woman had received the award. The competition's title was changed to Calypso Monarch in her honor. The French and pioneer electronic musician Jean Michel Jarre released an album in 1990 called Waiting for Cousteau . The album has four tracks: "Calypso", "Calypso part 2", "Calypso part 3 Fin de Siècle" and "Waiting for Cousteau". It was dedicated to Jacques-Yves Cousteau on his 80th birthday. This album had

8415-513: The "double skank" guitar strokes on the offbeat. Reggae developed from ska and rocksteady in the late 1960s. Larry And Alvin's "Nanny Goat" and the Beltones' "No More Heartaches" were among the songs in the genre. The beat was distinctive from rocksteady in that it dropped any of the pretensions to the smooth, soulful sound that characterized slick American R&B, and instead was closer in kinship to US southern funk, being heavily dependent on

8568-417: The 'bang" has a very dampened, short and scratchy chop sound, almost like a percussion instrument. Sometimes a double chop is used when the guitar still plays the off beats, but also plays the following eighth-note beats on the up-stroke. An example is the intro to " Stir It Up " by the Wailers. Artist and producer Derrick Harriott says, "What happened was the musical thing was real widespread, but only among

8721-466: The 1930s, aiming at promoting pan-Africanism . Soon after the Rastafarian movement appeared, the international popularity of reggae music became associated with and increased the visibility of Rastafari and spread its gospel throughout the world. Reggae music is an important means of transporting vital messages of Rastafari. The musician becomes the messenger, and as Rastafari see it, "the soldier and

8874-409: The 1980s featured fast tempos, electric guitars and synthesizers, prominent melodic bass lines, and lyrics celebrating sensuality and dance. Many influential calypso singers including Ras Shorty I , Mighty Sparrow , Lord Kitchener , Calypso Rose , Super Blue, and David Rudder embraced the new style. Brooklyn became an important site for the production of soca records from the late 1970s through

9027-480: The Americas that had faced and were facing similar sociopolitical situations. Musically, it was the bloco afro Olodum and its lead percussionist, Neguinho do Samba , that began to combine the basic samba beat of the blocos with merengue, salsa, and reggae rhythms and debuted their experimentations in the carnival of 1986. The new toques (drumming patterns) were labeled "samba-reggae" and consisted basically of

9180-506: The Caribbean includes a range of genres, including benna in Antigua and Barbuda ; mento , a style of Jamaican folk music that greatly influenced ska , the precursor to rocksteady , and reggae; spouge , a style of Barbadian popular music; Dominica cadence-lypso , which mixed calypso with the cadence of Haiti ; and soca music , a style of kaiso /calypso, with influences from chutney , soul , funk , Latin and cadence-lypso. It

9333-469: The Caribbean islands to work on sugar plantations. The Africans brought to toil on sugar plantations, were stripped of all connections to their homeland and family and were not allowed to talk to each other. They used calypso to mock the slave masters and to communicate with each other. Many early calypsos were sung in French Creole by an individual called a griot . As calypso developed, the role of

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9486-636: The Making, that the word might be a corruption of the French carrouseaux and through the process of patois and Anglicization became caliso and then finally "calypso"; however, Cowley also notes that the first mention of the word "calypso" is given in a description of a dance in 1882 by Abbé Masse. Calypso music was developed in Trinidad in the 17th century from the West African Kaiso and canboulay music brought by enslaved Africans brought to

9639-518: The Marley name. The official Bob Marley website acknowledges 11 children. Those listed on the official site are: Other sites have noted additional individuals who claim to be family members, as noted below: Marley also has several notable grandchildren, including musicians Skip Marley and YG Marley , American football player Nico Marley , model Selah Marley , and filmmaker Donisha Prendergast . Aside from music, association football played

9792-524: The Police 's 1978 debut album, Outlandos d'Amour , laid down the template for the basic structure of a lot of rock/reggae songwriting: a reggae-infused verse containing upstrokes on guitar or keyboards and a more aggressive, on-the-beat punk/rock attack during the chorus. The end of the 1970s featured a ska revival in the UK. By the end of the 1970s, a revival movement had begun in England, with such bands as

9945-547: The Reggae Compassionate Act, in a deal brokered with top dancehall promoters and Stop Murder Music activists. They renounced homophobia and agreed to "not make statements or perform songs that incite hatred or violence against anyone from any community". Five artists targeted by the anti-homophobia campaign did not sign up to the act, including Elephant Man, TOK , Bounty Killa and Vybz Kartel . Buju Banton and Beenie Man both gained positive press coverage around

10098-735: The Saturday before Carnival in February. The winner becomes the Calypso King of that year and joins Miss Dominica, the carnival pageant winner of that year, in the traditional costume parade on Carnival Monday. Calypso music has been used by Calypsonians to provide sociopolitical commentary. Prior to the independence of Trinidad and Tobago , calypsonians would use their music to express the daily struggles of living in Trinidad, critique racial and economic inequalities, express opinions on social order, and voice overall concerns for those living on

10251-532: The Sheriff " which made it onto the playlists of mainstream rock and pop radio stations worldwide. Clapton's "I Shot the Sheriff" used modern rock production and recording techniques and faithfully retained most of the original reggae elements; it was a breakthrough pastiche devoid of any parody and played an important part in bringing the music of Bob Marley to a wider rock audience. By the mid-1970s, authentic reggae dub plates and specials were getting some exposure in

10404-528: The Skatalites , Paul Douglas from Toots and the Maytals, Lloyd Knibb from the Skatalites, Winston Grennan , Sly Dunbar , and Anthony "Benbow" Creary from the Upsetters . The bass guitar often plays the dominant role in reggae. The bass sound in reggae is thick and heavy, and equalized so the upper frequencies are removed and the lower frequencies emphasized. The guitar in reggae usually plays on

10557-636: The Specials, Madness, the (English) Beat, and the Selecter. The Specials' leader and keyboardist, Jerry Dammers , founded the 2 Tone record label, which released albums from the aforementioned racially integrated groups and was instrumental in creating a new social and cultural awareness. The 2 Tone movement referenced reggae's godfathers, popular styles (including the genre's faster and more dance-oriented precursors, ska and rocksteady), and previous modes of dress (such as black suits and porkpie hats) but updated

10710-931: The Stanley Theater (now The Benedum Center For The Performing Arts ) in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania. The only known photographs from the show were included in Kevin Macdonald 's 2012 documentary film Marley . Shortly after, Marley's health deteriorated as his cancer had spread throughout his body . The rest of the tour was cancelled, and Marley sought treatment at the Josef Issels ' clinic in Rottach-Egern , Bavaria , Germany, where he underwent an alternative cancer treatment called Issels treatment , partly based on avoidance of certain foods, fluids, and other substances. After eight months of

10863-498: The Teenagers. They later changed the name to the Wailing Rudeboys, then to the Wailing Wailers, at which point they were discovered by record producer Coxsone Dodd , and finally to the Wailers. Their single " Simmer Down " for the Coxsone label became a Jamaican No. 1 in February 1964 selling an estimated 70,000 copies. The Wailers, now regularly recording for Studio One, found themselves working with established Jamaican musicians such as Ernest Ranglin (arranger "It Hurts To Be Alone"),

11016-479: The UK on John Peel 's radio show, who promoted the genre for the rest of his career. Around the same time, British filmmaker Jeremy Marre documented the Jamaican music scene in Roots Rock Reggae , capturing the heyday of Roots reggae . While the quality of Reggae records produced in Jamaica took a turn for the worse following the oil crisis of the 1970s, reggae produced elsewhere began to flourish. In

11169-400: The Upsetters . Although the alliance lasted less than a year, they recorded what many consider the Wailers' finest work. Marley and Perry split after a dispute regarding the assignment of recording rights, but they would continue to work together. 1969 brought another change to Jamaican popular music, where the beat slowed down even further. The new beat was a slow, steady, ticking rhythm that

11322-743: The Wailers' earliest efforts in the new reggae style. Gone are the ska trumpets and saxophones of the earlier songs, with instrumental breaks now being played by the electric guitar." The songs recorded would be released as the album The Best of The Wailers , including tracks "Soul Shakedown Party", "Stop That Train", "Caution", "Go Tell it on the Mountain", "Soon Come", "Can't You See", "Soul Captives", "Cheer Up", "Back Out" and "Do It Twice". Between 1968 and 1972, Bob and Rita Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer re-cut some old tracks with JAD Records in Kingston and London in an attempt to commercialise

11475-637: The Wailers' sound. Bunny later asserted that those songs "should never be released on an album... they were just demos for record companies to listen to". In 1968, Bob and Rita visited songwriter Jimmy Norman at his apartment in the Bronx. Norman had written the extended lyrics for " Time is on My Side " (recorded by Irma Thomas and the Rolling Stones ) and had also written for Johnny Nash and Jimi Hendrix . A three-day jam session with Norman and others, including Norman's co-writer Al Pyfrom, resulted in

11628-493: The Wailers. While initially employing louder instrumentation and singing, they began engaging in rhythmic-based song construction in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which coincided with Marley's conversion to Rastafari. Around this time, Marley relocated to London, and the group embodied their musical shift with the release of the album The Best of The Wailers (1971). Bob Marley and the Wailers began to gain international attention after signing to Island and touring in support of

11781-641: The West Indies and into pop culture. Lord Invader was quick to follow, and stayed in New York City after a protracted legal case involving the theft of his song " Rum and Coca-Cola ", a hit by the Andrews Sisters . He made his home there along with Wilmoth Houdini , and became one of the great calypsonians of the US. Early forms of calypso were also similar to jazz (which came after) such as Sans Humanitae. In this extempo ( extemporaneous ) melody calypsonians lyricise impromptu, commenting socially or insulting each other, "sans humanité" or "no mercy" (which

11934-403: The adoption of Carnival by Trinidadian slaves, including canboulay drumming and the music masquerade processions. The French brought Carnival to Trinidad, and calypso competitions at Carnival grew in popularity, especially after the abolition of slavery in 1834. The first identifiably calypso genre song was recorded in 1912, by Lovey's String Band while visiting New York City . In 1914,

12087-488: The album Burnin' , which included the song " I Shot the Sheriff ". Eric Clapton was given the album by his guitarist George Terry in the hope that he would enjoy it. Clapton was impressed and chose to record a cover version of "I Shot the Sheriff", which became his first US hit since " Layla " two years earlier and reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on 14 September 1974. Many Jamaicans were not keen on

12240-430: The album Catch a Fire . Primarily recorded on an eight-track, Catch a Fire marked the first time a reggae band had access to a state-of-the-art studio and were accorded the same care as their rock 'n' roll peers. Blackwell desired to create "more of a drifting, hypnotic-type feel than a reggae rhythm", and restructured Marley's mixes and arrangements. Marley travelled to London to supervise Blackwell's overdubbing of

12393-457: The album at Island Studios , which included tempering the mix from the bass-heavy sound of Jamaican music and omitting two tracks. The Wailers' first album for Island, Catch a Fire , was released worldwide in April 1973, packaged like a rock record with a unique Zippo lighter lift-top. Initially selling 14,000 units, it received a positive critical reception. It was followed later that year by

12546-429: The albums Catch a Fire and Burnin' (both 1973). Following their disbandment a year later, Marley carried on under the band's name. The album Natty Dread (1974) received positive reviews. In 1975, following the global popularity of Eric Clapton 's version of Marley's " I Shot the Sheriff ", Marley had his international breakthrough with his first hit outside Jamaica, a live version of " No Woman, No Cry ", from

12699-625: The alternative treatment failing to effectively treat his advancing cancer, Marley boarded a plane for his home in Jamaica. During the flight, his vital functions worsened. After landing in Miami , Florida, Marley was taken to Cedars of Lebanon Hospital, later renamed University of Miami Hospital , for urgent medical attention, where he died on 11 May 1981, at the age of 36, due to the spread of melanoma to his lungs and brain. Marley's final words to his son Ziggy were: "On your way up, take me up. On your way down, don't let me down." On 21 May 1981, Marley

12852-527: The assembly line and as a fork lift operator at a Chrysler plant in nearby Newark , under the alias Donald Marley. Though raised Catholic , Marley became interested in Rastafari beliefs in the 1960s, when away from his mother's influence. After returning to Jamaica, Marley formally converted to Rastafari and began to grow dreadlocks . After a financial disagreement with Dodd, Marley and his band teamed up with Lee "Scratch" Perry and his studio band,

13005-442: The bass drum so that it tightens up the kick to a deep, punchy thud, and (3) go without a ride cymbal, focusing on the hi-hat for timekeeping and thin crashes with fast decay for accents. The guitar in reggae usually plays on the off beat of the rhythm. So if one is counting in 4 time and counting "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and ...", one would play a downstroke on the "and" part of the beat. A musical figure known as skank or

13158-521: The cancellation of UK tours by Beenie Man and Sizzla. Toronto, Canada has also seen the cancellation of concerts due to artists such as Elephant Man and Sizzla refusing to conform to similar censorship pressures. After lobbying from the Stop Murder Music coalition, the dancehall music industry agreed in 2005 to stop releasing songs that promote hatred and violence against gay people. In June 2007, Beenie Man, Sizzla and Capleton signed up to

13311-468: The chest and arm. The attempt on his life was believed to have been politically motivated, as many felt that Smile Jamaica was actually a support rally for Manley. Nonetheless, the concert proceeded, and an injured Marley performed as scheduled, two days after the attempt. The members of the group Zap Pow played as Bob Marley's backup band before a festival crowd of 80,000 while members of The Wailers were still missing or in hiding. Marley left Jamaica at

13464-418: The competitions. The idea was to claim a national cultural identity and promote national unity. Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley OM (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae , he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady and was renowned for his distinctive vocal and songwriting style. Marley increased

13617-477: The dinner-party scene. Disney 's song " Under the Sea ", a calypso theme from The Little Mermaid won an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1989 as well as the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media in 1991. In the late-1970s a new style, dubbed Soca music , emerged from the blending of calypso with elements of East Indian music as well as African American soul, funk, and rock. The soca music of

13770-448: The drum's emphasis on beat three to create a unique sense of phrasing. The reggae offbeat can be counted so that it falls between each count as an "and" (example: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and ... , etc.) or counted as a half-time feel at twice the tempo so it falls on beats 2 and 4. This is in contrast to the way most other popular genres focus on beat one, the "downbeat". The tempo of reggae is usually slower than both ska and rocksteady . It

13923-507: The duality of the two versions exemplify how calypso music was used as an outlet for social commentary. After Trinidad and Tobago gained independence in 1962, calypso music continued to be used as an outlet for political commentary. With Eric Williams serving as the first Prime Minister of an independent Trinidad and Tobago, calypsonian Mighty Sparrow released his song "William the Conqueror" where he praises Williams' victory and prides

14076-633: The dynamics of the element as being at once cerebral, socio-political, sensual and spiritual." The term cod reggae is popularly used to describe reggae done by non-Caribbean people, often in a disparaging manner because of perceived inauthenticity . Boy George has been described as “one of the great cod reggae artists of all time.” Stylistically, reggae incorporates some of the musical elements of rhythm and blues (R&B), jazz , mento , calypso , African, and Latin American music, as well as other genres. Reggae scenes consist of two guitars, one for rhythm and one for lead—drums, congas, and keyboards, with

14229-403: The early 1990s. Although Calypso's native land is Trinidad, it is also very popular in a small "windward" island in the West Indies. This island is called Dominica, the nature island of the Caribbean. Dominicans, similar to Trinidadians also developed a keen interest in Caribbean genres such as Soca music, and Calypso in the late 1960's. Called Kaiso in French creole, Calypso is illustrated as

14382-521: The early 19th century post emancipation where formerly enslaved communities would hold calypso wars showcasing their singing and dancing. Later in 1953 Calypso competitions held the same showcasing nature, but became politicized as the People's National Movement (PNM) took over as the main organizer of competitions. The PNM used the competitions to combat social and class divisions by attracting participants of varying social status to participate and attend

14535-712: The end of 1976, and after a month-long "recovery and writing" sojourn at the site of Chris Blackwell's Compass Point Studios in Nassau , Bahamas, arrived in England, where he spent two years in self-imposed exile. Whilst in England, he recorded the albums Exodus and Kaya . Exodus stayed on the British album charts for 56 consecutive weeks. It included four UK hit singles: " Exodus ", " Waiting in Vain ", " Jamming ", and " One Love " (which interpolates Curtis Mayfield 's hit, " People Get Ready "). During his time in London, Marley

14688-403: The griot became known as a chantuelle and eventually, calypsonian . Modern calypso, however, began in the 19th century as a fusion of disparate elements ranging from the masquerade song lavway , French Creole belair and the calinda stick-fighting chantwell . Also early in its recording years were influences from Venezuelan paseos . Calypso's early rise was closely connected with

14841-438: The group Teenagers with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer , which became the Wailers . In 1965, they released their debut studio album, The Wailing Wailers , which included the single " One Love ", a reworking of " People Get Ready ". It was popular worldwide and established the group as a rising figure in reggae. The Wailers released 11 more studio albums, and after signing to Island Records , changed their name to Bob Marley and

14994-502: The incorporation of the Spanish language; the use of translations and versions based on known riddims and background music; and regional consciousness. It is a medium of rebellious contestation rising from the underground. Hispanic reggae is related to rap, sharing characteristics that can be found not only in the social conditions in which they developed in the region but also in the characteristics of social sectors and classes that welcome them. Brazilian samba-reggae utilized themes such as

15147-485: The independent reggae music industry. Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding made February 2008 the first annual Reggae Month in Jamaica. To celebrate, the Recording Industry Association of Jamaica (RIAJam) held its first Reggae Academy Awards on 24 February 2008. In addition, Reggae Month included a six-day Global Reggae conference, a reggae film festival, two radio station award functions, and

15300-597: The island in its newfound independence. Sparrow sings: I am no politician, but I could understand if it wasn't for Brother Willie and his ability, Trinidad wouldn't go neither come. We used to vote for food and rum but nowadays we eating all the Indians and them. And in the ending, we voting PNM. Praise little Eric, rejoice and be glad. We have a better future here in Trinidad. Calypso music has also been used by politicians to promote political agendas through Calypso competitions. The origins of calypso competitions dates back to

15453-618: The island. During the colonial era, the Black lower class used calypso music to protest their poor economic situation and the discrimination which they were subjected to. Calypso music frequently was used as a form of musical protest. During the independence movements of Trinidad and Tobago through the early 1950s up until 1962 when the nation gained independence, calypso lyrics frequently critiqued British colonial rule . Lyrics were made to express feelings towards colonial rule as being immoral and oppressive to Caribbean people. In particular, during

15606-583: The islands to England in response to increased labor demands after World War II . Kitchener's 1948 song "Windrush" was written in two versions. The first version gained more global popularity as the lyrics expressed gratitude and appreciation for British colonial rule. However, second version found greater popularity amongst Caribbean people themselves as the lyrics conveyed a story of West Indian immigrants facing discrimination and cultural alienation while living in Britain. Although Kitchener's alternate version of "Windrush" did not gain as much commercial popularity,

15759-459: The keyboardist Jackie Mittoo and saxophonist Roland Alphonso. By 1966, Braithwaite, Kelso, and Smith had left the Wailers, leaving the core trio of Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, and Peter Tosh . In 1966, Marley married Rita Anderson , and moved near his mother's residence in Wilmington, Delaware , in the United States for a short time, during which he worked as a DuPont lab assistant, and on

15912-434: The label, Blackwell was primed for a replacement. In Marley, Blackwell recognised the elements needed to snare the rock audience: "I was dealing with rock music, which was really rebel music. I felt that would really be the way to break Jamaican music. But you needed someone who could be that image. When Bob walked in he really was that image." The Wailers returned to Jamaica to record at Harry J's in Kingston, which resulted in

16065-588: The late 1920s and early 1930s, when the "golden era" of calypso would cement the style, form, and phrasing of the music. Calypso evolved into a way of spreading news around Trinidad. Politicians, journalists and public figures often debated the content of each song, and many islanders considered these songs the most reliable news source. Calypsonians pushed the boundaries of free speech as their lyrics spread news of any topic relevant to island life, including speaking out against political corruption. Even with this censorship, calypsos continued to push boundaries, with

16218-588: The late 1960s, and has evolved into several subgenres and fusions. Many reggae artists began their careers in the UK, and there have been a number of European artists and bands drawing their inspiration directly from Jamaica and the Caribbean community in Europe. Reggae in Africa was boosted by the visit of Bob Marley to Zimbabwe in 1980. The 1967 edition of the Dictionary of Jamaican English lists reggae as "a recently estab. sp. for rege ", as in rege-rege ,

16371-806: The late 1970s and early 1980s, the UK punk rock scene flourished, and reggae was a notable influence. The DJ Don Letts would play reggae and punk tracks at clubs such as The Roxy . Punk bands such as the Clash , the Ruts , the Members and the Slits played many reggae-influenced songs. Around the same time, reggae music took a new path in the UK; one that was created by the multiracial makeup of England's inner cities and exemplified by groups like Steel Pulse , Aswad and UB40 , as well as artists such as Smiley Culture and Carroll Thompson . The Jamaican ghetto themes in

16524-576: The late 1990s and has recorded at Bob Marley's famous Tuff Gong Studios. Since the early 1990s, several Italian reggae bands have emerged, including Africa Unite, Gaudi , Reggae National Tickets, Sud Sound System , Pitura Freska and B.R. Stylers . Reggae appeared on the Yugoslav popular music scene in the late 1970s, through sporadic songs by various rock acts, most prominently by new wave bands Haustor , Šarlo Akrobata , Aerodrom , Laboratorija Zvuka , Piloti , Zana , Du Du A and Grupa I . In

16677-482: The latter half of the 20th century, phonograph records became of central importance to the Jamaican music industry, playing a significant cultural and economic role in the development of reggae music. "In the early 1950s, Jamaican entrepreneurs began issuing 78s" but this format would soon be superseded by the 7" single, first released in 1949. In 1951 the first recordings of mento music were released as singles and showcased two styles of mento: an acoustic rural style, and

16830-565: The leap to reggae include Prince Buster , Desmond Dekker , Ken Boothe , and Millie Small , best known for her 1964 blue-beat/ska cover version of " My Boy Lollipop " which was a smash hit internationally. Notable Jamaican producers influential in the development of ska into rocksteady and reggae include: Coxsone Dodd , Lee "Scratch" Perry , Leslie Kong , Duke Reid , Joe Gibbs and King Tubby . Chris Blackwell , who founded Island Records in Jamaica in 1960, relocated to England in 1962, where he continued to promote Jamaican music. He formed

16983-479: The lyrics were replaced with UK inner city themes, and Jamaican patois became intermingled with Cockney slang. In South London around this time, a new subgenre of lovers rock , was being created. Unlike the Jamaican music of the same name which was mainly dominated by male artists such as Gregory Isaacs , the South London genre was led by female singers like Thompson and Janet Kay . The UK Lovers Rock had

17136-780: The mid-1980s appeared Del Arno Band , often considered the first Yugoslav band whose sound was primarily reggae-oriented, remaining one of the most notable reggae acts on the post-Yugoslav music scene. The first homegrown Polish reggae bands started in the 1980s with groups like Izrael . Singer and songwriter Alexander Barykin was considered the father of Russian reggae. In Sweden, Uppsala Reggae Festival attracts attendees from across Northern Europe and features Swedish reggae bands such as Rootvälta and Svenska Akademien as well as many popular Jamaican artists. Summerjam , Europe's biggest reggae festival, takes place in Cologne , Germany , and sees crowds of 25,000 or more. Rototom Sunsplash ,

17289-461: The movement in these places is more stamped by its origins in reggae music and social milieu. The Rastafari movement was a significant influence on reggae, with Rasta drummers like Count Ossie taking part in seminal recordings. One of the predecessors of reggae drumming is the Nyabinghi rhythm , a style of ritual drumming performed as a communal meditative practice in the Rastafarian life. In

17442-644: The movement to independence, calypso music would include common messages of a desire for independence, opposition to colonial rule and empowerment for people of African descent. Neville Marcano , known as the Growling Tiger , became notorious for creating songs calling for independence of Trinidad and Tobago. In his song titled "Abraham Lincoln Speech at Gettysburg", Tiger used inspirations from Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg address to draw on values of liberty, equality and democracy. These three principles paralleled some of many ideas circulating during

17595-506: The musician are tools for change." Reggae has spread to many countries around the world, often incorporating local instruments and fusing with other genres. Reggae en Español spread from the Spanish-speaking Central American country of Panama to the mainland South American country of Venezuelathen to the rest of South America. Caribbean music in the United Kingdom , including reggae, has been popular since

17748-523: The nail and nail bed were removed, and a skin graft was taken from his thigh to cover the area. Despite his illness, Marley continued touring and was in the process of scheduling a 1980 world tour. The album Uprising was released in May 1980. The band completed a major tour of Europe, where it played its biggest concert to 100,000 people at San Siro stadium in Milan , Italy. Marley's last ever outdoor concert

17901-438: The nationalist movement in Trinidad and Tobago . His lyrics struck with those in support of an independent Trinidadian nation hoping to instill similar principles in their own free nation. Lord Kitchener , a largely known Calypsonian, became noted for his politically critical lyrics in his music. Kitchener used calypso to shed light on the grievances of the windrush generation , a generation of Caribbean families migrating from

18054-408: The new reggae sound on Catch a Fire , but the Trenchtown style of Burnin found fans across both reggae and rock audiences. During this period, Blackwell gifted his Kingston residence and company headquarters at 56 Hope Road (then known as Island House) to Marley. Housing Tuff Gong Studios, the property became not only Marley's office but also his home. The Wailers disbanded in 1974, with each of

18207-469: The offbeat of the rhythm. It is common for reggae to be sung in Jamaican Patois , Jamaican English , and Iyaric dialects. Reggae is noted for its tradition of social criticism and religion in its lyrics, although many reggae songs discuss lighter, more personal subjects, such as love and socializing. Reggae is deeply linked to Rastafari , an Afrocentric religion which developed in Jamaica in

18360-400: The opposing Jamaica Labour Party ) joined each other on stage and shook hands. Under the name Bob Marley and the Wailers, 11 albums were released, four live albums and seven studio albums. The releases included Babylon by Bus , a double live album with 13 tracks, was released in 1978 and received critical acclaim. This album, and specifically the final track "Jamming", with the audience in

18513-407: The political consciousness of the audience, such as by criticizing materialism , or by informing the listener about controversial subjects such as apartheid . Many reggae songs promote the use of cannabis (also known as herb , ganja , or sinsemilla ), considered a sacrament in the Rastafari movement . There are many artists who utilize religious themes in their music – whether it be discussing

18666-553: The rest of the Caribbean Antilles by the mid-20th century. Its rhythms can be traced back to West African Kaiso and the arrival of French planters and their slaves from the French Antilles in the 18th century. It is characterized by highly rhythmic and harmonic vocals, and was historically most often sung in a French creole and led by a griot . As calypso developed, the role of the griot became known as

18819-642: The rhythm section to drive it along. Reggae's great advantage was its almost limitless flexibility: from the early, jerky sound of Lee Perry's "People Funny Boy", to the uptown sounds of Third World's "Now That We've Found Love", it was an enormous leap through the years and styles, yet both are instantly recognizable as reggae. The shift from rocksteady to reggae was illustrated by the organ shuffle pioneered by Jamaican musicians like Jackie Mittoo and Winston Wright and featured in transitional singles "Say What You're Saying" (1968) by Eric "Monty" Morris and "People Funny Boy" (1968) by Lee "Scratch" Perry . Early 1968

18972-591: The second calypso recordings—including the first sung in English—were done by chantwell Julian Whiterose , better known as the Iron Duke and famous calinda stick-fighter. Jules Sims would also record vocal calypsos. The majority of these calypsos of the World War I era were instrumentals by Lovey and Lionel Belasco . Perhaps due to the constraints of the wartime economy, no recordings of note were produced until

19125-745: The song Mary's Little Boy Child by Jester Hairston ( Calypso Christmas , CL 923 Mono LP, 1956). In the Broadway-theatre musical Jamaica (1957), Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg cleverly parodied "commercial" Belafonte-style calypso. Several films jumped on the calypso craze in 1957 such as Island in the Sun ( 20th Century Fox ) that featured Belafonte and the low-budget films Calypso Joe ( Allied Artists ), Calypso Heat Wave ( Columbia Pictures ), and Bop Girl Goes Calypso ( United Artists ). Robert Mitchum released an album, Calypso...Is Like So (1957), on Capitol Records , capturing

19278-595: The sound its name. Before that people had called it blue-beat and all kind of other things. Now it's in the Guinness World of Records. Bob Marley said that the word reggae came from a Spanish term for "the king's music". The liner notes of To the King , a compilation of Christian gospel reggae, suggest that the word reggae was derived from the Latin regi meaning 'to the king'. Reggae's direct origins are in

19431-637: The sound with a faster tempo, more guitar, and more attitude. Birmingham based reggae/ pop music band UB40 were main contributors to the British reggae scene throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The achieved international success with hits such as " Red Red Wine ", " Kingston Town " and " (I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You ." Other UK-based artists that had international impact include Aswad , Misty in Roots , Steel Pulse , Janet Kay , Tippa Irie , Smiley Culture and more recently Bitty McLean . There have been

19584-512: The sound, spirit, and subtleties of the genre. Dizzy Gillespie recorded a calypso album Jambo Caribe (1964) with James Moody and Kenny Barron . Soul shouter Gary "US" Bonds released a calypso album Twist up Calypso (1962) on Legrand records, shortly after returning home from his military post in Port of Spain. Nithi Kanagaratnam from Sri Lanka sang calypso-styled songs in Tamil in 1968, which

19737-423: The sport, and in the 1970s, made the Jamaican international footballer Allan "Skill" Cole his tour manager. Marley told a journalist, "If you want to get to know me, you will have to play football against me and the Wailers." Two of the cars that Marley owned were BMWs, a 1602 and then an E3 2500. He purchased these because of the name. Marley said BMW stood for Bob Marley and the Wailers. In July 1977, Marley

19890-452: The sun, acral lentiginous melanoma occurs in places that are easy to miss, such as the soles of the feet, or under toenails. Although it is the most common melanoma in people with dark skin, it is not widely recognised and was not mentioned in the most popular medical textbook of the time. Marley rejected his doctors' advice to have his toe amputated , which would have hindered Marley's performing career, citing his religious beliefs. Instead,

20043-604: The three main members pursuing a solo career. Despite the break-up, Marley continued recording as "Bob Marley & The Wailers". His new backing band included brothers Carlton and Aston "Family Man" Barrett on drums and bass respectively, Junior Marvin and Al Anderson on lead guitar, Tyrone Downie and Earl "Wya" Lindo on keyboards, and Alvin "Seeco" Patterson on percussion. The " I Threes ", consisting of Judy Mowatt , Marcia Griffiths , and Marley's wife, Rita, provided backing vocals. In 1975, Marley had his international breakthrough with his first hit outside Jamaica with

20196-478: The time. In 1956 Mighty Sparrow won Trinida's Music contest. Calypso, especially a toned-down, commercial variant, became a worldwide craze with pop song " Banana Boat Song ", or "Day-O", a traditional Jamaican folk song, was recorded by pop singer Harry Belafonte on his album Calypso (1956). Calypso was the first calypso record to sell more than a million copies. 1956 also saw the massive international hit " Jean and Dinah " by Mighty Sparrow . This song too

20349-533: The visibility of Jamaican music worldwide and made him a global figure in popular culture. He became known as a Rastafarian icon, and he infused his music with a sense of spirituality. Marley is also considered a global symbol of Jamaican music and culture  and identity and was controversial in his outspoken support for democratic social reforms. Marley also supported the legalisation of cannabis and advocated for Pan-Africanism . Born in Nine Mile, Jamaica , Marley began his career in 1963, after forming

20502-475: The world for publicly renouncing homophobia by signing the Reggae Compassion Act. However, both of these artists have since denied any involvement in anti-homophobia work and both deny having signed any such act. Reggae has spread to many countries around the world, often incorporating local instruments and fusing with other genres. In November 2018 UNESCO added the "reggae music of Jamaica" to

20655-408: Was 10 years old. Some sources state that Marley's birth name was Nesta Robert Marley, with a story that when Marley was still a boy, a Jamaican passport official reversed his first and middle names because Nesta sounded like a girl's name. Marley's biographer has refuted claims by some cousins that the Marley surname had Syrian-Jewish origins. Marley's maternal grandfather, Omariah, known as

20808-426: Was Marley's final studio album and the last album that was released during his lifetime. It is one of his most religious productions, as it includes " Redemption Song " and " Forever Loving Jah ". Confrontation , released posthumously in 1983, contained unreleased material recorded during Marley's lifetime, including the hit " Buffalo Soldier " and new mixes of singles previously only available in Jamaica. Marley

20961-465: Was a longtime member of the Rastafari movement, whose culture was a key element in the development of reggae. He became an ardent proponent of Rastafari, taking its music out of the socially deprived areas of Jamaica and onto the international music scene. As part of being a Rastafarian, Marley felt that Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia was an incarnation of God or "Jah". However, later in life, he ended up converting to Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity and

21114-411: Was a sly commentary as a "plan of action" for the calypsonian on the widespread prostitution and the prostitutes' desperation after the closing of the U.S. naval base on Trinidad at Chaguaramas . In addition, the choral director Leonard De Paur recorded a calypso album in 1956 for Columbia Records featuring his choral arrangements of traditional Christmas music from Trinidad and Barbados, as well as

21267-533: Was a success and earned him the title "Father of Tamil Popular Music". Since Baila rhythm was popular in Sri Lanka, most of his songs were classified as Tamil Baila. In the mid-1970s, women entered the calypso men's-oriented arena. Calypso Rose was the first woman to win the Trinidad Road March competition in 1977 with her song "Gimme More Tempo". The following year with "Come Leh We Jam", she won

21420-475: Was arrested and convicted of possession of a small quantity of cannabis . In 1978, Marley returned to Jamaica and performed at another political concert, the One Love Peace Concert , again in an effort to calm warring parties. Near the end of the performance, by Marley's request, Michael Manley (leader of then-ruling People's National Party ) and his political rival Edward Seaga (leader of

21573-431: Was arrested in 1968 after being caught with cannabis but continued to use marijuana in accordance with his religious beliefs. Of his marijuana usage, Marley said, "When you smoke herb, herb reveal yourself to you. All the wickedness you do, the herb reveal itself to yourself, your conscience, show up yourself clear, because herb make you meditate. Is only a natural t'ing and it grow like a tree." Marley saw marijuana usage as

21726-486: Was baptised by Archbishop Abuna Yesehaq in the presence of his wife Rita Marley and their children, with the name of Berhane Selassie, on 4 November 1980, shortly before his death. As a Rastafarian , Marley supported the legalisation of cannabis or "ganja", which Rastafarians believe is an aid to meditation. Marley began to use cannabis when he converted to the Rastafari faith from Catholicism in 1966. Marley

21879-555: Was crowned in 1959 was called "The Observer" and the longest reigning Calypso monarch is King Dice. The Calypso tent is not just limited to adult participation. There is also a section called Junior monarch where young children under the age of 14 are able to prepare and compete with their personally made Calypso pieces. Calypso competitions usually commence in January and cumulate in the Calypso monarch competition that are usually held

22032-555: Was diagnosed with acral lentiginous melanoma ; he died in May 1981, shortly after baptism into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church . Fans around the world expressed their grief, and he received a state funeral in Jamaica. The greatest hits album Legend was released in 1984 and became the best-selling reggae album of all time . Marley also ranks as one of the best-selling music artists of all time , with estimated sales of more than 75 million records worldwide. He

22185-422: Was diagnosed with a type of malignant melanoma under the nail of his right big toe. Contrary to urban legend , this lesion was not primarily caused by an injury during a football match that year but was instead a symptom of already-existing cancer. Marley had to see two doctors before a biopsy was done, which confirmed acral lentiginous melanoma . Unlike other melanomas, which usually appear on skin exposed to

22338-600: Was first heard on the Maytals song " Do the Reggay ". Marley approached producer Leslie Kong , who was regarded as one of the major developers of the reggae sound. For the recordings, Kong combined the Wailers with his studio musicians called Beverley's All-Stars, which consisted of bassists Lloyd Parks and Jackie Jackson , drummer Paul Douglas , keyboardists Gladstone Anderson and Winston Wright , and guitarists Rad Bryan, Lynn Taitt , and Hux Brown. As David Moskowitz writes, "The tracks recorded in this session illustrated

22491-432: Was given a state funeral in Jamaica that combined elements of Ethiopian Orthodoxy and Rastafari tradition. He was buried in a chapel near his birthplace in Nine Mile; Marley's casket contained his red Gibson Les Paul guitar, a Bible opened at Psalm 23 , and a stalk of ganja placed there by his widow Rita Marley . Jamaican Prime Minister Edward Seaga delivered the final funeral eulogy to Marley, saying: His voice

22644-662: Was known variously as the Teenagers, the Wailing Rudeboys, the Wailing Wailers, and finally just the Wailers. Joe Higgs , who was part of the successful vocal act Higgs and Wilson , lived nearby and encouraged Marley. Marley and the others did not play any instruments at this time and were more interested in being a vocal harmony group. Higgs helped them develop their vocal harmonies and began teaching Marley guitar. Marley's mother later married Edward Booker,

22797-623: Was played on 6 July 1980 at Dalymount Park in Dublin . After the tour, Marley went to the United States, where he performed two shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City as part of the Uprising Tour . On 21 September 1980, Marley collapsed while jogging in Central Park and was taken to the hospital, where it was found that his cancer had spread to his brain, lungs, and liver. Marley's last concert took place two days later at

22950-465: Was posthumously honoured by Jamaica soon after his death with a designated Order of Merit by his nation. In 1994, Marley was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Rolling Stone ranked him No. 11 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time . and No. 98 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. His other achievements include a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award ,

23103-638: Was released in 1979. Tracks such as "Zimbabwe", " Africa Unite ", "Wake Up and Live" and "Survival" reflected Marley's support for the struggles of Africans. His appearance at the Amandla Festival in Boston in July 1979 showed his strong opposition to South African apartheid , which he already had shown in his song " War " in 1976. In early 1980, Marley was invited to perform at a 17 April celebration of Zimbabwe 's Independence Day. Uprising (1980)

23256-542: Was seminal in the formation of other musical forms like drum and bass and dubstep . The UK became the base from which many Jamaican artists toured Europe and due to the large number of Jamaican musicians emigrating there, the UK is the root of the larger European scene that exists today. Many of the world's most famous reggae artists began their careers in UK. Singer and Grammy Award-winning reggae artist Maxi Priest began his career with seminal British sound system Saxon Studio International . Three reggae-tinged singles from

23409-471: Was when the first bona fide reggae records were released: "Nanny Goat" by Larry Marshall and "No More Heartaches" by the Beltones. That same year, the newest Jamaican sound began to spawn big-name imitators in other countries. American artist Johnny Nash 's 1968 hit " Hold Me Tight " has been credited with first putting reggae in the American listener charts. Around the same time, reggae influences were starting to surface in rock and pop music ; one example

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