If I weren’t Jamaican, would reggae still be my favourite music genre? I guess that’s a question I’ll never have an answer to. However, as I answer yet another WordPress prompt, I find myself thinking. Why is reggae my favourite genre of music?
Well, for starters, this genre of music has shaped my identity. Reggae promotes love. Reggae believes in the unity and equality of all races while promoting Black consciousness and pride. Our people are lost and broken. We bleach our skin, we sew in weaves and uphold Eurocentric beauty ideals because we were told to for several hundred years and we internalized it. Reggae is radical in that it teaches Black people to love ourselves. Reggae has rewritten the narrative of what our hair should look like, what our skin should look like, and what we can achieve as Black people. Black identity is still an uncomfortable topic for many, and even in Caribbean schools (yes, even in Jamaica with a 91% Black ethnicity) in the 21st century– afros, locks and braids are frowned upon, forcibly cut off and shaved because they are still considered unkempt. But, we are slowly unraveling these generational curses and finding our way. Reggae music has been the vehicle.
Reggae music is spiritual. Reggae speaks about overcoming struggle. Reggae music promotes optimism, positivity, humility and gratitude. There’s no better way to connect with the Creator than through reggae music.
One good thing about [reggae] music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.
– Bob Marley
Reggae music is freeing. Reggae music is happy music. Reggae music is “slow down and smell the roses” music. Reggae music promotes healthy living, or what Rastas call the ital lifestyle. Reggae also promotes Jamaican Patois, a language which I took a while to accept and love.
Thus, as cliché as it is coming from a Jamaican, reggae is and will always be my favourite genre of music. Thanks, WordPress, for giving me the platform to share my love for good ole school reggae music. Also, I’m happy to have lived through the great Reggae Revival of the 2010s with new artistes like Chronixx, Koffee, Protoje, Lila Ike, Sevana and Jaz Elise running di place! I’m fortunate to live in Jamaica too where I’ve seen most of my favourite artistes live in concert for free. 🙂
Before I go, let me leave you with three of my favourite reggae songs:
Thanks for reading!
‘Til next time.
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