by Elijah Mutabuza
Reggae music is that simple music genre that generated from the roots of Jamaica especially Kingston in the late 1960s. Its generally driven by the bass guitars and drums and such music always carries rich contents in terms of rhythm and lyrics.
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, African music, as well as other genres. 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. The tempo of reggae is usually slower than ska but faster than rock steady. The concept of “call and response” can be found throughout reggae music.
In Uganda Reggae music has sold not that well because of the competition it has faced from other music genres like RnB, Hip Hop(Luga flow) to mention but a few. But luckily enough, the reggae artistes we have in Uganda like Bebe Cool, Madox Sematimba have lifted it up to almost beat every genre we have here in Uganda!
You know why? because they have done it to perfection and the good thing with Reggae music, if you do it well, u join the class of legends as it will never fade and it will forever be loved. take a look at Madox songs, up to now no song can out compete them because the reggae touch in them, can relax every mind on Earth unlike other genres that will bore at the end of the day.
Taking a look at Bebe Cool’s Reggae songs, Everywhere I go, Prison, Born in Africa(Africa’s all time inspirational song at BBC’s number 16) and others, they have earned international recognition not because Bebe Cool is the best in Africa, but because Reggae is recognized globally and a song can easily be considered when it is Reggae and i will again say that is why people like Lucky Dube and Bob Marley are considered legends of all time,,, because Reggae music is real it touches souls and heals wounds.
Reggae music again!
