What Is The Influence Of Bob Marley's Influence On American Culture

Reggae is most easily recognized by the rhythmic accents on the off-beat, usually played by guitar or piano (or both), known as the skank. This pattern accents the second and fourth beat in each bar (or the ands of each beat depending on how the music is counted) and combines with the drums emphasis on beat three to create a unique feel and sense of phrasing in contrast to most

In a time of political, economic, and social unrest, a new way of protest was beginning to emerge from Jamaica in the form of reggae music. It was 1963 when a young man from Jamaica by the name of Robert Nesta Marley, better known as “Bob Marley”, formed a band called The Wailers, who would undoubtedly become one of the only reggae bands to rise up from the oppression of the third world country. The country of Jamaica had just gained independence from the U.K. in 1962, but was anything but a free nation. Those in power chose to exploit the country’s few main exports, primarily bauxite, a mineral used in the process of manufacturing aluminum. The first ten years of Jamaican independence saw considerable economic growth, but these

This paper is an analysis of the political and social aspects of hip-hop and reggae, as well as, addressing the commonalities of the music itself as they have developed and changed over time. This analysis produces the holistic view reflecting the interconnectedness of these two genres of music.

Reggae music has become one of the most prominent genres of music in our world today. Thus, it has come as no surprise that it has produced some of the finest musicians of the past century ranging from Bob Marley to Beenie Man and even the now infamous, Buju Banton. Once the word, ‘reggae’ is mentioned, some people often link it to Jamaica, however, what they do not know is that reggae music actually has links to the African continent. It was a product of the Rastafari movement. A Rastafari then through reggae music, sent strong messages. They saw Africa as Zion. Africa was like Heaven on Earth and they intended to move back here. They not only wanted to return to Africa, but they intended on building the continent whilst preserving its culture.

The beginning of this Cultural Revolution began because of the high level of American cultural literacy the Jamaican immigrant came to the United States with. The country of Jamaica had been flooded with Americans goods and products since the 1950s. “From American rhythm and blues to Hollywood Western movies, Jamaicans took the offerings of First World power and changed them from ‘below.’”(177) During the 1970s, the Jamaican immigrants were able to create in the American paradigm of the music business. This shift was founded mostly on the Jamaican concept of “bricolage”(178) which translates to making new products out of minimal resources. One of the most recognized Jamaican immigrants that generated the idea of hip hop was a man by the name of Clive Campbell, aka DJ Kool Herc. One of Campbell’s more popular creations was when he extended the ‘break’ of the song by switching between two of the same records. The idea of ‘break’ dancing came from this early innovation. In addition, Clive Campbell created applied the ideas of using a vocalist during the break. Some of the catch phrases used consisted of “to the beat y’all” and “you don’t stop.”(180) These ideas that Campbell was introducing into American music were concepts that were already being used in Jamaica. If Jamaicans had never immigrated, hip hop would have never become as popular as early as it did.

There are many genres of Jamaican music that countless people who’ve adapted to the culture do not know about. The influence of Rastafari religion on Jamaican musical

Reggae’s purpose is to help people and make them happier. It’s lyrics point out flaws in government and society and serves as a peaceful way of protest. Reggae today is found in multiple forms. In the 1970’s, Reggae changed Western Punk Rock and Pop, and it had a major impact and influenced the first rappers in the US (“Études Caribéenes”). In the ‘70s, Marley’s music also had a massive influence in the US because he was able to slightly alter his style to fit a rock market (“Reggae”). Reggae, hip-hop, and rap are all similar in that they all emerged from oppression, all reflected the lifestyle of blacks, and all rebelled establishment (“Études Caribéenes”). Today, in the 21st century, Reggae has remained a weapon of choice for the poor. Overall,

In the 1970s and the 1980s, Bob Marley became the most high-profile exponent of the Rastafari culture and beliefs. His reputation as an innovative musician devoted to his faith has continued to grow since his death, so that by 2004 his greatest hits compilation “Legend” had sold over 20 million copies worldwide, making him arguably the world’s most famous Jamaican, and certainly the nations biggest selling recording artist according to the official Bob Marley web

Bob would forever remain the unique product, with his poetic worldview as well as his music by the tough ghetto streets. His overnight smash played an important role in Jamaican music circles. Which made it possible for him to write raw for and about people of the west Indian slums. In 1970 Marley’s ongoing distillation of reggae forms blossomed into and electrifying rock – influenced many people that made him an international superstar. Bob understood that reggae absorbed all other influences and he

With the growing international popularity of reggae in the 1970’s, the Rastafarian movement gained headway in Jamaica. Yet this came as both a blessing and curse for the Rastafarian, because it created

Reggae evolved from the roots of music styles mentioned above and the lyrics weighted more on politics that addressed social and economical injustice. It also drew from folk music, Pocomania church music,

Reggae music is the result of a number of different styles and genre of music being mixed together and interrupted by Jamaicans. Reggae was really created in the late 1960s as a result of music genres such as ska, rock steady, mento, American jazz, rhythm and blues, new Orleans R and B and calypso. Ska and rock steady are very much the foundations for not only Reggae but a number of these other genres too. Ska music originated in the late 1950s and was the precursor for rock steady music. Ska music was characterized by the walking “bass line”, meaning it has a continuous sequence of notes that are played. Rock steady is a genre created around 1966 in Jamaica and it was performed majorly by Jamaican harmony groups. Rock steady has a very

Reggae never lost and will never lose its association with music and the Rastafari culture. It remains a revolutionary form of explanatory art. Music never remains stagnate, it will always evolve. Roots reggae; a sub-genre of Reggae, was dominant in Jamaica in the cohort of 1975-1980. Roots reggae tackles the life of a “ghetto sufferer” and discusses truths and rights (Barrow and Dalton, 129).

Reggae is a mix of musical styles and originated in Jamaica, bob marley is the image of reggae music and when people hear the name reggae ythey instantly thingk of bob marley.

Because Marley's music was such a powerful force in the rise of the Rastafarian movement, there are many popular and scholarly writings which focus on Marley and his music. An