But I smelled the change way back when after stumbling upon a bar in New York, with Jews in drunken harmony like some quasi bar choir... belting along with Sizzla to... "like mountains round about Jerusaleeeeeeeeeeeeehm" granted the follow up wasn't so strong "So is Emperor Selassie I around I and I..." Yep this was probably 2002 or 2003. It had prepared me for the deluge to come of Reggae metamorphosis of epic proportions.
I was already acquainted with the notion that World Beat is sort of on the same BPM as Reggae and pretty much is a multi-ethnic reggae re-branding. This was brought home to me by Magazines like TRACE and GLOBAL RHYTHMS. I don't get them anymore... too costly and owing to the Government tax on books reading and all literature... I now have to steal books to read on the Nook. I feel like a house slave some times... piracy and theft to read and learn. The consequences of financial slavery. But I digress.
Yes, yes... World Beat = Reggae re-branded. Then I notice the rise of Reggaeton, I had already witnessed the phenomena that is Ragga Soca in 2003 and 2006, especially the similarity with Bunji Garlin and Jamaica's Bounty Killer... Hmmm I also remember experiencing the early Brit fad that was Jungle music in the late 90's with Bounty's "Smoke mi herb give tanx and praise" splice neatly unto some raggedy techno riddims, and fell in love with Brit music for awhile... spent a few summers with Bush and Oasis... Coldplay and Spice Girls (Yes I admit it I loved them... especially Scary Spice... my fave song and video was Viva Forever)... A lil Radio Head... This Brit Reggae melting pot... I believe is the premise and foundation for today's DubStep... especially seeing there is a techno revival across genre's, listen to pop music these days... all this Calvin Harris, Pitbull... that... Baby don't hurt me no more... Real McCoy...Ace of Base... CLUB SOUND... and remember how Reggae dancehall club Ace of Base sounded... I saw the sign... all that she wants...
Now lets remember some bands, bands like UB40, Rolling Stones and Sting and the Police. Add this to the fact that Dancehall essential informed Hip-hop and Rap... it's just Deejaying with an accent. Toasting the mic yankee style... instead a yardcore. We have been a musical and cultural if not spiritual power house and superstate... yes... we... us... Jamaica.
So I have to ask... How did all the top reggae stars end up being... Gentle Man from Germany, Snoop Lion from California (Speaking of Cali... who remembers No Doubt reggae wannabe), there is this other dude from Portugal, Matisyahu is a New York Jew... Israel Kamakawiwo'ole was from Hawaii...
With all this... what of the likes of Jah9, Chronixx, Protoje, Dax Lion, Kabaka Pyramid, Ibah Mahr, Keke-I, Jah Bouks, Jesse Royal, Black Am I, Jo Mersa and the rest?
How do we profit? Is this an intellectual property issue? Is there space left for Jamaican artistes? Can the Reggae Revival acts compete with there foreign counterparts?
Hawaii
California
Jewish NYC
Germany
Portugal
International Mix of Reggae Influenced Artistes
Swedish
British
