I too find myself beaming whenever people the word over make positive references to our island because of reggae the moment they learn I am Jamaican.

With this in mind we should all therefore remember just how effective a tool this medium can be to encourage change (at home and abroad) … and thus use it wisely. Reggae stalwarts have long used the form as their instrument to voice social concerns and it is along this line that those who currently hold the attention of the youth should [as well] use it to uplift and inspire.

Thanks again for your insight and reminder. Reggae music has been one of the greatest vehicles that have placed Jamaica prominently on the map and it is indeed about time that we gave it the appreciation and acceptance it deserves.

Please keep up the wonderful sharing.

Kathy Owen.

“When you hear the music, you feel no pain. So hit me with music, hit me with music…Trenchtown Rock, ah seh don’t watch dat, Trenchtown Rock whether yuh ah big fish or sprat” (Bob Marley’s ‘Trenchtown Rock’)

As ‘Trenchtown Rock’ denotes, reggae music knows no boundaries – whether you’re a big fish or a small [sprat] one.

February, the earth month of Reggae Extraordinaire Robert Nesta Marley has been named Reggae Month by the Government of Jamaica. The timing is perfect, given that it is also Black History Month – when the Diaspora is invited to reflect upon its past, present and future, of which reggae’s massive contribution to our liberation remains undisputed.

A ‘born Jamaican,’ it never ceases to amaze me that wherever I travel throughout the world – from Africa to New Zealand – once I announce my nationality, reference is immediately made to my music; Reggae. Awestruck, I wonder, how is it possible that a tiny country of 2.5 million people is able to have such a profound global impact? Simply put, reggae music by its very nature – its slow rhythmic beat, heavy on the base, decisive on the drums, edgy on the treble yet smooth on the harmony – reaches deep into our solar plexus and touches our hearts. No one hears reggae and remains unmoved. ‘So hit mi wid music, hit mi wid music now.’

With few exceptions, many of our reggae success stories were born out of inner-city communities, plagued with their [un]fair share of social ills. Given the commonality of poverty – lack of food, shelter, clothing, access to education and proper healthcare – reggae is the universal music that binds all who suffer. ‘When one of us suffers, we all suffer.’ So strong is reggae’s unifying force.

Present day realities demand that one lives from a place of consciousness which ultimately gives rise to community. How then does this translate within the reggae community?

From the gendered standpoint, female artistes with an emphasis on dancehall – from Sister Nancy to Tanya Stephens, Queen Ifrika to the controversial Lady Saw – continue to have an impressive impact on a music that remains brutally masculine. These women dare to respond to their dancehall brethren on issues that many would shy away from. These female forces are demonstrating to the ‘fraternity’ as well as on the global stage that they too have a voice that needs to be heard, in a world where so many women are silenced for one reason or another.

Given reggae’s universal sphere of influence, as we reflect upon Reggae Month, the question before us is simple: while we ‘edutain’ how do we effect change at home and abroad? Like rap [music] – essentially an off-shoot of reggae – it is often criticized for being brash, crude and in some instances downright vulgar. Perhaps more to the point is the fact that reggae music is incredibly confronting and in today’s fast paced world, few of us make time for self-inquiry.

Reggae has come a long way in gaining recognition as a distinct genre of music. Undeniably we are an influential player on the world stage. For this, there is cause to celebrate. Even more so is the solid endorsement given by UNESCO – the leading world body on sustaining culture – in congratulating Jamaica for [finally] giving its music [over]due reward.

With this level of support, there is solid justification for us to step forward and use reggae instrumentally as a tool within the humanitarian world to address and ultimately end many of the plights that the vast majority of the world continues to struggle with – AIDS, poverty, domestic violence, child abuse, malnutrition, lack of education and ‘dis-ease.’ To achieve this, like every other viable industry, it will require committed support backed by appropriate funding.

‘Open your eyes and look within. Are you satisfied with the life [world] we’re living in?’ (Bob Marley’s ‘Exodus’)