Feel the Rhythm: Top 8 Fascinating and Fun Facts About Reggae Music You Need to Know

1. "Do the Reggay" – Genre's Name Origin

Before shaking a leg to "Do the Reggay" was a thing, people were probably skanking their way to "Rum Bop" tunes and grooving to "Streggae" beats – oh, what a wild conjecture that is: In reality, the term "reggae" came into existence in 1968 through the famous song "Do the Reggay" by Toots and the Maytals, coining the name for the genre previously referred to as "blue-beat" or "skank", and bringing the Jamaican music sensation to the global stage.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Peter Tosh's "Chik Chik" Sound

When Peter Tosh wasn't busy strumming and plinking for The Wailers, he played sous-chef to good vibes by concocting a "chik, chik" musical marinade: Tosh masterminded the signature "chik, chik" sound of roots rock reggae heard in many Wailers hits as the talented guitarist and keyboardist of the band.
Source => thepatrioticvanguard.com

Did you know there's a 639-year-long concert happening in a medieval church in Germany? With rare chord changes like a G-sharp scheduled for February 2022, this performance truly tests the limits of time and music! 🎵⏳

=> Fun Facts about Music

3. Sly & Robbie – Galactic Pioneers

In a galaxy far, far away, there lived an unheard rhythm waiting to conquer the terrestrial scene - unveiling the heroes Sly & Robbie: These musical jedis, in the mid-1970s, pioneered a unique style of roots reggae music called "rockers," featuring syncopated drum patterns and a mechanical, aggressive sound, leaving a reggae legacy with artists like Burning Spear, Max Romeo, The Abyssinians, Culture, and Israel Vibration.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. "Off-beat" Reggae Guitarists

You might say reggae guitarists are quite "off-beat" characters, always skanking around the rhythm, à la Marley and The Wailers: The foundation of reggae music lies in the unique technique of playing staccato chords on beats 2 and 4, while muting the strings in between to create the iconic "skank" rhythm, popularized in the 70s by legends like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, and Jimmy Cliff, and influencing numerous non-Jamaican artists since.
Source => learningtoplaytheguitar.net

5. Reggae's Lion-Hearted Messages

When Bob Marley said, "One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain", he certainly wasn't lion about reggae: this genre is known for its socially conscious themes, such as addressing poverty, oppression, and inequality, heavily influenced by the Rastafarian movement and its emphasis on African roots and liberation struggle.
Source => lyrics.com

6. Casio MT-40 Keyboard – Digital Revolution

In a time when Casio watches were the height of fashion and digital dreams were born, one little keyboard hero stepped forward to change the face of reggae music forever: the Casio MT-40 keyboard revolutionized reggae in the 1980s by creating a new digital dancehall sound, utilizing other vintage equipment like the Yamaha PortaStudio and Studer A800 Reel-To-Reel, leaving a lasting influence on future genres and artists for decades to come.
Source => loopmasters.com

7. Zuri Marley – Electro-Pop Heiress

From "No Woman, No Cry" to "Beg For It", the Marley dynasty does an electric slide: Zuri Marley, the granddaughter of Bob Marley and daughter of Ziggy Marley, is a singer and songwriter who released her first single, "Beg For It," in November 2018, embracing electro-pop and stepping away from her grandfather's reggae roots.
Source => dailymail.co.uk

8. Cool Runnings – Jamaican Bobsled Fiesta

If a Jamaican bobsled team slides into an airport cafe and Cool Runnings plays endlessly in the background, is it a fact or a fiesta? Here's the dish: The Jamaican Bobsled Cafe at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay joyfully loops the beloved 1993 Disney film "Cool Runnings" all day, every day, as a heartfelt tribute to their national heroics. The real-life Jamaican bobsled team made their triumphant return to the Winter Olympics in 2014 in Sochi, Russia, for the first time since 2002 - with generous fans raising over $120,000 to cover their travel and equipment needs, and a hilariously tongue-in-cheek slogan, "Cool Runnings: Swiss-erland."
Source => largeup.com