Roots Reggae Essentials

Roots Reggae Essentials

Roots reggae names a sound: upbeat guitar chords, deep bass, inventive drumming, maybe some organ to boot. But more than that, it describes a feeling that's at once urgent and relaxed, spiritual and earthy. Emerging in the early ‘70s as a reaction to the suffering of poor communities in Jamaica, roots reggae preached the ideals of Rastafarianism, with artists like Bob Marley advocating for peace on lilting tracks like "One Love". Third World made the genre's political roots explicit on "1865 (96° In the Shade)", the band recounting the story of a Jamaican slave rebellion over a melancholy rhythm.

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