Dancehall


History

Dancehall is a specific style of Reggae that first evolved in the late 70's when Style Scott (backing Prince Far I with the Creation Rebels at the time) decided to start playing chords instead of rockers, the former leading rhythm in Jamaican reggae.

 

Lyrically it signified a shift in concerns away from the international market and concious lyrics and towards more insular attitudes as expressed by deejays and singers in Sound System (Dancehall) events that addressed more everyday events, sex (commonly refered to as slackness), humour and so on. The style was clearly developing in the later part of the 70's with deejays such as Clint Eastwood and the ongoing habit of re-using classic rhythms. Deejays would gain an immense popularity during the dancehall era - deejaying itself having been born in the dancehall.

 

It was Henry ›Junjo‹ Lawes who made the music the success it soon became. Together with the youthman singer Barrington Levy and the Roots Radics backing, dancehall quickly became the new craze in Jamaica.

 

The advent of Digital productions in 1985 further informed the stylistic shift. Dancehall continues to be a catch all phrase used to cover most styles of Reggae produced up to the present day, especially those that do not have a classic reggae off beat.

 

The producers and artists

Producers that quickly made a name for themselves in the genre was Junjo's old spar Linval Thompson, Bunny Lee, Joe Gibbs, Jah Thomas, Prince Jammy and newcomers such as George Phang.

 

A selected few singers where initially seen primarily as dancehall singers, Osbert Madoo (who regarded himself the first dancehall singer) and Little John for an example.

 

Some important producers of the digital era where Prince Jammy (now dubbed the King), King Tubby, Gussie Clarke, Witty Henry and Harry J.