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A riddim is an instrumental version of a song, which applies to Jamaican music or other forms of Caribbean music. Riddims usually consist of a drum pattern and a prominent bass line. The Jamaican Patois term riddim is derived from the English word "rhythm."
Riddims are the instrumental backgrounds of reggae, lovers rock, dub, ragga, dancehall, and also soca compositions. Also, rare cases in reggaeton, which itself is largely based on the Dem Bow and Poco riddims by Steely & Clevie from the early 1990s, feature a riddim, such as Ivy Queen and Sasha's "Dat Sexy Body," which uses the Bookshelf riddim produced by Tony Kelly of the K-Licious reggae label. In other musical contexts, a riddim would be called a groove or beat. In most cases the term riddim is used in reference to the entire background track or rhythm section, but in older roots riddims, riddim is used to reference a certain bass line and drum pattern. Often a melody is associated with the riddim, and occasionally an artist will produce two different songs with the same riddim (e.g. Elephant Man's "Ele Melody" and "Father Elephant" were both produced using the Kopa riddim, produced by Supa Dups).
Some urban contemporary songs may become riddims as well. The instrumental of Ne-Yo's "Miss Independent" has become a popular riddim; many dancehall artists have recorded songs using the track. Other songs have inspired riddims too, such as George Michael’s song “Faith,” which became a riddim of the same name, and R. Kelly’s “Snake,” which became the Baghdad riddim.Riddims can generally be categorized into three types. The oldest type of riddim is the classical riddim providing roots reggae, dub and lovers rock with instrumentals, such as Bam Bam, produced by Sly & Robbie. The second type is the ragga riddim backing raggamuffin and dancehall songs, such as the Juice riddim, produced by Richard "Shams" Browne. The third type is the digital riddim, such as Sleng Teng, produced by King Jammy.
So-called digital riddims refer to riddims created around the time that Jamaican producers incorporated drum machines and synthesizers into reggae-music production. Nowadays, however, most dancehall and Soca riddims are created by electronic instruments, so, in essence, most are digital.Different producers often develop their own versions of the same riddim, such as the Punanny riddim, which has distinct versions crafted by Steely & Clevie and by Ward 21, and different artists often perform on top of the same riddims with different lyrics and different vocal styles, ranging from singing to toasting. As an example, Beenie Man's song "My Wish," Mr. Vegas' song "Go Up," and T.O.K.'s "Man a Bad Man" are all based on the Juice riddim. Many riddims are named after the song that was recorded on that instrumental track for the first time (or, in some cases, the song that becomes the most popular on a given riddim). For example, the Satta Massagana riddim is named after The Abyssinians' original song "Satta Massagana."
Several notable producers include
* Black Chiney
* Bobby "Digital" Dixon
* King Jammy
* Dave Kelly
* King Tubby
* Henry "Junjo" Lawes
* Joe Gibbs
* Donovan Germain
* Steely & Clevie
* Bost & Bim
* Stephen "Di Genius" McGregor
Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that concerns itself with the spiritual side of Rastafari and with the honoring of their Godhead, Jah. It also is identified with the life of the ghetto sufferer, and the rural poor. Lyrical themes include spirituality, poverty, Black pride, social issues, resistance to government and racial oppression, repatriation, and Rastafari.
The heyday of roots reggae is usually considered the latter half of the 1970s – with singers such as Johnny Clarke, Cornell Campbell, Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear, Max Romeo, Horace Andy, Hugh Mundell and Lincoln Thompson, and groups like Black Uhuru, Steel Pulse, Israel Vibration, The Gladiators and Culture – teaming up with producers such as Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Bunny Lee, Joseph Hoo Kim and Coxsone Dodd. The experimental pioneering of such producers within often-restricted technological parameters gave birth to dub, and is seen by some music historians as one of the earliest (albeit analogue) contributions to modern dance music production techniques.
Roots reggae also became very popular in Europe in the 1970s, especially among left-wing white youths in Western Europe. When Jamaicans turned to dancehall, a lot of black, white and mixed roots reggae bands were formed in Europe. Later on roots reggae also made its way into the United States with the mass migration of Jamaicans to New York. This took place with the reforms made to American immigration laws in the early 1960's. Along with localized traditions and food, reggae music was inevitably brought as well, contributing to the New York City soundscape. Dub is either an instrumental subgenre of reggae music, or a separate genre of music that involves revisions of existing songs. The dub sound consists predominantly of instrumental remixes of existing recordings and is achieved by significantly manipulating and reshaping the recordings, usually by removing the vocals from an existing music piece, emphasizing the drum and bass parts (this stripped down track is sometimes referred to as a 'riddim'). Other techniques include dynamically adding extensive echo, reverb, panoramic delay, and occasional dubbing of vocal or instrumental snippets from the original version. Dub also sometimes features electronically generated sound effects, or the use of distinctive instruments such as the melodica.
Dub was pioneered by Osbourne Ruddock, Lee Perry, Errol Thompson and others in the late 1960s. Similar experiments with recordings at the mixing desk were also done by producers Clive Chin and Herman Chin Loy. These producers, especially Ruddock and Perry, looked upon the mixing desk as an instrument, manipulating tracks to come up with something new and different.
Dub has influenced many genres of music, including rock (most significantly the sub-genre of post-punk and other kinds of punk), pop, hip hop, disco, and, later, house, techno, ambient, and trip hop; it has become a base for jungle/drum'n'bass and dubstep. Today, the word 'dub' is used widely to describe the re-formatting of music of various genres into typically instrumental, rhythm-centric adaptations.The verb dub is defined as making a copy of one recording to another. The process used by Jamaican producers when making dubs was to use previously recorded material, modify the material, and subsequently record it to a new master mix, in effect transferring or "dubbing" the material. The term dub had multiple meanings in Jamaica around the time of the music's origin. The most frequent meanings referred to either a form of erotic dance or sexual intercourse; such usage is frequently present in names of reggae songs, for instance, of The Silvertones' "Dub the Pum Pum" (where pum pum is Jamaican slang for female genitalia), Big Joe and Fay's "Dub a Dawta" (dawta is Jamaican slang for girlfriend). I-Roy's "Sister Maggie Breast" features several references on sex:
I man a-dub it on the side
Say little sister you can run but you can't hide
Slip you got to slide you got to open your crothes wide
Peace and love abide
Some musicians, for instance Bob Marley and The Wailers, had their own meaning of the term dub. In concert, the order "dub this one!" meant "put an emphasis on bass and drums". Drummer Sly Dunbar points to a similar interpretation, relating the term dubwise to using only drums and bass. Another possible source was the term dub plate, as suggested by Augustus Pablo. John Corbett has suggested that dub could derive from duppie, a Jamaican patois word for ghost, as illustrated by Burning Spear having named the dub version of his Marcus Garvey album Garvey's Ghost, and by Lee Perry stating that dub is "the ghost in me coming out".Dub music is characterized by a "version" or "double" of an existing song, often instrumental, using B-sides of 45 RPM records and typically emphasizing the drums and bass for a sound popular in local sound systems. The instrumental tracks are typically drenched in sound effects such as echo, reverberation, with instruments and vocals dropping in and out of the mix. Another hallmark of the dub sound is the prominent use of bass guitar. The music sometimes features other noises, such as birds singing, thunder and lightning, water flowing, and producers shouting instructions at the musicians. It can be further augmented by live DJs. The many-layered sounds with varying echoes and volumes are often said to create soundscapes, or sound sculptures, drawing attention to the shape and depth of the space between sounds as well as to the sounds themselves. There is usually a distinctly organic feel to the music, even though the effects are electronically created.
Often these tracks are used for "toasters" rapping heavily rhymed and alliterative lyrics. These are called "DJ Versions". In forms of sound system based reggae, the performer using a microphone is referred to as the "DJ" or "deejay" (where in other genres, this performer might be termed the "MC", meaning "Master of Ceremonies", "Microphone Commander" or "Mic Control"), and the person choosing the music and operating the turntables is called the "selector" (sometimes referred to as the DJ in other genres).
A major reason for producing multiple versions was economic; a record producer could use a recording he owned to produce numerous versions from a single studio session. A version was also an opportunity for a producer or remix engineer to experiment and vent their more creative side. The version was typically the B-side of a single, and used for experimenting and providing something for DJs to talk over, while the A-side was more often the dedicated to the original vocal-oriented track. In the 1970s, LP albums of dub tracks were produced, often simply the dub version of an existing vocal LP, but sometimes a selection of original instrumental tracks produced in dub style for which no vocals existed.Dub music and toasting introduced a new era of creativity in reggae music. From their beginning, toasting and dub music developed together and influenced each other. The development of sound system culture influenced the development of studio techniques in Jamaica, and the earliest DJs, including Duke Reid and Prince Buster among others, were toasting over instrumental versions of reggae and developing instrumental reggae music."Versions" and experiments with studio mixing (Late 1960s)
In 1968, Kingston, Jamaica sound system operator Ruddy Redwood went to Duke Reid's Treasure Isle studio to cut a one-off dub plate. Engineer Byron Smith left the vocal track out by accident, but Redwood kept the result and played it at his next dance with his deejay Wassy toasting over the rhythm. The instrumental record excited the people at the sound system and they started singing lyrics of the vocal track over the instrumental. The invention was a success, and Ruddy needed to play the instrumental continuously for half an hour to an hour that day. The next day Byron Lee who was a witness to this, told King Tubby that they needed to make some more instrumental tracks, as "them people love" them, and they dubbed out vocals from "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" by Slim Smith. Because of King Tubby's innovate approach, the resulting instrumental track was more than just a track without a voice - King Tubby interchanged the vocals and the instrumental, playing the vocals first, then playing the riddim, then mixing them together. From this point on, they started to call such tracks "versions". Another source puts 1967 and not 1968 as the initial year of the practice of putting instrumental versions of reggae tracks to the B-side of records.
At Studio One the initial motivation to experiment with instrumental tracks and studio mixing was correcting the riddim until it had a "feel", so a singer, for instance, could comfortably sing over it.
Another reason to experiment with mixing was rivalry among sound systems. Sound systems' sound men wanted the tracks they played at dances to be slightly different each time, so they would order numerous copies of the same record from a studio, each with a different mix.Evolution of dub as a sub-genre (1970s)
While some have tried to attribute the "invention" of dub music to a single person, by 1973, through the efforts of several independent and competitive innovators, engineers, and producers, instrumental reggae "versions" from various studios had evolved into "dub" as a sub-genre of reggae.
Errol Thompson engineered the first strictly instrumental reggae album, entitled The Undertaker by Derrick Harriott and the Crystalites, which was released in 1970. This innovative album credits "Sound Effects" to Derrick Harriott.
In 1973, at least three producers, Lee "Scratch" Perry and the Aquarius studio engineer/producer team of Herman Chin Loy and Errol Thompson simultaneously recognized that there was an active market for this new "dub" sound and consequently they started to release the first albums strictly consisting of dub. Lee Perry released Blackboard Jungle Dub in the spring of 1973. It is considered a landmark recording of this genre.
In 1974, Keith Hudson released his classic Pick a Dub, widely considered to have been the first deliberately thematic dub album, with tracks specifically mixed in the dub style for the purpose of appearing together on an LP, and King Tubby released his two debut albums King Tubby Meets the Upsetter at the Grass Roots of Dub and Surrounded by the Dreads at the National Arena.Recent history (1980–present)
Dub has continued to evolve, its popularity waxing and waning with changes in musical fashion. Almost all reggae singles still carry an instrumental version on the B-side and these are still used by the sound systems as a blank canvas for live singers and DJs. Rastafari DJ Kyle Fartley was one of the original innovators of modern dub heard today.
In the 1980s, Britain became a new centre for dub production with Mad Professor and Jah Shaka being the most famous, while Scientist became a standout artist of the era. It was also the time when dub made its influence known in the work of harder edged, experimental producers such as Adrian Sherwood and the roster of artists on his On-U Sound label. Many bands characterized as post-punk were heavily influenced by dub. Better-known bands such as The Police, The Clash and UB40 helped popularize Dub, with UB40's Present Arms In Dub album being the first Rastafarian dub album to hit the UK top 40.Influence of dub on popular, electronic, and dance music
From the 1990s forward, dub has been influenced by, and has in turn influenced, techno, jungle, drum and bass, dubstep, house music, punk and post-punk, trip hop, ambient music, and hip hop, with many electronic dub or dubtronica tracks, as well as Ambient dub, produced by nontraditional rastafarian musicians from these other genres. Musicians such as Bill Laswell, Jah Wobble, Leftfield, Ott, Massive Attack, Bauhaus, The Clash, The Beastie Boys, Asian Dub Foundation, Killing Joke, PiL, the Disco Biscuits, The Orb, Rhythm & Sound, Pole, Deadbeat, Subatomic Sound System, Underworld, De Facto, Sublime, Thievery Corporation, Bandulu Dub, Kruder & Dorfmeister, DJ Spooky, High Tone, Dub All Sense and others demonstrate clear dub influences in their respective genres, and their innovations have in turn influenced the mainstream of the dub genre. In the UK, Europe, Japan, Australia and America, independent record producers continue to produce dub. Before forming The Mars Volta, Omar and Cedric of the post hardcore group At The Drive In, along with friends Ikey Owens and Jeremy Ward, recorded a series of dub albums under the name De Facto. The Polish punk/psychedelic and new wave bands Brygada Kryzys and Republika recorded dub tracks. Yugoslav New Wave outfit Električni Orgazam also experimented with dub music on their album Lišće Prekriva Lisabon. Other dub performers include Serbian dub band Black Ark Crew, Basque dub band Basque Dub Foundation, and Australian live dub outfit The Sunshine Brothers. In 1987, rock band Soundgarden released a dub version of the Ohio Players' song "Fopp" alongside a more traditional rock cover of the song. DJs appeared towards the end of the 1990s who specialised in playing music by these musicians, such as the UK's Unity Dub.Influence of dub on punk and rock music
Since the inception of dub in the 70s, its history has been intertwined with that of the punk rock scene in the UK. The Clash worked on collaborations involving Jamaican dub reggae creators like Lee Scratch Perry(whose "Police & Thieves", co-written with Junior Murvin, was covered by the Clash on their first album) and Mikey Dread (on the Sandinista album). As well, the English group Ruts DC, a post Malcolm Owen incarnation of the legendary reggae influenced punk group The Ruts, released Rhythm Collision Dub Volume 1 (Roir session), with the expertise of the Mad Professor. Many punk rock bands In the U.S. were exposed to dub via the rasta punk band Bad Brains from D.C., which was established and released their most influential material during the 80s. Dub was adopted by the punk rock camp of the 90s, with bands such as Rancid and NOFX writing original songs in a Dub style. Often bands considered to be Ska-Punk play dub influenced songs; one of the first such bands to become popular was Sublime, whose albums featured both dub originals and remixes. They went on to influence more recent American bands such as Rx Bandits and The Long Beach Dub Allstars. In addition, dub influenced some types of pop, including bands such as No Doubt. No Doubt's most recent album, Rock Steady , features an assortment of popular dub sounds like reverb and echoing. As noted by the band themselves, No Doubt is heavily influenced by Jamaican musical aesthetics and production techniques, even recording their Rock Steady album in Kingston, Jamaica, and producing B-sides featuring dub influences on their "Everything In Time B-Sides" album. Some controversy still exists on whether pop-ska bands like No Doubt can regard themselves as a part of dub lineage. Other bands followed in the footsteps of No Doubt, fusing pop-ska and dub influences, such as Save Ferris and Vincent.
There are also some British rastafarian punk bands creating dub music. Capdown released their Civil Disobedients album, featuring the track Dub #1, while Sonic Boom Six and The King Blues take heavy rastafarian influences from dub, mixing the genre with original punk ethics and attitudes.21st century dub in the roots tradition
Traditional dub has survived and some of the originators of dub such as Lee Perry and Mad Professor continue to produce new material. New artists continue to preserve the traditional dub sound, some with slight modifications but with a primary focus on reproducing the original characteristics of the sound in a live environment. Some of those artists include Dubblestandart from Vienna, Austria (who recorded the album "Return from Planet Dub" in collaboration with, and performs live with, Lee Scratch Perry), New York City artists including Ticklah, also known as Victor Axelrod and Victor Rice, Easy Star All-Stars, Subatomic Sound System(who have remixed material by Lee Scratch Perry and Ari Up), Dub is a Weapon, King Django, and Dr. Israel, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad from Rochester, NY, Heavyweight Dub Champion from San Francisco and Colorado, Future Pigeon from Los Angeles, German artists like Disrupt and Rootah from the Jahtari label, and Twilight Dub Circus from the Netherlands. More eclectic use of dub techniques are apparent in the work of BudNubac, which mixes Cuban bigband with dub techniques. Lee Perry and Mad Professor continue to produce new material. Modern dub producer Ryan "Party" Moore has received critical acclaim for his Twilight Circus project.
Heavyweight Dub Champion, has been headlining festivals in the United States and gaining recognition in Europe. Denver's Westword Magazine awarded their debut album, Survival Guide For The End Of Time, "Best Local Recording" for Colorado in 2003 and describes their style as "a shamanistic wall of hip hop dubtronica".The band is a concept band and has pushed the envelope of the genre, although, according to the LA Weekly, "Their genius is the great virtue of 70's dub: never overdoing it."Dub and the dubstep movement
A recent evolution in dub is a genre of electronic music called dubstep. Dubstep's early roots are in the more experimental releases of UK garage producers, seeking to incorporate elements of dub reggae into the South London-based 2-step subgenre. Dubstep rhythms are usually syncopated, and often shuffled or incorporating triplets. The tempo usually falls around 70 beats per minute, though it is almost always produced in half time around 140. Dubstep rhythms typically do not follow the four-to-the-floor pattern common to many other styles of electronic dance music, but instead tend to skip beats and repeat sets of two bars rather than single bars.Impact on remixing
'Dub' has become a term for almost any musical piece that "Utilizes the remixing of prerecorded sound as a mode of artistic expression." Taking the separate entities of a musical track and remixing them into a completely new selection has become a popular process, and can be found in a variety of genres ranging anywhere from hip-hop remixes and mash-ups to metal.
"Real Rock" is a 1967 instrumental reggae song by Sound Dimension, one of the house bands of producer Coxsone Dodd's famous Studio One. It is significant for giving rise to perhaps the most popular reggae riddim of all time, having been versioned hundreds of times by artists ranging from The Clash to KRS-One to 311. According to a 2004 New York Times article, Dodd considered the song his crowning achievement.
The riddim's signature three-note Hammond organ figure was played by the legendary Jackie Mittoo.
Partial list of songs using the "Real Rock" riddim
* "Real Rock," Sound Dimension (1967)
* "Rockers' Rock," Augustus Pablo (1973)
* "Cool Out Son," Junior Murvin (1978)
* "Armagideon Time," Willi Williams/"Armagideon Time," The Clash (both 1980)
* "Lend Me Your Chopper," Johnny Osbourne (1983)
* "If I Ever Fall In Love Again," Sanchez (1993)
* "Black Cop," KRS-One (1993)
* "Too Greedy," Super Cat (1995)
* "All Mixed Up," 311 (1995)
* "Keep In Touch," Sizzla (2003)
* "Original," Raggasonic (1998)
* "Friday Evening ," Joe Tex & U Black (1978)
* "Nice Up The Dance," Welton Irie & Prince Weedy (1979) also by Michigan & Smiley
* "Cool Out Son ," Junior Murvin (1979)
* "Stop The Fussing & Fighting," Dennis Brown (1978)
* "The Real Rock" Shinehead (1990)
Soca or soul calypso is a form of dance music which originated in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago from calypso music. It originally combined the melodic lilting sound of calypso with insistent percussion (which is often electronic in recent music) and local chutney music. Soca music has evolved in the last 20 years primarily by musicians from various Anglophone Caribbean countries including Trinidad, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, United States Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, The Bahamas, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica and Belize.
The nickname of the Trinidad and Tobago national football team, the Soca Warriors, refers to this musical genre.The reputed father of soca was Lord Shorty (born Garfield Blackman), in Trinidad and Tobago, whose 1973 recording of "Indrani" started the trend. In the 1970s he began writing calypso songs for other young calypsonians including Maestro and his cousin "BARON" who had a hit called "SEVERE LICKING" produced by Shorty. Trinidad and Tobago has been renowned for its magnificent carnivals, originator of calypso and the steel pan. A prolific musician, composer and innovator, Ras Shorty experimented the fusion of Calypso(African derived) with East Indian rhythms and for nearly a decade before unleashing "the soul of calypso,"...soca music. Shorty had been in Dominica during an Exile One performance of Cadence-lypso, and collaborated with Dominica's 1969 Calypso King, Lord Tokyo and two calypso lyricists, Chris Seraphine and Pat Aaron in the early 1970s , who wrote him some kwéyòl lyrics. Soon after Shorty released a song, "Ou Petit" with words like "Ou dee moin ou petit Shorty" (meaning "you told me you are small Shorty"), a combination of calypso, cadence-lypso and kwéyòl(as reported in Exile One Gordon Henderson's book, "Zoukland" 1999 edition). It would be Lord Kitchener who would begin the noticeable and accredited transition, which was developed as Soca(Soul calypso)music. According to Lord Kitchener's former manager Errol S. Peru, a pioneer in the promotion of calypso & soca music, "Kitch had a knack for Kaiso... anything he composed was instantly a hit." Byron Lee & the Dragonaires made soca a West Indian social wave, but the Baha Men, Kevin Lyttle, Machel Montano, Burning Flames, Krosfyah, Rupee Walker and others in the 21st century brought it to American recognition.
Some notable Soca Producers and Composers include, Leston Paul, Ibo Joseph, Kenny Phillips, Shawn Noel (Da Ma$tamind), Neil Bernard, KC Phillips, Kondwani "Kd" Applewhite, Ossie Gurley and a host of others.
Like calypso, soca was used for both social commentary and risqué humor, though the initial wave of soca acts eschewed the former. Lord Shorty was disillusioned with the genre by the 1980s because soca was being used to express courtships and sexual interests. Like all things related to sexual freedom, it was embraced because of its ability to reflect the desires of a society that was sexually repressed. Soca music became an expression of sexuality through metaphors in the West Indies. Soon after, Shorty moved to the Piparo forest, converted to the Rastafari movement and changed his name to Ras Shorty I. There he created a fusion of reggae and gospel music called jamoo (Jah music) in the late 1980s. In the 1990s, and now the new century, soca has evolved into a blend of musical styles. Machel Montano's collaborations with Jamaican musicians (Red Rat and Beenie Man), American musicians (like Walker Hornung), Panama musicians (Karamel and Lans) and Japanese artists have pushed the boundaries of modern Soca. Machel Montano would be the first mainstream soca artist to sell out venues all over the world including the Theater at Madison Square Garden.Hit songs
Some soca songs that have become worldwide hits:
* "Hot Hot Hot" - Buster Poindexter (originally recorded by Arrow)
* "Follow the leader" - Soca Boys (originally recorded by Nigel and Marvin Lewis), a more recent version by S.B.S.
* "Sweet Soca Music" - Sugar Daddy
* "Raggamuffin" - Square One
* "DJ Ride" - Square One
* "Turn Me On" - Kevin Lyttle
* "Tempted to Touch" - Rupee
* "Who Let the Dogs Out" - Baha Men (originally recorded by Anslem Douglas)
* "What I Want" - Fireball, produced by Bob Sinclar
* "Soca Dance" - Charles D. Lewis
* "Island Girl" - Burning Flames. Used in the 90s movie Weekend at Bernie's.
* "Game Of Love and Unity"-Shaggy/Rupee/Fey-Ann Official ICC cricket 2007 West Indies World Cup Anthem
* "Defense (The Anthem remix)" - Machel Montano, Pitbull and Lil Jon
* "Come Dig It" - Machel Montano
* "Big Truck" - Machel Montano
* "Nani Wine" - Byron Lee (originally recorded by Crazy)
* "All I Know" - Claudete Peters
* "Expose" - Tizzy
* "Ragga Ragga" - Red Plastic Bag
* "Tradewinds" - England Cold
Related genres
Soca music has evolved like all other music over the years, with Calypsonians experimenting with other caribbean rhythms such as Zouk, Dancehall and Chutney music.
some examples are the following:
1. Rapso : Eastern Caribbean dialect hip-hop with smooth calypso melody and bold lyrics
2. Chutney Soca: Original Soca performed with a more Chutney styled form; mainly performed by Chutney musicians
3. Ragga Soca: A fusion of Jamaican Dancehall and Soca (Chutney music is replaced with Dancehall music) so it is Dancehall and Contemporary Calypso, which is an uptempo Calypso beat with moderate bass and electronic instruments. A Trinidadian form of performing Dancehall Reggae.
4. Parang Soca: A combination of Calypso, Soca, and Latino music. Parang originated in Venezuela and is most often sung in Spanish.
5. Steelband-Soca: Steel Pans are types of drum often used in Soca and Calypso music; it became so popular that it became its own musical genre--Steelband. The steel pans are hand-made, bowl-like, metal drums that are crafted so that different sections of the drum produce different notes when struck. Steelbands are groups of musicians who play songs entirely on steel drums. There are many different types of steel pans, each with its own unique set of pitches.
Soca has also been experimented with in Bollywood films, Bhangra, and new Punjabi pop.Instrumentation
Soca music is based on a strong rhythmic section done by a drum set. The drum and percussion is often loud in this genre of music and is sometimes the only instrument to back up the vocal. Soca is indeed defined by its loud fast percussion beats. Synthesizers are used often in modern soca and have replaced the once typical horn section at 'smaller' shows . Electric and bass guitars are found very often and are always found in a live soca band. A horn section is found occasionally in live soca bands mostly for the 'bigger' shows. It usually consist of two trumpets and a trombone with saxophones being part of the section from time to timeReggaeton (pronounced /ˌrɛɡeɪˈtoʊn/; also spelled reggaetón, and known as reguetón and reggaetón in Spanish) is a form of urban music that became popular with Latin American youth in the early 1990s. After its mainstream exposure in 2004, it spread to North American, European and Asian audiences. Reggaeton's predecessor originated in Panama as reggae en español. After the music's gradual exposure in Puerto Rico, it eventually evolved into a new musical style known as reggaeton. Reggaeton blends West-Indian music influences of reggae and dancehall with those of Latin America, such as bomba, plena, salsa, merengue, latin pop, cumbia and bachata as well as that of hip hop, contemporary R&B, and electronica. However, reggaeton is also combined with rapping or singing in Spanish. The influence of this genre has spread to the wider Latino communities in the United States, as well as the Latin American audience. While it takes influences from hip hop and Jamaican dancehall, reggaeton is not the Hispanic or Latino version of either of these genres; reggaeton has its own specific beat and rhythm, whereas Latino hip hop is simply hip hop recorded by artists of Latino descent. The specific rhythm that characterizes reggaeton is referred to as "Dem Bow." The name is a reference to the title of the dancehall song by Shabba Ranks that first popularized the beat in the early 1990s. Reggaeton's origins represents a hybrid of many different musical genres and influences from various countries in the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States. The genre of reggaeton however is most closely associated with Puerto Rico, as this is where the musical style later popularized and became most famous, and where the vast majority of its current stars originated.
Reggaeton lyrics tend to be more derived from hip hop than dancehall. Like hip hop, reggaeton has caused some controversy, albeit less, due to alleged exploitation of women, and to a lesser extent, explicit and violent lyrics. Further controversy surrounds perreo, a dance with explicit sexual overtones which is performed to reggaeton music. Perreo was the subject of a national controversy in Puerto Rico as reggaeton music and the predominantly lower class culture it derived from, became more popular and widely available.History
Reggaeton's roots started off as Spanish reggae in Panama. The music eventually made its way and continued evolving and coming to prominence in Puerto Rico where it became reggaeton. Reggaeton started as an adaptation of Jamaican reggae (and later Jamaican dancehall) to the Spanish language and overall culture in Panama.
The origins of reggaeton begin with the first reggae recordings being made in Panama during the late 1970s. Reportedly, the Jamaican influence on Panamanian music has been strong since the early 20th century when Jamaican laborers were used to help build the Panama Canal. Afro-Panamanians had been performing and recording Spanish-language reggae since the 1970s. Artists such as El General, Chicho Man, Nando Boom, Renato, and Black Apache are considered the first raggamuffin DJs from Panama. El General is often considered as the father of reggaeton, blending Jamaican reggae into a Latin-ised version. It was common practice to translate the lyrics of Jamaican reggae song into Spanish and sing them over the original melodies, a form termed "Spanish reggae" or "Reggae en español." Meanwhile, during the 1980s the Puerto Rican rapper Vico C released Spanish-language hip hop records in his native island. His production of cassettes throughout the 1980s, mixing reggae and hip hop, also helped spread the early reggaeton sound, and he is widely credited with this achievement. The widespread movement of "Spanish reggae" in the Latin-American communities of the Caribbean and the urban centres of the United States help increase its popularity.
Meanwhile hip hop and reggae in Puerto Rico were on the rise due to the increased popularity of Jamaican ragga imports. Towards the middle of the decade, Puerto Ricans were producing their own "riddims" with clear influences from hip hop and other styles. These are considered the first proper reggaeton tracks, initially called "under", a short form of "Underground." As Caribbean and African-American music gained this momentum in Puerto Rico, Reggae Rap in Spanish marked the beginning of Boricua underground rap and served as an expression for millions of young people. This created an entire invisible, yet prominent underground youth culture that sought to express themselves through Reggae Rap in Spanish. As a youth culture that exists on the fringes of society and criminal illegality, it has often been publicly criticized. The Puerto Rican police launched a raid against underground rap by confiscating cassette tapes from music stores under Penal codes of obscenity, issuing fines, and the demoralization of rappers through radio, television, and newspaper media.
The term "underground", coming out of hip hop discourse, associates underground artists as asserting a self-identification that rejects the commercialization of music. In San Juan "underground", however, it was not just about authenticity or ideology, but was literally about position in the market. "Underground" music was circulated via informal networks, copied from cassette to cassette, until the mid 1990s.
DJ Playero was one of the most famous producers of "Underground" at the time, releasing several underground cassettes that featured early performances of some soon-to-be-famous artists like Daddy Yankee.
The basis for reggaeton was laid in Puerto Rico at this time, with the melding of Panamanian Spanish reggae, with influences from dancehall, hip hop and various other Latin American musical genres.
The genre morphed through the years, at various points being termed "Melaza", "música underground", and "Dem Bow." This last name originated from reggaeton's distinguishing rhythmic feature: the Dem Bow (alternately spelled "Dembow") beat, relying heavily on the snare drum, which is used in nearly all reggaeton songs today. This beat, or riddim, was produced under the direction of Jamaican record producer Bobby "Digital" Dixon and performed by Steely & Clevie. It first became popular in the song "Dem Bow" (They Bow) performed by Jamaican dancehall artist Shabba Ranks in 1991. The song and beat achieved greater popularity among Spanish-speaking Latin Americans when Panamanian artist El General released the song "Son Bow" in 1991, a Spanish language cover of "Dem Bow" using the same musical track. It should be pointed out that neither Shabba or El General sang reggaeton as neither the genre nor its title were as yet formed. Additionally "Dem Bow" was just a single song in Shabba's catalog, with Ranks not singing another significant song using the "Dem Bow" beat. However the influence of the original Bobby Digital beat is undeniable, and modern reggaeton often still reflects the original instrumentation, as well as the original rhythmic structure.
Rise to popularityReggaeton expanded and became known when other producers followed the steps of DJ Playero, like DJ Nelson and DJ Eric. In the early '90s albums like DJ Playero's Playero 37 (in which Daddy Yankee became known) and The Noise: Underground, The Noise 5 and The Noise 6 were very popular in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Singers like Don Chezina, Tempo, Master Joe & O.G. Black, Baby Rasta & Gringo, and Lito & Polaco among others were very popular.
The name reggaeton only gained prominence in the mid-1990s (from the 1994 to 1995 period), with the Dem Bow beat characterizing the genre; this is in contrast to the more reggae, dancehall and hip hop-derived tracks previously created. The name was created in Puerto Rico to signify the hybrid sound, and distinguish it from the previous Spanish reggae, created from the years of mixing the different genres. Today, the music flourishes throughout Latin America.
Reggaeton soon increased in popularity with Latino youth in the United States when DJ Blass worked with artists such as Plan B and Speedy in albums such as Reggaeton Sex.2004: the cross-over year
2004 was the year that reggaeton gained widespread popularity in the United States and non-Hispanic Europe. Tego Calderón was already getting some airplay in the U.S. and it was very popular in the youth market. Daddy Yankee's "El Cangri.com" became popular that year in the U.S., as did Hector Y Tito. LunyTunes y Noriega's Mas Flow was well received and Kilates, La Mision, Yaga y Mackie with Sonando Differente, Tego Calderón with El Abayarde, Los Homerunes De Yankee, Desafio, Motivando a La Yal By Zion y Lennox, La Conspiracion, and others were popular as well. Then in 2004 rapper N.O.R.E released his hit single "Oye Mi Canto" which seemingly broke cultural and language barriers, which featured the likes of Nina Sky & Daddy Yankee. Soon after Daddy Yankee came out with his album Barrio Fino and his hit single "Gasolina" which spread around the world becoming a mega-hit and with it introducing reggaeton to the rest of the world. Tego Calderón also increased the reggaeton genre with singles like "Pa Que Retozen" and "Guasa Guasa". Another important artist who contributed to reggaeton's increasing popularity, especially in Europe, is Don Omar, with singles like "Pobre Diabla" and "Dale Don Dale." Other very popular reggaeton artists include Alexis & Fido, Angel & Khriz, Nina Sky, Nicky Jam, Zion, RKM & Ken-Y, Voltio, Calle 13, Héctor "El Father", Ivy Queen, Wisin & Yandel, and Tito "El Bambino". In late 2004 and early 2005, Shakira recorded "La Tortura" and "La Tortura - Shaketon Remix" in her album Fijación Oral vol.1 (Oral Fixation vol.1) popularizing reggaeton in North America, Europe and Asia.2006-present:Topping the charts
In May 2006 Don Omar's album, King of Kings, became history's highest ranking reggaeton LP in the top 10 US charts, with its debut at #1 on the Top Latin Albums chart and it's peak at #7 on the Billboard's 200 albums. It also gained the #1 spot on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Radio Chart with the single "Angelito." Don Omar was also able to beat the in-store appearance sales record at Downtown Disney's Virgin music store previously set by pop star Britney Spears, further demonstrating reggaeton's massive rise to popularity in the United States. 2007 also saw new records set demonstrating the immense popularity of reggaeton with Daddy Yankee's June release of El Cartel III: The Big Boss setting the new record for highest first week selling reggaeton album with 88,000 copies sold. It peaked at #1 on both the Top Latin Albums and Top Rap Albums charts being the first reggaeton album to peak at #1 on the rap charts. It also peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200 making it the second highest ranking reggaeton album on the mainstream chart. The third highest ranking reggaeton album came later that year in the form of Wisin Y Yandel's album Wisin vs. Yandel: Los Extraterrestres debuting at #14 on the Billboard 200 and #1 on the Top Latin Albums chart. In 2008 reggaeton further proved it's staying power with a new 3rd place highest ranking album debut with the release of Daddy Yankee soundtrack to his movie of the same name Talento de Barrio debuting at #13 on the Billboard 200 knocking Wisin vs. Yandel: Los Extraterrestres down a spot. It also peaked at #1 on the Top Latin Albums chart, #3 on Billboard's Top Soundtracks and #6 on the Top Rap Albums chart. 2009 saw the release of Wisin y Yandels album La Revolucion debuting at #7 on the billboard hot 100 making it equal 1st as the highest charting reggaeton album along with King of Kings. It also debuted at #1 on the Top Latin Albums and #3 on the Top Rap Albums, demonstrating a crossover appeal for reggaeton in mainstream "English-speaking" markets.Dem Bow
The Dem Bow riddim itself was first discovered and produced by Jamaican Dancehall DJs in the late 1980s and early 1990s. However, the original idea of Dem Bow's percussion pattern cannot be traced to any individual producer, because the riddim itself was partly influenced by reggae's one drop and also by other West Indian music, which in turn gives the dembow a pan-Caribbean nature. Steely & Clevie, creators of the Poco riddim are usually credited with the creation of the original dembow.
The Dem Bow riddim was first highlighted in the song "Dem Bow" by Shabba Ranks. Dem Bow's drum and percussion pattern is created through a drum machine. The creation of the drum machine in the late 1970s revolutionized dancehall music, and many dancehall producers used these drum machines to create different dancehall riddims. Dembow's role in reggaeton is to be the basic building block, and the skeletal sketch in percussion. The dembow used in reggaeton also incorporates other different riddims such as the Bam Bam riddim, the Poco riddim, the Fever Pitch riddim, and the Big-Up riddim. As a result, different samples are often used to create Dem Bow in reggaeton.
As reggaeton continues to evolve, so does the Dem Bow riddim, and many of the newer reggaeton hits incorporate a much lighter and electrified offspring of the riddim. Examples can be heard in songs such as "Permitame" and "Pa' Que la Pases Bien"Lyrics and themes
Reggaeton lyrical structure resembles hip hop lyrics. Like hip hop, most reggaeton artists recite their lyrics rap-fashion rather than sing it melodically, although earlier reggaeton songs were toasted in which some are today. Unlike hip hop music, however, a significant percent of reggaeton artists are also singers, may blend rapping and singing, and may also have a "street" image, similar to Akon. Like hip hop music, reggaeton songs have hooks that are repeated throughout the song.
Reggaeton started as a genre composed of mostly male artists, with a slowly increasing number of female artists debuting over the years. Notable female reggaeton artists include Ivy Queen, Mey Vidal, Adassa, La Sista and Glory.
Reggaeton lyrical themes are versatile. Typical themes may include sex, dancing, love stories, partying, short anecdotes of the rapper's life, and problems in life. Popular reggaeton songs are mainly intended to be danceable, rhythmic, party-like songs for young people. Reggaeton may or may not be objectionable depending on the artists, song, and the listener's interpretation, as one reggaeton song may have many interpretations because a song's meaning may not be very clear and direct; Many of the songs are highly metaphorical. For example, the song Gasolina is often considered appropriate for children and has made it into the Reggaeton Niños series.[citation needed] However, because of the various possible connotations and interpretations of the song, some people criticize Gasolina as having possibly inappropriate sexual content.
Latino ethnic identity has been a common theme in reggaeton, articulated musically, lyrically, and visually.
Usually, reggaeton CDs are not labeled "explicit" like many hip hop CDs are. One exception is that Daddy Yankee's Barrio Fino en Directo (Barrio Fino Live) was labeled explicit for objectionable content in the live concerts (and for explicit language by Snoop Dogg in the song "Gangsta Zone"), even though the regular studio version of Barrio Fino was not labeled explicit. Some reggaeton artists, such as Alexis & Fido, are able to circumvent radio and television censorship by using sexual innuendo and lyrics with double meanings in their music. Some songs have also raised concerns about women's depiction on their lyrics Latin America
Reggaeton is very popular in Latin American countries such as Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Cuba, and Venezuela. Reggaeton has become staple music in many parties and events, complementing the common mix of merengue, salsa and electronic music, and has paved a huge fan base. In some countries such as Peru with MC Francia, Los TNT and Mr. Fresh, Venezuela with Doble Impakto, Honduras with DJ Sy and El Salvador with Heavy Clan, domestic "reggaetoneros" have arisen, expanding the Pan-Latin feel[clarification needed] of the genre.
In some Latin American countries such as Cuba, where ideas and language are an integral part of the appreciation of music, there is an alleged critical backlash against the increasing popularity of reggaeton. This rift supposedly exists often among members of the Cuban Hip Hop community. According to British music lecturer Geoff Baker, many critics claim that the music's lyrics do not explore any subjects past "sex, dancing, and the singer himself, in various combinations." Baker also believes that because reggaeton has an allegiance to so many Caribbean and Latin American countries, it overshadows distinctly Cuban forms and variations of music, such as Cuban Hip Hop, even though Hip Hop is ultimately a North American musical genre.Cuba
Ever since Reggaeton's worldwide exposure in 2004, the music has also enjoyed a strong presence in Cuba. It's unexpected rapid growth however, has hit Cuban officials by surprise, when by the year 2009, Reggaeton á lo Cubano has become the primary choice of music between urban Cuban youth, specially in Havana. According to Reuter, Cuban officials are alarmed by the "decadent" and "Neo-Liberal" music.Panama
Spanish Reggae developed as a result of Jamaican immigration to Panama as a result of the Panama Canal. Eventually, many of these Jamaicans had intentions to go back to Jamaica, but many of them ended up staying, and eventually assimilated and became part of the culture. Meanwhile, in the 1970s, Panamanians like El General began taking reggae songs and beats and singing over them with Spanish lyrics. They also sped up Reggae beats, and added Hispanic and Latino elements to them. The music continued to grow throughout the 1980s, with many stars developing in Panama. El General has been widely regarded as the "Godfather of Reggaeton" due to his unique sound with Latino rhythms. El General stepped down in 2004 from the music industry, and since then has been working to help underprivileged Panamanian children. Now, the reggaeton industry flourishes in Panama; artists are gaining recognition and popularity such as La Factoria, Eddy Lover, Flex and Makano.Puerto Rico
Reggaeton derives from the post-Salsa music youth generation of the '80s and early '90s in Puerto Rico. Before reggaeton exploded in the mid-nineties, young street artists, heavily influenced by East Coast hip hop and turntablism, rapped over cassette tracks easily acquired within their Commonwealth (United States insular area) status. Alongside this early hip hop influenced reggae-rap, evolved the Panamanian reggae style which eventually fused into reggaeton.
This new genre was simply called "underground." It contained very explicit lyrics about drugs, violence, poverty, homophobia, friendship, love, and sex. These common themes, which in many cases depict the troubles of an inner-city life, can still be found in reggaeton today. "Underground" music was recorded in "marquesinas" (or Puerto Rican open garages) and distributed in the streets via cassettes. These marquesinas were crucial to the development of Puerto Rico's underground scene due to the state's "fear of losing the ability to manipulate 'taste'". Marquesinas were often in "housing complexes such as Villa Kennedy and Jurutungo." Despite being recorded in the projects of Puerto Rico, the majority of the recordings made in marquesinas were of high quality, which helped in increasing their popularity to the Puerto Rican youths of not only the projects but those of the middle and upper class as well. The availability and quality of these cassettes led to the genre's popularity, crossing over socio-economic barriers in the Puerto Rican music scene. The most popular cassettes in the early 1990s were DJ Negro's The Noise I and II, and DJ Playero's #37 and #38.Gerardo Cruet Created these recordings spread out the genre from the marginalized residential areas into other sectors of society, particularly into private schools. By the mid '90s "underground" cassettes were being sold in commercial music stores. The genre caught up with the middle class youth and inevitably found its way to the media.
By this time Puerto Rico had a few clubs dedicated to the underground scene. Club Rappers in Carolina, and club PlayMakers in Puerto Nuevo were the most notable. Bobby "Digital" Dixon's dembow track was exploited in order to appeal in the context of the club. Underground music wasn't intended originally to be club music.
Underground rap music in Puerto Rico faced harsh criticism. In February 1995, there was a government-sponsored campaign against underground music and its cultural influences. Puerto Rican police launched six raids at records stores in San Juan, in which hundreds of cassettes were confiscated from record stores and fines were imposed (in accordance with Laws 112 and 117 against obscenity.) The Department of Education banned baggy clothing and underground rap music from the school systems. In the following months after the raids, local media demonized rappers, claiming they were "irresponsible corrupters of the public order."
The Puerto Rican chapter of Morality in Media asked the local authorities to intervene and ban selling underground music, which subsequently required that all local productions being sold displayed a Parental Advisory label[citation needed]. By 1998 DJ Negro released The Noise 3 with a mock up label that read Non-Explicit Lyrics. The album contained no cursing until the last song. The album was a hit and underground music further crept into the mainstream. Senator Velda González of the Popular Democratic Party and the media continued to view the movement as a social nuisance.
In the mid 1990s, the Puerto Rican Police and National Guard even went as far as to confiscate reggaeton tapes and CDs in an effort to get the "obscene" lyrics out of the hands of consumers. Schools also banned hip hop style clothing and music in an effort to quell the influence of reggaeton in the educational environment. In 2002, Senator Velda González led public hearings in an attempt to regulate the sexual "slackness" of reggaeton's lyrics and the perrero style of dance associated with the genre. While the effort did not seem to negatively effect the general public's opinion about reggaeton, it did reflect the unease of the government and upper social classes with what the music represented. Due to its often sexually charged content and because of its roots in poor, urban communities, many middle and upper class Puerto Ricans found reggaeton to be threatening, "immoral, as well as artistically deficient, a threat to the social order, apolitical, [and] misogynist."
Despite earlier controversy, reggaeton slowly began gaining acceptance as an important part of Puerto Rican culture, helped in part by politicians, including Velda González, who used reggaeton in election campaigns to appeal to younger voters, starting in Puerto Rico's 2003 elections. Currently, Puerto Rican mainstream acceptance of reggaeton has grown increasing more visible with reggaeton's appearance in popular culture, including a 2006 Pepsi commercial featuring Daddy Yankee. Other examples of a change in sentiment within the greater population of Puerto Rico can be seen in some religiously and educationally influenced lyrics. "Reggae School" for example is a rap album produced for the sole purpose of teaching math skills to children, reminiscent of School House Rock.
Despite Puerto Rico's struggling economy, reggaeton stars have been able to achieve success not only as global stars but as local entrepreneurs; this has been evidenced in industry labels such as DJ Nelson's Flow Music, Daddy Yankee's El Cartel Records, and Wisín and Yandel's WY Records. Through production models derived from U.S. hip hop artists and based in grassroots movements, reggaeton has been an artistic vehicle gaining worldwide popularity, a far cry from its previous reputation as an infamous underground product of urban youth.United States
With the help of N.O.R.E, a New York-based rapper, and his producing of Nina Sky's 2004 hit Oye Mi Canto, which featured prominent reggaeton artists Tego Calderón, Daddy Yankee reggaeton quickly gained popularity in the US. Soon after, Daddy Yankee caught the attention of many big names in hip hop with his song Gasolina, propelling the style across the country. Also in 2004, XM Radio launched a channel called Fuego (XM), which played exclusively reggaeton music. However, XM Radio removed the channel in December 2007 from home and car receivers, but can still be streamed off the XM Satellite Radio Website. The genre has also provided the foundation and basis for a modern Latin-American commercial radio phenomenon known as Hurban, a combination of the terms Hispanic and Urban that is used to evoke the musical influences of hip hop and Latin American music. Reggaeton forming from hip hop and reggae has helped Latin-Americans contribute to the urban American culture while still keeping many aspects of their Hispanic heritage. The music relates to many of the socio-economic issues happening in America including gender and race which highly connects to hip hop in America today.
Underground clubs, youths in the inner-city ghettos, and huge hip hop moguls all participated in pushing the genre to the top of the charts.Europe
Reggaeton has not become as popular in Europe as in Latin America. However, It has a great appeal to Latin American immigrants and Spanish people, especially in Spain. A Spanish concept called "La Canción del Verano" (The Summer Song), under which a particular song or two define the mood for the season and are regarded unofficially as such by Spanish media, served as the basis for the appearance popularity of reggaeton songs such as Panamanian rapper Lorna's "Papi Chulo (Te Traigo el Mmm) " in 2003, "Baila Morena" by Hector y Tito and Daddy Yankee's Gasolina in 2005. Puerto Rican and Panamanian reggaeton artists have toured Spain to give Reggaeton concerts.
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