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Afrii Diaspora Dialogue

Reggae

Reggae is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s and is deeply linked to Rastafari, an Afrocentric religion which developed in Jamaica in the 1930s, aiming at promoting Pan-Africanism. Soon after the Rastafarian movement appeared, the international popularity of reggae music became associated with and increased the visibility of Rastafari and spread its gospel throughout the world. Reggae music is an important means of transporting vital messages of Rastafari. The musician becomes the messenger, and as Rastafari see it, the soldier and the musician are tools for change.

18 artists

  1. Alton Ellis

    By Khamisi,

    Alton Ellis (1 September 1938 – 10 October 2008) was a Jamaican singer-songwriter. One of the innovators of rocksteady, he was given the informal title "Godfather of Rocksteady". In 2006, he was inducted into the International Reggae And World Music Awards Hall Of Fame. Born Alton Nehemiah Ellis in Trenchtown, Kingston, Jamaica, Ellis was raised within a musical family which included his older brothers Leslie and Irving—known as 'Niney'—who was a popular singer and steel pan player on Jamai

    Genres: Jamaican Ska, Reggae, Rocksteady and Roots Reggae

    Submitted

  2. Garnett Silk

    By Khamisi,

    One of the most exciting young talents to arise out of the '80s dancehall scene, Garnett Silk began his career as a child toaster, but ended it as one of Jamaica's most astonishing singers; with a rich and emotive voice, he took the nation by storm. He seemed destined for international stardom, when his career was cut cruelly short by his death in 1996. Born Garnett Damoin Smith in Jamaica's Manchester parish on April 2, 1966, the young DJ-to-be, had decided on his career choice as a small child

    Genres: Dancehall, Lovers Rock, Old School Dancehall and Roots Reggae

    Submitted

  3. Jalifa

    By Khamisi,

    Jalifa is a Trinidadian-Raggae artist, born on December 26th, 1990 with the given name Kalifa Nataki Alexis to Mr. Roy Theobalds and Claire Alexis, known to many as Priest Ekechi and Empress Adama. Jalifa along with her 8 siblings was brought up under the Rastafarian livity that is portrayed by Jalifa outward and inwardly. Jalifa being the 7th child out of 9 siblings took to the interest in doing music at the tender age of seven. Growing up Jalifa's first musical influences came by seeing her fa

    Submitted

  4. Jah Bouks

    By Khamisi,

    Worin Gerol Shaw known also as Boukie or JAH BOUKS was born in St. Thomas in a community known as Winchester. He started doing music from the age of 12 years old. He left St. Thomas and came to Port more, where he has done a lot of community stage shows in and around the Municipality and his home away from home, Gregory Park. Early memories linger on his soulful deliveries at after work jam sessions at the Cactus Nigh Club where he commanded and in many instances equaled popular favourites done

    Genres: Modern Reggae

    Submitted

  5. Jah Frozen

    By Khamisi,

    Jah Frozen is a music producer and reggae artist.  I just write for justice rambling for the people and black people all of our people, African ancestry.

    Updated

  6. Marcia Griffiths

    By Khamisi,

    In a genre traditionally dominated by male artists, Marcia Griffiths is arguably the best-known and most influential woman in the history of reggae. Griffiths first made a name for herself when the music was still evolving from its roots in ska and rocksteady, and she later became an ally of reggae's signature artist Bob Marley before embracing the electronic-based sounds of dancehall and funk in the 1980s. Her 1982 track, "Electric Boogie," went on to inspire the popular dance the Electric Slid

    Genres: Dub, Lovers Rock, Reggae, Rocksteady, Roots Reggae and Ska

    Updated

  7. Chronixx

    By Khamisi,

    Son of reggae artist Chronicle, Jamaica's Chronixx got his start under the name Little Chronicle. Born Jamar Rolando McNaughton, Chronixx showed musical promise at a young age, prompting his father to bring his son into the studio where he would meet reggae singers like Gregory Isaacs and Burro Banton. He launched his own career in 2003 while still singing harmony with artists like Lutan Fyah. A string of singles in 2011 that included "Behind Curtain" and "African Heritage" helped put him on reg

    Genres: Dancehall, Modern Reggae and Roots Reggae

    Updated

  8. Protoje

    By Khamisi,

    A reggae revivalist with more of a roots influence than most, Jamaican singer Protoje rose to independent success in 2011 with the release of his debut full-length, The Seven Year Itch, and its hit single "Rasta Love," which featured Ky-Mani Marley. Subsequent hits helped elevate his status as an international reggae star and his sound took on more elements of rap and hip-hop on later releases like 2020's album In Search of Lost Time and 2022's Third Time's the Charm. Born Oje Ken Ollivierr

    Genres: Dancehall and Modern Reggae

    Submitted

  9. Warrior King

    By Khamisi,

    Jamaican-born singer Warrior King (Mark Dyer) found himself drawn to music as a youth. He managed to balance his musical pursuits with an education that included stints at St. Andrew Technical and the National Tools Engineering Institute. His first attempt at radio came in the late '90s with the Coco Tea-produced single "Nuff a Dem a Evil" with fellow DJ Little Blacks. The duo participated in numerous festivals and community events before Dyer, who was christened Warrior King by Frisco Kid, hit

    Genres: Lovers Rock, Modern Reggae, Old School Dancehall, Reggae and Roots Reggae

    Submitted

  10. Reemah

    By Khamisi,

    Reemah, hailing from St. Croix, Virgin Islands, has been encouraging all those that listen with a powerful, and spiritually uplifting message through music. Reemah's debut album, Check Your Words, was released in July 2012, setting the airwaves ablaze with a conscious and feminine fervor. Reemah's performances throughout the United States (including Hawaii), Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Reggae on the River Festival in California, South America, as well as major festivals such as Rototom Suns

    Genres: Brazilian Reggae, Modern Reggae and Virgin Islands Reggae

    Submitted

  11. Aza Lineage

    By Khamisi,

    Aza Lineage, born Dana Bernard, is a Reggae artist from Kingston Jamaica. Aza was influenced by Reggae and Dancehall Music from an early age via Serious Gold, a Sound System that was owned and operated by her cousins. With the upcoming of cable TV in the '90s, Hip Hop and R&B music were broadcasted in Jamaica, and Aza instantly fell in love with both genres: My style of music is a combination of Reggae, Dancehall, Hip Hop, R&B, Revival and Sound System Culture. Her art is about "decoding

    Genres: Modern Reggae

    Updated

  12. Black Am I

    By Khamisi,

    One of the brightest young talents recruited by Ghetto Youths International label. Black-Am-I hails from Nine Mile, Jamaica, birthplace of King of Reggae Bob Marley. The culturally inclined reggae singjay has already started to distinguish himself as a powerful voice of Jamaican music’s next generation. His past appearances include marquee reggae events and venues worldwide, including ‘Reggae On The River’ (USA), ‘Rototom Reggae Sunsplash’ (Spain), SummerJam Festival (Germany), Somerset Hou

    Genres: Modern Reggae

    Submitted

  13. Iba Mahr

    By Khamisi,

    Iba MaHr is a reggae artist who was born Mario Greaves on January 21, 1987, in Linstead, Jamaica. He was given the name Iba MaHr by friends of the strong African culture influence. Iba is an African name, meaning Humble and Calm, and MaHr is really an acronym, meaning Mario of Harar; Harar is a small province in Ethiopia. After completing secondary education at Charlemont High and sixth form at Dinthill Technical High, Iba went on to study for a bachelor's degree in Computing and Management

    Genres: Dancehall and Modern Reggae

    Submitted

  14. Hempress Sativa

    By Khamisi,

    Kerida Shushana Johnson, known professionally as Hempress Sativa, is a contemporary reggae singer and songwriter from Jamaica. Her music aligns with the roots reggae tradition with variants of Hip-Hop, Afrobeats, and R&B. Born and raised in Papine, Jamaica to Rastafarian parents, Sativa was exposed to music from a very early age. During an interview with World A Reggae, she spoke of her early life: My father would give my siblings and I the microphone and record anything that came

    Genres: Modern Reggae

    Submitted

  15. Sizzla

    By Khamisi,

    Miguel Orlando Collins, known by his stage name Sizzla Kalonji or Sizzla, is a Jamaican reggae musician. Born to devout Rastafarians, like them, Sizzla subscribes to the Bobo Ashanti branch of the Rastafari movement. He was raised in August Town, Kingston, Jamaica where he studied mechanical engineering at Dunoon High School. He is one of the most commercially and critically successful contemporary reggae artists and is noted for his high number of releases. As of 2018 he has released 56 so

    Genres: Dancehall, Lovers Rock, Modern Reggae, Reggae, Reggae Fusion and Roots Reggae

    Submitted

  16. Lutan Fyah

    By Khamisi,

    Anthony Martin (born 4 December 1975), better known as Lutan Fyah, is a Jamaican musician, singer, and member of the Rastafari movement Bobo Shanti. Born in Spanish Town, Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica, Martin studied Architecture at the University of Technology and played professional football for Constant Spring F.C. before focusing on music. Using the stage name Lutan Fyah, sometimes credited as Lute and Fyah, he started his musical career in 1999. He recorded his first songs for B

    Genres: Dancehall, French Reggae, Lovers Rock, Modern Reggae and Roots Reggae

    Submitted

  17. Bob Marley

    By Khamisi,

    Robert Nesta Marley OM (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, as well as his distinctive vocal and songwriting style. Marley's contributions to music increased the visibility of Jamaican music worldwide and made him a global figure in popular culture to this day. Over the course of his career, Marley became known as a Rastafari icon,

    Updated

  18. Bob Marley & The Wailers

    By Khamisi,

    Bob Marley and the Wailers (also known as The Wailing Wailers, Bob Marley & the Wailers, and The Wailers) were a Jamaican reggae band led by Bob Marley. It developed from the ska vocal group, The Teenagers, created by Peter Tosh, Marley, and Bunny Wailer in 1963. By late 1963 singers Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, and Cherry Smith had joined on. By the early 1970s, Marley and Bunny Wailer had learned to play some instruments, and brothers Aston "Family Man" Barrett (bass) and Carlton Ba

    Genres: Reggae and Roots Reggae

    Submitted

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