| Most people interpretation
of Reggae music is that is is dominated by the Men artists
within the culture, or by the "back to
Africa movement "
of the Rastafarianism cult that did dominate
the outlook of the music for a long while. This is true
to an extent, but not the whole case!!
However, if you dig a little bit deep you will find that
this is not true to a certain extent. The term "Lovers
Rock", will bring a smile to all of those
peoples that were there or there about in the early
1980's in England, more so once again in London.
When "roots reggae -or back
to africa topical music" - music carried
the "swing" in the 1970s in
Britain’s young black communities, there were a
large number of black kids in the UK who didn’t
feel part of roots and culture. They were upwardly
mobile, didn’t want to go back to Africa,
and listened to a lot of Soul music, liked dressing up
on a Saturday night, were open about being influenced
by their environment, but were as proud to be black as
any Dreadlocked Rastaman.
They were a generation that saw themselves
as "Black British", and they
created the music to known as "lovers rock".
After a London Reggae label called "Lovers
Rock".
The Basslines will always let you know
that it was Reggae, but with its light productions and
other musical influences to enter the music such soul
and pop music, and its subject matter devoted to matters
of the "heart" that it meant
it was a huge succes with Girl fans of
Reggae music in London and the other parts of the Uk.
That it became the staple musical diet for many of them
Soon there were sound systems that played
nothing but "lovers rock music" whenever they
played out. It was like Women were taking over Reggae
music, and how reggae music should sound. Please listen
to a Lover Rock classic. "Silly Games"
by Janet Kay, London, England, to a feel for
the music. Please click on the link below:
Please
Click here to hear a short sample of - Silly
Games by Janet Kay
Lovers Rock Reggae
was one of the few times when UK Reggae gown Reggae music
has influenced t Jamaica Reggae music to such an extent,
that artists of the nature as Dennis Brown (RIP),
Gregory Isaacs and Johnny Osbourne spent more
of their time in London than Jamaica. They made sure in
their heads that they got it right before flying home
back to Jamaica, with this sound, and making a success
of it world wide!!
Presenting ones self lyrically
has always been seen as a "problem"
for many Mc's from the UK. Many have tried and failed
to come across as a Mc, sounding like he was coming straight
out of New York or LA, Usa. UK
MCs "rapping", in a false American accent always
sounded exactly like that - "false".
Using the Jamaican Patios language aided and abettied
by English Slang words created a good mixture which they
could build on instead. Indeed, it freed
the English MC's to be a lot more creative with their
lyrical delivery over a track. They didn't have to concentrate
on how they were talking or sounding. They could now concentrate
on what they were saying instead.
Though in my personal opinion,
the court is out on "Mc's rapping over Garage music
and Soulful House music". I'm not sure that this
is the right way to go ahead with the music. But that
my opinion!!
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