Reggae

Country of origin: Jamaica

Description: a slow tempo rhythmic style that originated in Jamaica. It derived from from two popular homegrown dance styles that preceded it, ska and rocksteady, both influenced by American R&B and jump blues. Other influences that contributed to the development of reggae include Mento, a Jamaican folk music closely related to Trinidadian calypso, the religious drumming known as nyahbingi, and American rock.

The development of reggae is intertwined with the history of Rastafarianism, a spiritual, social, and political movement that began to develop among the island’s poor during the 1930s.

Jamaican producer Joe Gibbs left an indelible mark on reggae music with numerous record hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s.