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TellEmSteveDave
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08 May 2012, 5:22 pm

I love reggae, Ska, dub, dancehall, ragga, ska-punk & also genres like jungle, drum n bass & dubstep which have a reggae influence.

I have no problem understanding the accent or the lyrics, I'm not black but Jamaican & West Indian music and slang are like second nature to me!



Pondering
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08 May 2012, 5:52 pm

I understand reggae until they start singing about their religion. Babylon this and that, I don't get, but I assume it's similar to what most people sing about when singing about a god.

Actually, I don't understand most of the super fast reggae. I prefer more laid back kinds anyways.

you know, with a lot of singers, no matter what kind of music they play, I find a lot of them get their words kind of slurred, and the words don't come off as what they are if you were to read the lyrics... I think people also get so lost in the music that happens.


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Tor
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10 May 2012, 3:13 pm

reggae artists only sing about war, women, and cannabis that's all you really need to know! :D



techstepgenr8tion
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10 May 2012, 7:52 pm

Tor wrote:
reggae artists only sing about war, women, and cannabis that's all you really need to know! :D

So if I hear anything about Jah or Babylon its not real Trenchtown. Got it. :wink:


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mushroo
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10 May 2012, 8:29 pm

Pondering wrote:
I understand reggae until they start singing about their religion. Babylon this and that, I don't get, but I assume it's similar to what most people sing about when singing about a god.


Babylon was an ancient city (in present-day Iraq) that captured and enslaved the Jews. The were basically the first "superpower" of antiquity.

In Reggae culture, Babylon is a metaphor for any society that is corrupt, oppressive, materialistic, "the system," "the man." Specifically it refers to the colonial Western culture that captured their African ancestors, brought them over as slaves, and keeps them disenfranchised in the modern day. Most Rastas desire to exit Babylon and enter Zion (the holy land), either literally by repatriating to Africa, or figuratively by rejecting a degenerate lifestyle and conducting oneself with dignity and positive intentions.

That's how I understand it, however I'm not a Rasta myself or any kind of expert. Rastafarianism is fascinating, and every Rasta I've met enjoys friendly and respectful discussion of religion and philosophy. It is part of the Rasta culture to gather and smoke ganja and talk about spiritual matters; they believe everyone should seek the truth rather than blindly follow dogma. :)