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Dancehall Music and Its Origin

Dancehall Artiste Bounty KillerBounty Killer

Dancehall music is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s.

Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.

In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably, with digital dancehall (or "ragga") becoming increasingly characterized by faster rhythms.

The music got its name after Jamaican dance halls in which popular Jamaican recordings were played by local sound systems.

Sound systems such as Killimanjaro, Black Scorpio, Gemini Disco, Virgo Hi-Fi, Volcano Hi-Power, Stone Love, Bass Odyssey, Body Guard, Metro Media and Aces International soon capitalized on the new sound and introduced a new wave of deejays.

Zimbabwean said they've had enough dancehall acts - In an article post on Allafrica.com it's reported that the Zimbabwean people are saying that they've had enough Dancehall Acts in their country.

Some of the older toasters/deejays from the 1980s were Captain Sinbad, Ranking Joe, Clint Eastwood, Lone Ranger, Josey Wales, Charlie Chaplin, General Echo and Yellowman.

The genre also created a lot of spin-offs:

Kenya Dancehall Artists Making It Big - Officially the first Kenyan artiste to explore the international ragga and dancehall market, Redsan, who started out as Chameleone’s back up singer, contextualised his art to fit the rich, nostalgic Kenyan market in the Diaspora.

The rise in popularity of Dancehall Music also created some heavyweight artists from the 1990s era.

Montego Bay artists Taking Over Dancehall - Montego Bay artists Taking Over Dancehall - Montego Bay dancehall artists taking over dancehall music scene.

Is Dancehall Music Missing Vybz Kartel? - Vybz Kartel is still the Hottest artiste in the Night Clubs and Dancehall Sessions.

These are just a few artists who ruled the 1990s in dancehall.

When one thinks of the Rastafarian culture they always associate it with Reggae Music, but a few artist have broken that tradition. BoboShanti artists, such as Sizzla, Spragga Benz, and Capleton are considered to be dancehall music artists.

Dancehall music ruled the music scene in Jamaica from the early 1990s - present (2017). Although artiste such as Chronixx, Protoje, Jesse Royal and a few others have started a reggae revival in Jamaica since 2013.

There is now a new generation of dancehall artists who have taken the genre to another level in every way, shape, and form.

New Generation of Dancehall artists:

Kenya Rapidly Becoming the Dancehall Capital of Africa - Over the last few years the people of Kenya (located in east Africa) has been steadily embracing dancehall music and culture.


The popularity of Dancehall music has spawned dance moves that help to make parties and stage performances more energetic.

Dancehall Dancers:


Dancing is an integral part of bass culture genres. As people feel the music in the crowded dancehall venues, they would do a variety of dances.  Eventually, dancehall artists started to create songs that either invented new dances or formalized some moves done by dancehall goers.

Dancehall has come under criticism from international organizations and individuals for its violent and sometimes homophobic lyrics, although the lyrical themes are more varied than simply dealing with slackness and violence.

Dancehall owes its moniker to the Jamaican dance halls in which popular Jamaican recordings were played by local sound systems.

In the mid-1990s with the rise of dancehall BoboShanti artists, such as

Sizzla and Capleton, developed a very strong connection between dancehall and Rastafari.

Dancehall has come under criticism from international organizations and individuals for its violent and sometimes homophobic lyrics, although the lyrical themes are more varied than simply dealing with slackness and violence.

Dancehall owes its moniker to the Jamaican dance halls in which popular Jamaican recordings were played by local sound systems.

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