Page 85 - Reggae Festival Guide Magazine 2017

The Reggae Revival is an arts-based movement book(s) that I hope to publish about it in due

that emerged out of Jamaica nearly half a time. For one, it is surprising how many people

decade ago. Its first big ripples of recognition who engage the topic have yet to grasp that
outside its home base were mainly in western the movement relies on various non-musical

Europe and the U.S. West Coast, both of which inputs for its growth. The reality is that the

are regions that still keep the movement musical icons of Jamaica’s current creative

relevant today. In general, the movement is generation are only the tip of a burning

currently thought to be well known across the spear consisting of different art forms and
world of reggae. Sadly, I must beg to differ. supporting roles. One of the critical mistakes

made by most who cover reggae culture as a
Indeed, I would have to say no, the Reggae whole, or even just these emerging waves of
Revival is not that well known. Setting aside expressions out of Jamaica in particular, is that

the fact that in my own personal surveys in they do not highlight the visual, performing,

reggae spaces, not nearly one hundred percent literary, culinary and spiritual artists with the

of those I converse with have recognized the same fervor with which they cover the musical
term, I am definitely satisfied that a critical mass artists. They don’t even seem to chase after the

of people are familiar. There is actually another actual musicians who provide the beautiful

woefully telling proof – even after four years soundtracks for the artists’ lyrics! This is not

since the movement’s name began appearing to say that I don’t acknowledge the generally

in mainstream media sources, or almost six more charismatic nature of those who thrive
years since I first suggested its name in a public in the spotlights of stages around the world.

setting, or over eight years since the traceable I simply maintain that a holistic overstanding

genesis of the associated phase of Jamaican of the movement requires more voices than

music – the overall journalistic treatment of the just those. A more deliberate kind of coverage
Reggae Revival has been disappointing, even would be required to unearth the beautiful

painful at times. What is worse is that various potential that still lies just beneath the surface

media houses, physical and online magazines of the music. For example, the non-profit

and such, seem to genuinely believe they have organization Manifesto Jamaica is a beacon of

covered all they can about the movement. They youth activism in Jamaica’s creative industries
have this notion after doing a few features on and would be a good place to start.

Protoje, Chronixx and Jah9, a couple reviews of

Jamnesia Sessions and Kingston Dub Club, and Second, the aforementioned burning spear, of

perhaps a few music video premiers by Kabaka which these singers represent the hot and piercing

Pyramid, Jesse Royal and Raging Fyah. Honestly, tip, is one cast from quite a distance, both in space
I don’t know what they are thinking. and in time. The Reggae Revival is as potent as it
is because it is a useful function of Rastafari – the

The Reggae Revival, despite controversial name of a man, Ras Tafari, who is the thrower of

challenges to its name, has been a prolonged this metaphoric spear. In this sense, it is from the
talking point in the narrative of music for highlands of Ethiopia and from the 20th century

the very reason that it is a much more vast that the Reggae Revival has been traveling. When

phenomenon than can be condensed into the movement’s melodic expressions arrived
a handful of disjointed articles, or even the into mass consciousness, they were on time

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