Avoiding Violent Lyrics in Reggae Music

Came across this article recently and it looked kind of interesting. I assumed it was going to be a bit of the same old stereotypical dancehall talk but it ended up being kind of decent and the writer seems like she knows a thing or two about reggae.

A few weeks ago, I had a conversation via Twitter with Andrew Collins, About.com’s Guide to Gay Travel, regarding modern reggae and dancehall music. If you’re not familiar with dancehall, it’s an upbeat genre of music based on reggae rhythms (or, more precisely, riddims) that features a deejay toasting (rapping) over the top. Musically, it’s really fun. Lyrically… well, not so much. There are plenty of dancehall artists whose lyrics are socially conscious and respectful, but the majority of popular artists tend towards slackness, specifically violent homophobia. I’ve got a pretty decent mental filtration system, and years of practice have put me in a place where I can listen to lyrics that I disagree with and see them as indicators of socioeconomic factors and cultures that are different from my own, but even I can’t take some of the more hateful lyrics that directly advocate killing gays and lesbians. It’s especially true because Jamaica is one of the most dangerous places in the world for homosexuals, where violent attacks are commonplace and offenders are rarely prosecuted.

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