REGGAE VS. DANCEHALL: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? by Kalifa Madden

Jamaican born musician, DJ Crooks, is a Los Angeles DJ and music producer known for both reggae and dancehall tracks. In the spirit of a true music connoisseur, Crooks has been vocal on social media in exploring the differences between two well-loved genres: reggae and dancehall. The question he has posed to his followers is simply, what is the difference? That really got us thinking. We know what the difference is on the surface, but what is the philosophical difference for music lovers all over the globe?

Both genres are Jamaica’s music. Jamaican millennials, who became acquainted with the dancehall scene in the late ’80s, consider the genre the number one music for parties and street dances. Reggae can be considered it’s older cousin, with many baby boomers enjoying tracks from early pioneers such as Desmond Dekker, Gregory Isaacs and, of course, worldwide reggae music proliferator Bob Marley. Today, it seems as though the island has room for both music genres; as they equally dominate the sound systems of Jamaica and the Caribbean.   Continue reading…