Everything You Need to Know About Dancehall

Jamaica is one of the biggest contributors to the global music industry. It is the birthplace of some of the most widely played music genres, such as reggae, riddim, rocksteady and Dancehall. Each sound varied and diverse in its delivery. Today, We’ll deeply dive into one of the most well-known Jamaican music genres, Dancehall- the music and dance style. We’ll also update you on the most popular artists in this space and the dance styles to match. So, without any further ado, let’s get into it.

History and Evolution of Dancehall Music

· Early 1970s

The genre first appeared on the mainstream radar in the mid-to-late 1970s, although it has existed since the 1940s. It was named after dance halls in Jamaica, which were very popular then and was initially referred to as Bashment music.

These halls were known to play upbeat and diverse dance tunes and featured well-known names such as Yellowman, King Jammy, and Shabba Ranks.

· 1980s – 1990s

Although the genre was still budding and growing in popularity globally, it became widely played in Jamaica. In the 1980s-1990s, some of the notable artists of this genre were Ninjaman, Buju Banton, and Papa San. These artists evolved the genre by using heavy synthesizers with a traditional touch.

· Early 2000s

This evolution in sound paved the way for new artists to expand and refine the genre. In 2003, Sean Paul released “Get Busy,” which became the first single of the genre to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. At this point, Dancehall music had a very different sound from its earlier versions. It incorporated elements of mainstream pop music that influenced the genre’s chorus, lyrics, and beat production. Sean Paul was a perfect example of how much artists in the genre had matured, which is why he was understandably one of the most successful artists at the time, along with Elephant Man, Mr. Vegas and Spice. This built up the mainstream appeal of Dancehall music, leading us to the modern era of the genre.

· Modern Era

Many well-known mainstream artists started making Dancehall music. Drake’s One Dance, released in 2016, garnered much recognition and awards, and Rihanna’s single ‘Work’ was also released in 2016 and is one of her biggest hits. Dancehall music gained the attention of many Hip-Hop and R&B artists, who further changed the genre. Major Lazer, one well-known name in the electronic music genre, Produced tracks such as “Lean On”, “Light it Up”, and “Run Up”, all heavily inspired by Dancehall music. Additionally, there have been a few notable global collaborations with dancehall artists. Beyonce and Shatta Wale on ‘Already’, Davido and Popcaan on ‘Story’, Stefflon Don and French Montana on ‘Hurtin’ Me’ including features from huge names in the UK like J Hus, Skepta and Chip.

Notable Artists and Songs

There are a variety of notable artists in the Dancehall genre.

Sean Paul
Popcaan
Beenie Man
Spice
Bounty Killer
Vybz Kartel
Shatta Wale
Mavado
Buju Banton
Lady Saw

And some of the most popular songs in the genre.

“Get Busy” by Sean Paul
“Work” by Rihanna
“Romping Shop” by Vybz Kartel ft. Spice
“Who Am I” by Beenie Man
“Under Mi Sleng Teng” by Wayne Smith
“One Dance” by Drake
“Murder She Wrote” by Chaka Demus
“Heads High” by Mr. Vegas
“Champion” by Buju Banton
“Dem Bow” by Shabba Ranks

Reggae and Dancehall Music

A few people tend to confuse Dancehall music with Reggae, and you can somewhat be forgiven for doing so. Both originate from Jamaica, and reggae and dancehall artists sometimes make music together. They have some similarities in sound. With the excuses out the way, let’s look at some key differences in both music genres.

Reggae is related to Rastafarianism, a religion developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. The main characterisation of Reggae can be summarised with percussive rhythmic guitar, close vocal harmonies, and a heavy baseline, which is considered the genre’s signature. Reggae is considered a slow and mellow music style. It is not party-style music; instead, it is more uptempo. One can even say that it is a kind of rock music with smooth and mellow vibes. The most popular Reggae artist is Bob Marley. Others include Peter Josh, Jimmy Cliff, UB40 and Burning Spear.

Dancehall music, on the other hand, is much louder and faster. It is what you play at parties to get you dancing. The lyrics of this genre are not that well-thought-out, and the sound leans towards electronic music. It does not rely on smoothness; it is all about having fun and, at times, sensual dancing.

Controversies surrounding Dancehall Music

While the genre is quite famous, it has its fair share of controversies. The main backlash is related to the lyrics of the Dancehall music. People have mostly complained that the lyrics are misogynistic and homophobic. However, as the genre has evolved, these controversies surrounding lyrics have faded. Recently, most artists have tended to avoid writing provocative and abusive lyrics.

What is Dancehall Dance?

Now that you know everything about Dancehall music, let’s learn about the genre’s dance. Simply put, it is a type of African retention dance combined with a modern and youthful touch. It is so popular in the region that it has become a signature to represent Jamaican and Caribbean culture.

History of Dancehall Dance

Dancehall dance has existed since about the same time as the music genre, i.e., the 1970s. It was developed as a response to dancehall music’s fast-paced and exciting nature. It was crafted from a combination of the following traditional Jamaican dance styles.

Myal, a.k.a healing dance
Maroon a.k.a Koromanti
Kumina
Hosay
Burru
Dinki Mini
Revival
Ettu
Junkanoo
Gumbay
Quadrille
Zella
Tambu
Bruckings
Rastafari

Most of these dance styles have a religious background, although most have changed drastically over the past few years. Some, such as Junkanoo, still hold today as it was originally and have influenced modern Dancehall dance styles.

Now, let’s look at some of Dancehall’s most popular dance moves.

Top 10 Dance Moves in Dancehall

1. Log On

The most well-known dancehall move is “Log On.” It is also simple to perform due to its smoothness.

2. Go-Go Wine

For flexible dancers. The Go-Go wine requires movement of all your hips muscles to pull off.

3. Dutty Wine

A sexy dance style with significant head and hip movements.

4. Della Move

Della Move is one of the easiest moves in Dancehall. Pulling off does not require much flexibility and is suitable for all ages.

5. Bogle

Nice and easy. All it takes is just putting your hands in the air and grooving to the rhythm.

6. Gully Creeper

Another popular dance move is Gully Creeper. Usain Bolt notably performed this move at the 2008 Olympic Games.

7. World Dance

This one was also brought into the limelight by Beenie Man, Ever since it was first introduced in his song of the same name, people started pulling it off at parties.