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  • Essay / The influence of reggae music on British society

    In my article I will criticize the influence of reggae music on British society. I will focus on the impact that immigrants from Jamaica in the 1960s and 1970s had on the process of integration of black and white communities in Britain. I will primarily critique the effect that the rise of reggae music in the media had on the integration process and how it subsequently helped Britain move from a closed, conservative society of the 1970s to a country which paved the way for multiculturalism in the 1980s. To understand what I am focusing on in my article, I first need to explain what I mean by the word media and what aspect of media I will focus on in my article. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original EssayMedia is a tool or medium through which we can receive information, promotional messages and entertainment through communication channels. The media cover a vast territory, which makes it difficult to explain. Media are mediums such as television, magazines, newspapers, radio, mail or the Internet through which we, the viewer, listener or recipient, receive information. There are generally considered to be two forms of media communication: media and mass media. The difference is that mass media transmits information to a large number of consumers/viewers/listeners at a time, for example radio stations which have thousands of listeners, who listen to a song/news or other live broadcasts at the same time. time, and on the other hand, an online video that was viewed separately one by one from the comfort of one's home/office or simply by pressing a button while traveling. Music is a means of communication and can be used when linked to media, as a way to express feelings, share culture and convey a message directly or subtly. Media is a very broad term and covers many aspects. This is why in this essay I will focus on the impact of music on media. The medium I will criticize is music. Music is an art, but it is also a form of media. But what exactly is music? Music is part of our culture and history and certain aspects of music can also be considered valued. We are surrounded by music in our daily lives. it is a combination of sounds that could be pleasing to the human senses to hear. Music normally consists of rhythm, rhythms and style. There are many types of music genres, each genre is determined by its unique patterns, particular sounds or instruments used. For example, punk rock has a fast rhythm and the kick usually follows counting from 1 and 3 counting to 4, on the other hand, blues has the same kick pattern, but a slower rhythm and d other characteristics that completely differentiate it. punk rock. Art is a matter of taste and many people have different thoughts and preferences. In some cases, music can be controversial when mixing genres or creating new art mixing characters from different genres. The main goal of music is to create something new or unique to express the artist's purpose. Music can be an instrument of influence and social change and is a powerful form of communication. Music can be personal, political, opportunistic and self-expressive with therapeutic effects due torelease of emotions. In order to fully understand my article, it is necessary that we understand what I am talking about when I talk about Britain and England. Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom, is an island located in Europe. Great Britain is made up of the following countries: England, Scotland and Wales. England is a country that is part of Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Its capital is London and its population was estimated at around 53 million in the 1970s. Today, it is estimated at around 66.5 million. In the 1970s, the population was predominantly white. In terms of religion, the majority of the population was Church of England or Roman Catholic. England in the 1970s was very different from the England we know today. It had a large working-class population and there was a large and obvious divide between the upper, middle and lower class communities. England at this time was predominantly white. In England in the 1970s there was still debate about race and class, black people were trying to fit into a predominantly white society and arriving black immigrants were forced to integrate into communities white workers. This brings me to the next point where I will explain what immigration is and where the immigrants of the 1970s came from and what effect did immigrants arriving in Britain have on British society. Immigration is when people leave their home country and move to a new country abroad in order to start a new life. During the 1960s and 1970s, Britain welcomed large numbers of immigrants from many different countries. There was a large influx of Irish immigrants who integrated quite easily into British society, mainly because they were of the same ethnic background, shared similarities in terms of religion and spoke the same language. However, other immigrants who arrived in Britain at this time were not or were not as readily accepted by British communities. One such group that had some difficulty integrating was the Jamaicans. After the Second World War, demand for labor was high in the United Kingdom. Jamaican immigrants arrived for many different reasons, such as education and a higher standard of living, but mainly to work. In the early 1960s, it was estimated that around 150,000 immigrants from the West Indies were living in Britain; By 1971 this number had almost doubled, there were 313,000 West Indians living in Britain, in these figures Jamaicans made up 171,000 of the 313,000. During the 1970s, many other small groups of immigrants also arrived from countries such as Pakistan and Kenya. As I will focus primarily on the influence of Jamaican immigrants on race relations in England, it is essential to have a basic understanding of the history of Jamaica and its people. The reason many Jamaicans chose to emigrate to Britain rather than other English-speaking countries was mainly because England had already colonized Jamaica. In 1655, the British took control from the Spanish who had previously colonized Jamaica. Jamaica became an official British colony from 1707 to 1962. In 1962, Jamaica gained independence from Great Britain and was officially declared an independent country. Jamaicans were historically used as slaves by the British and were exploited and forced into forced labor by the Britishwho viewed Jamaicans as cheap labor during the 19th century. The slave trade was officially made illegal in 1807, but slavery itself did not end until August 1, 1834, after legislation was passed the previous year by the British parliament. This dark part of Britain's past contributed to racism towards black people and imposed a poor social hierarchy on the population. This hierarchy considered whites to be superior to blacks at the time, this subject is a highly debated subject today and has been studied by many theorists such as Frantz Fanon and Stuart Hall. England in the 1960s and 1970s was a more developed country than Jamaica in terms of better facilities, better labor protection and better quality of life, although only 30 years after the end of the Second War worldwide. followed by important historical events that shaped England, its fundamental values ​​and the main beliefs of British society. There was a rise of nationalism in Britain after the Second World War and a strong pride in being British. In the early 1900s, Britain was made up largely of white Christian communities. The arrival of immigrants to Britain began to make racist expressions more popular. The word "racial hatred" was first used in the media in the late 1920s and words such as racism became a more frequently used word in the United Kingdom after 1936. Although Britain in the 1920s 1960 already had a lot of experience with the arrival of new immigrants, Britain was still a predominantly white society with racist tendencies and values. There were numerous instances of racism during the 1960s and 1970s, with many incidents reported to the police, such as white landlords refusing to sell or rent their properties to black people and particularly people from the Caribbean. There have also been other similar cases, such as barbers. refusing to allow immigrants into their living rooms. A famous and more well-known act of racism that took place in the public eye occurred during the 1964 election. In the town of Smethwick, the Conservative Party ran a very anti-black and anti-black campaign. -campaign for immigrants. The party openly discriminated against blacks and ran its campaign on sentiments of hatred. They encouraged segregation between black and white communities throughout their campaign. This led to outbreaks of violence in the town of Smethwick and across Britain. The violent actions on both sides have split the community in two and divided many people in the country. Due to the violent actions that took place during the election, the Race Relations Act 1965 was passed by the British parliament. It was the first piece of legislation in the United Kingdom to address the prohibition of racial discrimination and followed previously unsuccessful bills. The law prohibited racial discrimination in public places and criminalized incitement to hatred based on “color, race, ethnic or national origin.” Following the adoption of the law, the number of people who moved increased further. in the United Kingdom. At the time the Act was passed, almost a million immigrants were living in the United Kingdom. The law was heavily criticized for failing to address vital areas where discrimination was greatest in areas such as employment and broader aspects such as finding housing. Due to the fact that the Race Relations Act of 1965 was insufficient and did not cover allrequired areas. This led to the creation and subsequent passage of the Race Relations Act 1968, which made unlawful acts of discrimination in employment, housing and advertising illegal. Should I include details about Jamaica Although many laws were put in place, they still failed to bridge the gap between the two communities. The Jamaican music scene has always been important and has had a lot of influence on Jamaican society. Songs popular in the Jamaican music scene were directly linked to Jamaica's history and cultural spirit, leading to a notable rise in nationalism and consciousness of independence in Jamaica among the population over the years 1960. This became even more valid when in 1959 the Jamaica Broadcasting Company was established and began to influence Jamaican society through local Jamaican music. Music began to play an important role in bringing the two communities together. They began to unite in their love for reggae music, but what is reggae music and why has it brought the two communities together? Reggae is a musical genre that has its roots in Jamaican culture. The unique characters of this type of music are slow rhythms, clean guitar chords with reverb and delay effects used with unique strumming techniques and witty lyrics. The idea of ​​reggae music came from traditional Buru drumming, Buru drumming was an Ashanti-Jamaican style. drum. Its origins date back to the history of the Jamaican slave trade, when slaves worked in fields or other large areas. Slave masters allowed Buru drumming because it provided a rhythm of work for the slaves. Once slavery was abolished, most of the "Buru" players settled in the slums of Kingston (the capital of Jamaica), and this is where reggae music was born. Reggae music was created when the ancient drum "Buru" was combined with biblical themes of oppression and liberation, developing what we recognize today as reggae music. During the rise of reggae music in the slums of Kingston, a new religion was also flourishing, known as Rastafari. In 1930, a man named Selassie was crowned emperor of Ethiopia. Many believed he was a spiritual messenger and god sent to earth to lead Africa to freedom. One of his names was “Prince Ras Tafari” and people who believed in this were called “Rastafari”. The Rastafarian religion began to adopt reggae music as its own and the connection between reggae and Rastafarians grew and the two began to be a symbol. for the other. In the early 1950s, reggae music began to develop. Reggae mixed with elements of American jazz, black rhythm and blues and from there the "ska" genre was created. Ska has its origins in reggae music but has a faster rhythm. In the 1960s, reggae emerged, with its slow rhythm, emphasis on bass, and the connection the songs had to stories of urban deprivation and the power of collective social consciousness. In 1964, ska music was the most popular musical genre in Jamaica. She had a cultural and political connection with the people and was therefore so popular. By the mid-1960s, reggae music was becoming popular around the world and began to show the world the spirit of the Jamaican people. The music helped create an image of Jamaica and began to promote Jamaican culture and politics around the world. The songs spoke of the storiesand the musical artists' individual experiences, beliefs, goodwill, or romantic experiences. Reggae music has had a great impact on black-white relations throughout history, it has political, personal and spiritual significance. In the 1960s, artists like "Bob Marley" were the main symbols of reggae music, these artists helped promote the genre. it influenced other new genres and artists and became the link between Britain's white and black communities in the 1970s. It was the first time in a predominantly white Britain that black and white communities came together and united in their passion for the same music. As more people from both communities began listening to Caribbean music, a new chapter of sharing cultures began. To start going to reggae concerts and performing on the same stage in black and white as one. Music established this connection between the two sides and people were able to share the same passion and love for music and, on a larger scale, began to communicate about everyday life issues. A form of cultural exchange began to occur in schools when young Caribbean children introduced music to school. In addition to this, new and old British rock bands, punk bands and artists began to merge their music styles with reggae music and began to adopt some characteristics of reggae in their songs. “For as long as there has been reggae, there has been reggae in the UK, and that influence has played a major role,” says producer and DJ Ras Kwame, who has worked on BBC Radio for over a decade. Reggae's contribution to the British music scene began in the 1950s, when Jamaican immigration to the UK reached an all-time high. By the early 1960s, British sound systems were thriving and British ska music from artists like Millie Small was topping the Billboard charts. The first people who listened to ska were primarily skinheads, punks, and clubbers, which eventually helped the genre become popular on a more mainstream level and began to appeal to the broader community. Reggae music in the UK has evolved and gained popularity being played on the streets, Reggae has become an underground code of resistance and part of the journey of self-exploration. “We rejected the caution and restraint our parents showed in a racially hostile environment,” said Linton Kwesi Johnson. "We were the rebel generation – Reggae gave us our own identity." Reggae music began to reach the top of the charts in the United Kingdom in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it was the first Once Caribbean music was being played frequently on mainstream radio listeners and this was certainly a critical point in the relationship between Caribbean communities and white communities in Britain, they began to share their culture and form a community. common culture within the United Kingdom. White British audiences and listeners were able to relate to the feelings of immigrants through the culture presented in the songs about Jamaica, life experiences, history. of its people, their feelings and their emotions in the face of the struggle of daily life. Communities began to mix in clubs like the “soul club” or at big concerts like Al Green or Stevie Wonder. Bob Marley was one of the most renowned reggae artists of the time, his style of reggae had a clear influence on rock and music fans..