Tag: reggae

With the release of Clandestino in 1998, Manu Chao created a new sound, an original fusion in senses musical (reggae, punk, folk, blues), linguistic (Spanish, French, English, Portuguese, Catalan, Arabic), and thematic (justice, heartbreak, joy). “Fusion” in the best sense of that word—not a forced meeting, but a revelation of threads that already connect what…

To describe Dezarie’s vibe—soul-stirring basslines, sweet melodies, militant lyrics—is to enumerate the qualities that give reggae global appeal. And yet there’s something unique in Gracious Mama Africa that defies adjective. Consider, from “Poverty,” sung over an achingly lovely tune: “…them raise certain price despite/Just so black youth them can’t enjoy/So in return all them want…