BE YOURSELF

BE YOURSELF

Reggae Music in 2006 is part of a world-wide culture, which started on Jamaica. It is obvious, that Jamaican Culture stands at the root of Reggae Culture. And it is obvious, how the Movement of Rastafari continues to play a central role within Reggae Music until this very day.

Just like music in itself cannot really be "religious", it is absurd to state that Reggae Music in itself is to be a Music for religious purposes. Personally, however, for me, it is. Reggae for me is a way to praise JAH.

And I am not the only one!

Reggae is known to have many artists who are deeply believing in JAH, the Creator of all. And these artists express their feelings and believes in a way which appeals to many people, even out-spoken "non-believers". In fact it can be said that the most succesfull Reggae Artists are predominantly Rastafarians who are faithfull in their believe in the Most High, with all variations one can find within the Movement of Rastafari.

This success has it's negatives sides...

We have seen, how world wide people were starting to wear the colours Red Gold and Green without actually knowing anything about the meaning of the colours.

The tri-colour (Green, Yellow, Red) has become a commercial trademark for anything related to Reggae, and in the Netherlands where I live, the coffeshop (where you can buy a very little bit of weed) often has the colours as well.

Dreadlocks is another issue. Ever since Rastafari became popular, dreadlocks became popular. People started to imitate and this has gone so far, that Rastafari has a difficult time presenting itself because of the many imposters and "adaptors".

I have written quite extensively about "Christafari", a "Gospel Reggae" group and organization, who deliberatly used a lot of Rastafarian expressions, transformed it according to their own ideas and purpose and simply (quote) "created a new culture with our fan-base".

By expressing how "God" would not want you to buy any other music than what they approve of (this is really true and no exaggeration), they have made a nice business for themselves, over the back of the true believers in JAH.

Christafari are consciously working on this. They know what they are doing, in fact Christafari's main man Mark Mohr learned it at his school, where they call it the "imitator method". (see provided link for all info and documentated evidence).

But it goes further.

Reggae Music allways had place for everyone, regardless of their religious views or (dis)beliefs. In relative peace and overstanding. This makes Reggae kind of special, for there is hardly any other musical style wherein people who believe in the Creator can express themselves without (too much) ridicule and insults from "anti-religious" folks.

In fact, it is predominatly the believing artist who made Reggae so popular: Bob Marley, name dem all...

And so, many people think that if they imitate elements from Rastafari, that they will increase their popularity in some way. And in the case of Christafari, the concept works.

But you don't have to be a part of the Christian Right in order to do such things. On the other side of the spectrum it's happening as well.

I myself have spoken with an artist who sings about "Rastafari", but he said to me he only used that word because he likes the tone...

And something tells me, that artist who told me how he didn't believe anything but said "Rastafari" just for the sound of the word is not the only one.

I think, that if ones do not believe in JAH, then they should not present themselves in their musical appearances and works as if they do. If ones do not believe that there is a Rastafari (Head Creator), then ones should not pretend that they do just because they know it appeals to people.

There is one positive aspect, though: even though there are many who simply pretend to be different than they are in reality, the message of JAH will allways ring through. Even though people use the Name of JAH in vain for their own purposes, His Name is so strong that people will allways be driven towards Him.

(december 2006)