Pre-recorded tracks carrying a heavy drum and bassline serves as the backing of a vocalist who rhythmically chants his message on top of the music. Seems kind of normal, in this 21st century, and so it is.
But where does it come from, in the first place?
Obviously, this is a thing that started with U Roy as he cultivated his "toasting" for King Tubby's HiFi Sound System back in the 1960's. Things went on from there and in the 1980's it was time for Rub a Dub or early Dancehall.
However, Rub a Dub music itself is underrepresented in the flood of Reggae re-releases. It's disregarded as completely uninteresting by "Reggae Specialists" who think that Reggae Music died in the 1970's.
How wrong they are...
Rub a Dub actually paved the way for Rap and House/Techno, to name just two very popular forms of contemporary music. And the music itself cannot be denied either, as we will see in this great Rub-A-Dubumentary.
"Live in Skateland" is a great video registration from the early 1980's, when Rub a Dub style was at it's peak. After the culture is explained a little, the sights and sounds that follow are pretty much self-explanatory.
We'll see the meaning of the phrase "Give Thanks and Praise while Chalice Blaze". We'll we move and groove along with the people who are enjoying themselves. We'll see sensuality that would later become more and more extreme. the sights in this video will also not be pleasing to everyone, in that context...
We'll see and a host of Rub A Dub stars: Ranking Toyan, Josey Wales, Lee van Kleef, Louis Lepke, and of course: Yellowman.
Yellowman is usually known for his slackness: that is more or less pornographic talk. As the video reaches to it's end, we will see "The King Of Jamaican DJ" and hear him livicate his performance to another DJ, man called Charlie Chaplin.
As the people and the atmosphere gets hotter, we'll see Yellowman's skills as he chants about... women. But this time, he has a different thing to say. He says, that he doesn't want a "pretty woman" because after a while they turn into "damn green lizards".
Yellowman at his best!
Rub a Dub at it's best!
If you can take it, that is...
Greetings and Blessings in Yesus Name...
ReplyDeleteSeriouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuus video.
Well, old memories!
Thanks for the good vibes!
Shalom!
JAH DAWTA