Despite Jamaica’s popular music forms coming under increasing international competition from overseas artists who have honed their skills in reggae and dancehall especially, two of the more prominent younger artists are not feeling threatened.
“I believe that the best form of reggae music and the best form of Jamaican music will always be in Jamaica,” said Chronixx, who performed at the 2014 Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium, Trelawny.
“The best hip-hop is always in America, so there is no reason to worry about the music.”
Chronixx said he saw no problem with “the love that is shown to Jamaica’s music by other countries”.
According to the artist, reggae is an international language of communication and social commentary. “When I go to Germany, I perform with them (overseas reggae artists) and I feel good too,” he said.
Chronixx
UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE
“Reggae is a universal language so, when you want to communicate certain things, reggae is the best way to say it, so people will always use our music. Yes, we created our music, but I’m sure we didn’t just create it for ourselves.”
While agreeing that Jamaica will never lose ownership of its music singer, Christopher Martin, who also performed at Jazz and Blues 2014, feels disenchanted by what he sees as the lack of adequate support by Jamaicans for reggae and dancehall.
“I think it is just because Jamaicans don’t show enough love towards our own music as we ought to,” said Martin.
However, the singer said he is consoled that there are still some people who are fighting for the genre, such as Romaine Virgo, Chronixx and himself.
“We are standing up for reggae music,” Martin said.
While reggae and dancehall have also been fused extensively with other music forms it does not bother Chronixx, who said he sees this as a natural progression.
“Jamaica’s music has never spent 10 years in the same form. So we need to be very receptive to the change, because music is ever changing,” Chronixx contended.
