I have figured it out! Reggae is the music that comes from Jamaica. Dancehall is the venue where the music is played. This is just what it is. Now for some strange reason dancehall has turned into a genre, but it’s not recognized by anyone. There is no dancehall category at the Grammys. When you search on Apple or any streaming platform, it all falls under reggae. Listen, I’m right, the world is wrong.
The rumors I’m hearing is that Chronixx wants a different category for AI music. I heard another American artist say having AI compete in the same genre as humans is like putting robots in the Olympics. Hmmm, that would be cool for one Olympics, but every four years it would get old. So I’ll bend on this one: yes, there should be an AI genre and category.
Listen, I’m right, the world is wrong.
I think I have a better one. Why don’t we get rid of the reggae genre and just call it Jamaican World Music? Listen, Jamaicans make some of the best music on the planet, with different tastes from all around the globe. I was just watching a video of Sean Paul talking about the making of his hit song “Get Busy” on the Diwali Riddim. If you listen to that riddim, it’s infused with music from India. It has a feel from the West Indies and the East Indies. If you listen to Kartel’s new album, it has an African vibe. But if you listen to Bernie’s new album, it has a hip hop driving vibe. Kranium has an R&B feel. These are all reggae artists from Jamaica, but their music has a global appeal.
Our music from Jamaica is so dynamic that it handcuffs our artists to put them in a box. Our music is bigger than reggae. Our music is global, and it needs to be treated as such. Remember, our country’s motto is “Out of Many, One People.” Our music and culture are that dynamic too. So let’s make a real argument to change the Grammy category to Jamaican World Music, and let’s leave the term dancehall in the garrison.