Offbeat Rhythms: Understanding Reggae

Question: How many beats does reggae typically have?

Answer: The four-beat rhythm of reggae includes heavy accents on the second and fourth beats of each measure.

Question: Which instrument is not typically used in reggae?

Answer: The electric guitar, the bass guitar, drums, and the “scraper” (a corrugated stick that is rubbed by another stick) drive the syncopated reggae rhythms.

Question: With what religion is reggae music associated?

Answer: Reggae music was originally connected to the Rastafarian faith, a religion that originated in Jamaica.

Question: Which of these artists is considered a superstar of reggae?

Answer: Bob Marley (1945–1981) was one of the first of Jamaica’s reggae artists to attain a large international following.

Question: Which of these artists is not famous for reggae?

Answer: Ravi Shankar is a renowned sitar player and exponent of classical Indian music. Reggae is a musical form with roots in Jamaica.

Question: What country was reggae singer Bob Marley from?

Answer: Bob Marley, the reggae giant, was born in Jamaica in 1945.

Question: Which of these artists is not associated with reggae?

Answer: Kanye West is a modern artist associated with rap and hip-hop.

Question: Which of these musicians was one of the Wailers?

Answer: Peter Tosh, with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer, formed the Wailers in 1963 in Kingston, Jamaica. Both Wailer and Tosh later grew jealous of Marley’s popularity, however, and embarked on solo careers.