The Rise of Jamaican Dancehall Culture - Beth Lesser

Dancehall is at the centre of Jamaican musical and cultural life. From its roots in Kingston in the 1950s to its heyday in the 1980s, Dancehall has gone on to conquer the globe, spreading to the USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Europe and beyond. It is a culture that encompasses music, fashion, drugs, guns, art, community, technology and more. Many contemporary global music and fashion styles can be traced back to Dancehall and continue to be influenced by it today. Born out of the neighbourhood jams, of Kingston, Dancehall grew to its height in the 1980s before a massive influx of drugs and guns made the scene too dangerous for many. 

Dancehall is an essential reference book for anyone interested in Reggae, as well as a unique photographic and textual source book of the musical, cultural and political life of Jamaica. 

Soul Jazz Books, 2023
Softcover, 215pp
300 x 300 mm