Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Jamrock
Son of prominent reggae artist and political activist Bob Marley, Damian Marley coined the term Jamrock in his song "Welcome to Jamrock". The 'rock' envelopes major societal hardships that the island faces. Poverty, corrupt political officials, high crime rates; overall, a substandard way of living according to Western ideologies. All of the above characteristics where prominent themes in the 2002 film Shottas starring another of Marley's sons, Ky-Mani Marley. The film is based primarily in Kingston, Jamaica and Miami, Florida. After spending time in prison, Biggs is reunited with his lifetime friend Wayne and continue their life of crime in Jamaica and later in Miami, determined to reclaim the money and fame that they once knew. The film depicts the Jamrock that Damian sang about, and the Jamaica that is best known by it's residents.
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I love Damian Marley's song "Welcome to Jamrock" but had no idea of its cultural or historical significance. Jamaica is sometimes not seen as more than just a vacation destination, but clearly there is so much more going on there that I don't think many people know about. This post makes me wonder what role music in general plays in Jamaican culture. Also, having not seen Shottas myself, I am curious as to how accurate it is in its portrayal of life in Jamaica. Is the "Jamrock" that it depicts still alive and well today? How do the country's current hardships compare to those it has had in the past?
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