Roots Archives Forum

Isn't Jimmy Cliff a muslim now, btw?

yeah, like Cat Stevens

Yeah they are muslims. But I don't like the sound. Espcially Jimmy Cliff sounds much too soft.

I like some Jimmy Cliff Tunes. Cat Stevens is now Yussuf Islam. He's good. Are you sure that Alpha Blondy is no muslim?

Reggae is like Rock & Roll in that it is an English language art form.

IMO Islam is the anti-theisis of everything Reggae stands for.

dmille wrote:

"Reggae is like Rock & Roll in that it is an English language art form."

Do you imply, all reggae should be sung in English? If so, why? Can't see any valid reason, really...

Well what I can tell you is that many muslims listen to Reggae. And I am not talking only about those that live in foreign countries like France, Germany or England. I talk about those that live in marocco, algeria and tunisia and egypt. In fact rai singer khalid recorded some of his songs of the "sahra" album at tuff gong studios.

I wasn't implying it. I was stating it out-right.

Maybe you can't see a valid reason because you have an anti-western bias?

Jamaica is the largest majority black, solely English speaking nation in the world. Reggae and Jamaican culture and the English language are inseperable.

If you say that reggae should be only sung in english it's very unidimensional. For Example Alpha Blondy is singing in French, English and Mandeng. Especially the french reggae scene is a very succesful one. People like tiken jah fakoli, pierpoljak are also working with jamaican super stars like u-roy, anthony b. and Bunny Rugs. I'm not saying to you that you have to like it but you must accept that there are many different cultures that play reggae. I also have to accept many things in the jamaican music scene that i don't like (like elephant man or vybz kartel).

And by the way: When Rastas speak about Babylon, they mean the whole western mentallity. So you can say there is a kind of animosity to the western world, the vatican and anyhing else that the western world stands for. Most of the Reggae Musicians see themselves as african soldiers or warriors and not as jamaican musicians.

Yeah like the muslims the rastas also don't eat pork and don't drink alcohol.