Roots Archives Forum

Big up 1 and all , theres many reggae songs that have specific words that you can listen in lots of songs, and i dont really know his meaning , so i hope you all can help me , and if you have others words add them too.

I will star with this:

Dreader (dreader than dread?)

gwaan? whats the meaning to dis?

I dont know , hope someone can explain . Thinking at this i too listen in many songs this expression "it a go dread" m u know, big up!!

Dread comes from dreadful, meaning bad.
BUT bad can also mean GOOD in slang as in Michael Jackson's BAD. or "that's wicked "
It still means bad / dreadful depending on the context/use.
eg: "Itta dread inna Babylon" = It is bad in the west/capitalist society

Gwann is from "WAH GWAAN ?"
which is patio for "WHAT'S GOING ON ?" "What is happening?"
or just GO ON as in continue or behave in a certain manner.
eg: "YU A GWAAN LIKE A FOOL"
" You continue to be an idiot"

so " it a go dread" mean something like " its going bad"? , and what mean "dreader than dread"?

Dread is not necessarily meant as bad in many cases but rather as something serious and cultural I would say. As with many expressions it's in what context they are used that makes the difference.

Things are getting serious or rough would be a proper translation for »it a go dread« when perhaps talking about a world crisis but when referring to a slack artist dropping his risqué lyrics and »going dread« it would rather imply that he is turning to a more serious and cultural approach.

»Dreader than dread« would then mean that the times or artist are exceptionally dread (serious, rough, bad, cultural or what have you depending in what context it has been used).

Dread means fear. So "it a go dread" means that it is going to be fearful and terrible. "Dreader than dread" is just an intensification of the same. Usually reference is to judgement day: "The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it?" (Joel 2:31) or to JAH as the Most High is terrible, awe-inspiring, to be feared and no joke thing (see e.g. Daniel 9:4 "... O Lord, the great and dreadful God"). Note that Tafari (as in Ras Tafari) also means "the one who is to be feared" ...

What means Bredda Gravalicious? Bredda is brother, right?

Yes. Bredda is brother.
Gravalicious means greedy, covetous.

What means WADADA??