I have to disagree with the elder although much respect. It's real easy for the older generation to lament the way that music changes and evolves. I have the same issues with what some of the stuff my kids think is music. And its perfectly okay to not like the latest trends. But denying them and saying its not reggae, I think crosses a line. Again, the man is obviously an elder and entitled to his opinion. But reggae is not one thing. Everything, in the beginning was just one thing. That is the nature of things. Because reggae has taken on new forms simply means that is the potential it had from the beginning whether you chose to see it or not. Saying dancehall is a place simply denies that artists could ever choose to make reggae specifically for people to dance to. To me a good reggae artist is multi-dimensional. They can make Dancehall, roots, and whatever else speaks to them because it is their expression, not a robbery and mimicry of the legendary Bob Marley.
For example Damian Marley, in my opinion, can do it all. He can make you dance and make you think. And I appreciate that. Kymani also, doesn't do it all as well, but also very talented and not one dimensional.
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