The Origins of Jamaican Popular Music By The Most Hon. Edward
Phillip George Seaga, ON, P.C., B.A., Y.B.A., LL.D. (Hon.)  This
piece was prepared to illustrate the origins of Jamaican popular
music which has established itself across the globe over the
last 50 years. During that time, it maintained its popularity as
it passed through different musical styles, from ska, rock
steady, reggae, dub, deejay and dancehall.  Jamaican music can
be said to have emerged in 1961 in a serious way. The year 2011
is also the 50th anniversary of the emergence of Jamaican music
which, in the course of its development, demonstrated a triumph
of creativity by borrowing nothing to build something.  We can
now assess the importance of Jamaican music to the country and
the world over the past half century.    1. The Jamaican sound
system of the inner-city has become the disco of uptown, at home
and abroad, engineering a trans-formation through popular music
with a social message.    2. The development of dubbing and
dee-­jaying in