Reggae and Rasta

PERHAPS the best form of advertisement for the Rastafarian movement has been the infectious, rhythmic musical form known as reggae. With its lilting beat, simple melodies and homespun philosophy, reggae was able to break down barriers and ensure that the message of Rastafarianism resonated around the world.

While Desmond Dekker’s Israelites (a chart-topper in Britain in April 1969) was the first major reggae/rasta hit, there can be no doubt that it was Bob Marley and the Wailers who played the largest role in making Rastafarianism a global phenomenon. Packaged by Island Records, vibrant uncompromising albums like Catch A Fire (1973) and Burnin’ (1974) brought reggae a world-wide audience.