Dub poetry is a type of poem with built-in rhythm, often associated with reggae music and social justice issues. It originated in Jamaica and is connected to specific artists and deejays. While rhythm is essential, some see limitations in its appeal and popularity today.
Dub poetry is a specific type of poem or verse in which the built-in rhythm adds glamor to performance or reading. This type of poetry is most often associated with reggae types of music such as dancehall, but specifically associated with “dub music,” which is a bit different from the dancehall variety. Many times, dub poetry can be adapted to be performed alongside music, which is usually reggae or something with a similar beat.
In terms of content, dub poetry is distinguished from other types of performance art. This type of spoken word most frequently focuses on issues of social justice or other political issues. It can also include many elements and references to Rastafarianism, a local religion, as is the case with the general reggae genre.
Many attribute the origin of dub-style poetry to Jamaica, and the art form is said to have a West Indian origin. Its close connection with reggae somehow reveals this origin. An international audience might confuse this type of poetry with reggae, especially when the music is added to the spoken word album.
An essential element of dub poetry is rhythm, which is written and pronounced as a “riddim” within the industry associated with dub poetry and music. Cultural scholars examine the ways in which rhythm relates to the spoken word while looking at how dub-style poetry and music influence the broader genre. Researchers can also compare dub poetry to other parts of the reggae genre to understand its particular appeal.
Some cultural historians connect dub poetry with specific artists, such as Oku Onuara, a prominent poet in the 1970s. Others identify it more generally as poetry that has an innate rhythm, that can be delivered in rhythm without background music, and that can be interpreted as influenced by reggae. In addition to being the province of a certain school of poets, dub-style poetry is also commonly understood to be related to deejays or disc jockeys.
In examining the role of dub poetry, some of the performers using it have described it as having limited appeal or timeline. Discussing the limitations of this specific type of verse, the interpreters pointed out that the ability to fix the spoken word in a more abstract meter can have substantial advantages. For this and other reasons, this type of poetry may not be as popular today as it once was.
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