Jamaican music journeyed to England in the ‘60s when immigrants from the island flocked to the UK in search of jobs and a better life. But as racism, unemployment and poor living conditions developed in the 70s, a new generation of UK-based reggae and dancehall artists transformed the music into a major platform for voicing the concerns, struggles and hard, daily reality of life in the UK for black immigrants. Through interviews with David Hinds of Steel Pulse, Dennis Bovell, Papa Levi and many more, we unravel the complex history of how Jamaican music in the United Kingdom became a major component in navigating the cultural and racial landscape for many blacks in a post-empire Britain while pushing the genre into new, musical soundscapes.

Read More! Check out the full feature- including interviews, playlists, and more at

http://www.afropop.org/wp/16799/dread-inna-inglan-how-the-uk-took-to-reggae/

Program produced by Saxon Baird (T: @saxonius)