Reggae Music in Trench Town

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Reggae Music in Trench Town
Like many other slums across the world, Trench Town is characterized by a high population of low-income earners. Located in Downtown Kingston, the region has relatively high incidents of crime, mainly resulting from poverty. Social exclusion is also a common phenomenon that characterizes the region. Although Town Trench is famous for social, economic and political issues such as unemployment and overcrowding, it is also popular for the origin of legendary musicians including Bob Marley and Marcus Garvey. The region’s residents are proud of the reggae music by these artists since it represents their struggles and is a reflection of hope for better lives. As one walks across Trench Town, they can spot magnificent graffiti of these artists, which is a representation of the people’s urban experience. The texts and writing expressing the lyrics to the icons’ songs express the discourse on the struggles that the people have experienced over the decades.
The messages communicated through the reggae music in the 1970s are still relevant in the modern era. This is partly because the political system has failed to implement policies that address the region’s challenges. Due to the current challenges in the slums, the modern generation can relate with the music. As part of cultural heritage, reggae music can be used to inform the young generation about the historical injustices that have shaped the poor conditions in the slums. The music can be used to teach the young generation about the social issues that have plagued the community for decades. Based on Bourdieu's cultural capital theory, embodied culture such as music creates a sense of identity. This implies that Trench Town residents can use reggae music to seek support for political action against the social injustices that hinder their economic development.
The current research seeks to determine the link between reggae music and cultural identity among the Trench Town population. The research applies Bourdieu's cultural capital theory to explain the link between the people’s culture and identity. The information will help determine the impact of reggae music on cultural identity of the Trench Town people. The findings will also reveal the possibility of capitalizing on cultural capital to promote the quality of life for the people living in Trench Town.
Theoretical Background and Literature Review
The popularity of reggae music in the region and cross the world intensified in the 1970s. Various artists during the time including Wailer and Bob Marley started gaining international recognition. The artists started performing internationally, leading to an increased interest by the artists to tap into the overseas market. Before the popularity of reggae, the Jamaican citizens identified with Ska, a genre that was mainly popular with the immigrants who settled in the UK. However, reggae was more relatable, especially with slum dwellers. The political pressure experienced by the residents of Trench Town has greatly contributed to the emergence of cultural evolution. The lyrics related to the social, political, and economic issues that the people residing in slums could understand. Artists such as Marley were even recognized internationally for speaking out against the poor political regime that worsened the quality of life for the slum dwellers. In 1978, the reggae icon won an international award for using his music to condemn the human rights violations and oppression that affected the population in slums such as Trench Town (Rhiney and Cruse 4).
In Wait in Vain, Marley describes the experience of a lover who expresses their impatience in waiting for love. The lyrics express the hopelessness of the lover, who fears that they might wait in vain for the love (Marley n.p). Although the music can be interpreted as a love song, it can also imply the people’s impatience with the government’s empty promises. Like in many other developing economies, politicians fail to fulfill their peoples’ needs after they are elected to power. This has been one of the major contributions to the high incidents of avoidable economic issues in the slums. Trench Town residents easily identify with such lyrics because they express their plight. In addition to the lyrics, the instruments used in the song communicate a somber mood. For example, the guitar creates a somber tone that describes the dark tone in the song. The tone is representative of the hardships that the people experienced in the slums during the time. Sadly, the condition has not improved over the years, despite the politicians’ promises to enhance the population’s quality of living. This explains the relevance of such music in the current generation.
Pierre Bourdieu's Theory of Cultural Capital
Bourdieu's approach to social life can expla...