Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

Music is the universal language of the world; it transcends the boundaries between culture and race. It is a communicative tool shared by people around the globe that reinforces their values and expresses new ideas. Roots reggae is no exception, musicians within the genre bring forth ideologies such as love, peace, freedom, political revolution and unity. Many of Reggae's highly political songs proclaim the tenets of the Rastafarian religious movement. Numerous musicians set the groundwork for the cultural phenomenon of roots reggae, but lyrical genius Peter Tosh has always been in a league of his own. Tosh questioned authority while presenting the anguish of his people through music. In response to years of plight, Tosh used roots reggae as musical outlet to convey Rastafarian ideologies. Many roots lyrics reveal the corruption and truth behind government intervention. “You're in a me land, You no build no school for black children, No hospital for black people, You build your prison, You build their camp.” These words, sung by Tosh, have many direct parallels. While Jamaicans were fighting against the system, or shitstem as Tosh commonly referred to it as, black Americans were in the midst of the same struggles