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wizlaartsgallery · 4 years ago

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Exploring Reggae Music for Social Change

Recognizing music as a tool for educating people in society and its social relevance is what I will be discussing in this proposal. I will be exploring reggae music and its significance to the people of Africa in the socio-economic and political context. According to Chude-Sokei (2011, Pp. 78) “Reggae has been Africa’s most powerful musical advocate.” Historically, I will be drawing on the works of reggae artists such as Alpha Blondy and Lucky Dube to explore the impact of reggae music concerning the everyday social life of Africans. The practical research methodology I will employ in this inquiry will address issues such as educating the people through music to understand the need for democracy, equality, participation, collectivity, and performance to influence social justice. From this starting point, I suggest it is helpful to explore more in detail to analyse how reggae music can impact on social change.

The fundamental concern of my proposal is to demonstrate through my practical research project that reggae music can be used as a tool for education and social change, and not be seen as a piece of ordinary music. In short, it is maintained, arts and music can be used to change society and individuals for the better through education (Hanne and Varkøy (2020). In a broader sense of knowledge, music is a powerful tool in transforming lives and changing society through the artist engagement with the audience. Music supports the equitable outer truth of nature and social order and impact perception of reality (ION, 2011, Pp.219). Arguably, reggae music can ignite our inner thoughts to influence our emotions and actions concerning how policy and decision making processes by the government can impact social justice and socio-economic welfare.

The cultural and political influence of the root reggae genre is in no doubt immense contribution to my work as I propose to address key issues of political concern in Nigeria. My operating assumption is to use music as a means of education and advocacy to address socio-political concerns in the country. Reggae Artists explored socio-political issues that nobody dared to talk about previously in their song publicly: As noted, Alpha Blondy condemned police violence against apparent juvenile hoodlum in his song ‘Brigadier sabari’ (Pardon brigadier) during 1983 (Anne Schumann, 2015, Pp.343). My developing principles, therefore, are based on inspiration. Inspiration often provides the compelling strength to make the art captivating (Weintraub, 2003, Pp.123). Hence, my inspiration is drawn from artists such as Lucky Dube, Aplha Blondy and my drive for social change through empathy, and equality.

On the night of 14 April 2014, 276 young Christian girls were kidnapped in Nigeria. The 276 kidnapped schoolgirls from Chibok in 2014 are some of the thousands of people ‘Boko Haram’ had abducted over the years (The Guardian, 2017). The government in response to the issue claimed Boko Haram is an Islamic terrorist group. However, I hold a different opinion concerning these happenings in my work. For example, I stresses that, we want peace in Nigeria, is peace in the universe, and ‘Babylon’ shall not rise again with the gun, ‘Boko Haram’ shall not rise again with the gun. An equal share of the petroleum money will save our children, an equal share of the national cake, Lord, will save our girls. Distress for Citizens as suggested by ‘Lucky Dube’ is the usual folk that endure the poverty brought about by unproductive and corrupt governments. This is the coloration in Lucky Dube’s work in this study (Onyebadi, 2018, Pp. 13)

Addressing these socio-political issues, considering the concept of ethnocultural empathy will assist the government in recognizing the elements of social exclusion and emphasize them as a major threat to the socio-economic development of the nation. Rennalls (2020) defines that “This is the ability to take the perspective and share the feelings of a person from a different ethnic group and to communicate these shared experiences to them.” This is relevant considering the fact that a huge percentage of despute in Nigeria are rooted in ethnicity and religion (Adebayo, 2016, Pp. 373). Under these social circumstances, the effectiveness of ethnocultural empathy becomes a key component in promoting peace in the nation before any ethnic and religious affiliations.

Moreover, it’s significant to understand that, engaging my audience with an educative reggae sound piece accompanied by a music video will enhance advocacy on socio-political crisis whilst providing a friendly environment for entertainment. Notably, music can build friendships and peace where mistrust, misunderstanding, anger existed previously. Music provides people a sense of unification and togetherness (Pierce, 2015). Therefore, the playfulness that comes with entertainment is an added value to my work as the government, and individuals by listening to my music might find their sense of national solidarity and iron their differences to promote democracy, equality, social justice, peace and togetherness. Playfulness requires listening to the music and people deep (Strand, 2016).

In some contexts, the humanistic approach to economic intervention perspectives advocated for in my music might reach a vast majority of the audience and people in government to influence them to empathized and provide care and support for the vulnerable and marginalized Islamic population to redress the systematic and socio-economic inequalities in the country. In his song ‘The Hand that Giveth’ (1989), Lucky Dube explored the biblical command concerning caring for the needy to condemn the rich and influential for their rampant hypocrisy in grabbing from the poor instead of giving back to society (Onyebadi, 2018, Pp. 15). It is vital to note that this holistic approach from the Bible focuses on the core interests of giving to the poor as well as empathizing with the needy. These assertions by Lucky Dube (1989) support the early claim by Rennalls (2020) concerning the use of the ethnocultural empathy perspective.

In conclusion, the approach adopted and advocated for in this proposal is ultimately social justice in character as it fundamentally revolves around discussing the social and economic activities carried out by the government concerning its people. My reggae music and its accompanying video content tie violent crime such as kidnapping by Boko Haram to religious discrimination and socio-economic deprivation of marginalized Islamic youth by a predominately Christian government administration in Nigeria. Additionally, discussing issues related to discrimination and the government's interference in the delivery of social justice can be very challenging in Africa as it positions the artists against the politicians. However, considering my position as human rights and social justice activist, it will be rewarding to know that my music can contribute to effective social change. Arguably, reggae music plays an important role in changing society. You can discuss complex political issues in reggae music without hurting people to affect social change.

Word Count: 1,133

List of References

Rinholm, Hanne, and Øivind Varkøy. “MUSIC EDUCATION FOR THE COMMON GOOD?: BETWEEN HUBRIS AND RESIGNATION: A Call for Temperance.” Humane Music Education for the Common Good, edited by Iris M. Yob and Estelle R. Jorgensen, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, Indiana, 2020, pp. 40–53. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvxcrxmm.6. Accessed 18 Nov. 2020.

OLTEŢEANU, ION. “THE FORMATIVE FUNCTION OF MUSICAL INTERACTIONS WITHIN SOCIAL IDENTITY.” Geopolitics, History, and International Relations, vol. 3, no. 1, 2011, pp. 215–220. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26804857. Accessed 18 Nov. 2020.

Chude-Sokei, Louis. “When Echoes Return.” Transition, no. 104, 2011, pp. 76–92. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.2979/transition.2011.-.104.76. Accessed 18 Nov. 2020.

Weintraub, L. (2003) “Making contemporary art; how contemporary artists think and work (Sourcing Inspiration)” Thames & Hudson, London. Available at: file:///C:/Users/USER/Downloads/ED53022B-Weintraub_Linda-Making_contemporary_art_how_conltemporary_artists_think_and_work-Sourcing_Inspiration-pp122-124%20(2).pdf. (Accessed: 2nd December 2020)

Kulungu, Mustapha. “Does Boko Haram Pose a Threat to the US?” Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses, vol. 11, no. 2, 2019. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26627975. Accessed 7 Dec. 2020.

Rennalls, S. (2020) Creativity can help to heal Britain's divided society. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/nov/15/creativity-can-help-to-heal-britains-divided-society?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other (Accessed: 7th December 2020).

The Guardian (2017) Boko Haram releases dozens of Chibok schoolgirls, say Nigerian officials. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/06/boko-haram-releases-dozens-of-kidnapped-chibok-schoolgirls (Accessed: 7th December 2020)

Schumann, Anne. “Music at War: Reggae Musicians as Political Actors in the Ivoirian Crisis.” Journal of African Cultural Studies, vol. 27, no. 3, 2015, pp. 342–355. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/24758685. ( Accessed 14 Nov. 2020).

oseph Olusegun Adebayo (2016) The Impact of Peace Journalism Training

on Journalists’ Reportage of the 2015 Elections in Nigeria: An Action Research Case Study, Communicatio, 42:3, 361-377, DOI: 10.1080/02500167.2016.1216458 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02500167.2016.1216458

Pierce, Deborah L. “Redefining Music Appreciation: Exploring the Power of Music.” College Music Symposium, vol. 55, 2015. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/26574401. Accessed 17 Nov. 2020.

Onyebadi, U. (2018) Political Messages in African Music: Assessing Fela

Anikulapo-Kuti, Lucky Dube and Alpha Blondy. Available at:

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/7/4/129/htm# (Accessed: 8th December 2020)

Strand, Katherine. “The Infinite Game: Part Two.” Music Educators Journal, vol. 103, no. 2, 2016, pp. 15–16. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44678222. Accessed 27 Nov. 2020.

Ford, T. (2018) Ellen Johnson Sirleaf: The legacy of Africa's first elected female president. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42748769 (Accessed: 20th December 2020)

Jose Romero Lopez (No Date) Alpha Blondy. Available at: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/Reggaeoneness/alpha-blondy/ (Accessed: 28th December 2020)

Reggae Ville (No Date) LUCKY DUBE. Available at: https://www.reggaeville.com/artist-details/lucky-dube/videos/video/lucky-dube-rototom-sunsplash-2005-full-show/ (Accessed: 28th December 2020)

Benjamin Hillion (2019) Lucky Dube. Available at: https://www.quora.com/Who-was-the-first-to-start-music-between-Lucky-Dube-and-Bob-Marley (Accessed: 28th December 2019)

By: Albert Apiw (7th December 2021)

Critical Arts Practice in Education

Goldsmiths University of London (Year 3)

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