In the 70's reggae proved vital in ending the rift between black and white teenagers. In British sound systems and artists like Linton Kwesi Johnson and Steel Pulse the black community found a voice and were going hand in hand with the punk movement in their fight against a corrupt and racist government. The rise of soundsystems, dj's an mc's in this era laid the foundation for a string of undergr
ound street music genres in the UK. In England, though reggae isn't really mainstream, it is all around, The places where reggae was really important - Southampton, Birmingham, London - are the places where things like garage and dubstep took off later. It's a scene that's been building and evolving in Britain for years. UK dancehall and reggae's fusion with hip-hop forged a distinct voice and style for home-grown rap, but the music of Jamaica – via Britain's Caribbean community – also filtered into spawning jungle, drum'n'bass, dubstep, and grime. It's no coincidence: those dance scenes owe the bulk of their DNA to the conventions of the reggae sound system. UK Bashment is a celebration of British street sounds; dark, bouncy, grimey and invigorating. A sound reminiscent of the vibe found in sweaty underground parties in the ghetto's of the UK.
