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If anything has become clear thoughout the five
hours that preceeded this last one, it is that
Reggae Music is first and foremost a sifferer's
music. It has a direct connection with the
Africans who were taken from their homeland to
build the cities of Babylon, only to have the most
of their posterity live in the ghetto until this
day.
The camera takes us to the heart of the ghetto.
To the mobile record store that features in many
books about Reggae. We see the store and the owner
live and direct, as he explains where he is coming
from, why he is doing what he is doing and what a
gwaan.
We meet the Singers and Players of Instruments.
They speak about the liberating force of Reggae
Music, how Reggae Music is really a Spiritual
Music that chants down Babylon. We hear words of
hope, words of justice, righteousness. After the
reasoning, time to to pick up the instruments and
start rolling the tape.
Political violence killed thousands of
Jamaicans. Nowhere was it felt like in the
ghetto's. The ghetto's is where Babylons
downpression comes down the hardest. Two rivaling
political parties form the main catalysator of the
violence, which can better be described as a civil
war.
It is in this situation that we find Channel
One. We find musicians waiting for session work,
Inside, the Mighty Diamonds record "Right
Time". Outside, people gamble.
In the meantime, the mobile record store drives
through Kingston and producer Jack Ruby holds
audition in his backyard. Vocal harmony in the
ghetto's, like no one in Hollywood can ever reach
with fancy tricks, not even in this 21th century.
The reality of Kingston 12.
The hour, and since this is the last episode,
the whole six-hour ends with Jack Ruby talking
about the real situation in the ghetto. Speaking
about what he is trying to do as a producer, he is
surrounded by singers and players of instruments
and the reasonings goes deep as world politics
(Vietnam) is brought up and politicians using
Reggae Music for their own goals.
Deep Roots, originally produced in the early
1980's for the UK based Channel Four Television,
truly is one of the best documentaries ever made
about Reggae in a time where in the music was
formed.
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