Sting and Shaggy have recently collaborated on a new Caribbean-influenced album 44/876, but woe betide anyone who claims Sting may be a cultural appropriator.
Cultural appropriation is a sociological concept which deals with the decision by members of the dominant culture to adopt elements of the minoritys culture for their own gain or use, but Sting believes the term is ugly and that he knows he owes a great deal to the whole reggae bass community.
For me, reggae is something I respect and value, and take seriously. Its something Ive learned from, he said.
Sting found fame in the 1970s with The Police, a British rock band heavily influenced by reggae and jazz; his solo career has regularly focused on reggae works.
I owe a great deal to the whole reggae bass community. My spiritual, musical mentor was Bob Marley – who I knew – and I really feel that Im doing something that feels authentic to me, he added.
AdvertisementAdvertisement
Working with Shaggy gives it that extra edge. Hes an authentic reggae dancehall superstar. I dabble and I dibble, but that was the common ground we had.
Speaking to the BBC, Shaggy also admitted that he think itss amazing to see dancehall music played on the radio, and moving our culture to the mainstream.
When I started, it was really, really tough to get dancehall music played, he revealed.
Oh Carolina was the first dancehall song to go into the British chart and go to number one. To see it now, where it is, where its a mainstream phenomenon its amazing. It makes you feel like we did something. We were part of moving our culture to the mainstream.
MORE: Idris Elba to turn manny and failed DJ in new Netflix series, Turn Up Charlie
AdvertisementAdvertisement
[contf] [contfnew] 
METRO
[contfnewc] [contfnewc]
