Militant

How do i describe Militant to someone who I am getting into reggae music. When I used the term to describe a certain song or band he asked me what Militant meant in the reggae world and it stupmed me. Can anyone give me a good definition of what that means so I can explain that to him and better understand myself. I brought up how Militant Peter Tosh was and Black Uhru and Dezarie's Move Militant comes to mind.

wiki sez:

The word militant is both an adjective and a noun, and is usually used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'.......

.....the current meaning of militant does not usually refer to a registered soldier: it can be anyone who subscribes to the idea of using vigorous, sometimes extreme, activity to achieve an objective, usually political.

For example, a "militant [political] activist" would be expected to be more confrontational and aggressive than an activist not described as militant.

so i think "militant rasta" could fit in the description as well.

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FullWatts on your stereo...™

a lot of dictionary definitions use the term aggressive. i would say "staunch, unwavering or vigorous in the support of a belief or cause" is a fairly accurate description of how i interpret the word.

m.

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It depends if you are talking about the music or lyrical vibe, I have heard many UK sound men refer to stripped down drum and bass dubs as militant as well. Peter Tosh was militant- recruiting soldiers in Jah army..

show them Jacob Miller walking down the street in camoflauge towards the end of rockers.

Seems like the key instrument in most "militant" riddims is the snare drum



Other than that, the above examples all work

ah. i hadn't thought about that aspect of it. miltant drums like those used for military cadences...... hmmmm.

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FullWatts on your stereo...™

Yes syncopated, busy snare rhythm is probably the origin of people calling reggae tunes militant, Sly Dunbar had a big part in the evolution of this style from what I can tell.

Nice UB40 dub, like the militant intro.. who mixed this?

As far as I can tell it's just an extended mix of "Present Arms" from "Present Arms In Dub". UB40 opened their concerts with it for years.






Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2012 08:33AM by nahikuroots.

Quote
DubOrganic
Nice UB40 dub, like the militant intro.. who mixed this?

I believe it was the bass player's brother Pablo Falconer, who died in a car crash in '80's

THank you everyone for the answer! I had also looked it up on Wiki but was more so interested in others thoughts on the meaning of the word in reggae music. Bless

i once heard a certain swami say he smoke herb militantly.

Can anyone confirm or deny this?

"That until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: That until there are no longer first-class and second class citizens of any nation; That until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained; And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique and in South Africa in subhuman bondage have been toppled and destroyed; Until bigotry and prejudice and malicious and inhuman self-interest have been replaced by understanding and tolerance and good-will; Until all Africans stand and speak as free beings, equal in the eyes of all men, as they are in the eyes of Heaven; Until that day, the African continent will not know peace. We Africans will fight, if necessary, and we know that we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil. "

Jah Rastafari!




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Oh the irony...