Dancehall reggae and hip-hop are close kin, both tracing their roots to early days when Jamaican DJs would set up their systems and battle for supremacy. And as with its American cousin, critics claim that dancehall's lyrics glorify the drug trade, incite riots and encourage homophobia. Although these points will always be up for debate, you can't deny that both art forms feature MCs ripping up bass-heavy beats with ghetto tales, rousing crowds into a frenzy. Dancehall, however, does strike the lusty chord in the body just a lil' more than hip-hop. Back East, especially in New York, the music receives just as much rotation as hip-hop in the clubs, and pushes dancing to another sexual level entirely.
Girls do more than just back that ass up.
Booties jiggle and wiggle in unimaginable ways, bringing fellas' natures to a boiling point. But, as we all know, Portland's quite a bit different from the streets of Brooklyn, where a dancehall mix tape is easily copped. Anyone interested in the Jamaican flavor is in for a search. And luckily, some cats behind the turntables put it down for the people's pleasure. The biggest push to bring dancehall to Portland has come courtesy of Direct Productions.