People who didn't like ragtime said it was an addictive poison that causes brain damage.
Ragtime is a type of music with a bouncy, strongly syncopated melody and an accented accompaniment.
It is a combination of folk tunes, African rhythms, and Creole influences. In 1917 classic ragtime began losing popularity when Scott Joplin died. As performers began to rag both accompaniment and melody, ragtime began its variations into jazz. Dates in the Development of Ragtime Ragtime's Influence .