Copeland had been really interesting about the negative space in the beat of reggae, & the emphasis on the 3rd beat – which together they have in common with Arab (especially Lebanese) popular music.
I was wondering if there might be a fairly direct connection, since in the Eastern Caribbean at least the Lebanese are a small but identifiable group, & may well be too in Jamaica.
My one small beef with Copeland is that he seemed to imply that Jamaica went directly from ska to reggae, without going through rock steady which was what, finally, put the lie to the Eastern Caribbean certainty that Jamaicans had no rhythm.
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