Japan, Europe and the dancehall loop

German reggae/dancehall sound system from Stuttgart, associated with European sound-system circuits and World Clash history.

Network of UK and continental European reggae/dancehall sounds, festivals, clashes, dub events and record shops that circulate Jamaican music.

Japanese reggae/dancehall scene built through records, sound systems, dancers, selectors, dubplates, Jamaican travel and local events.

UK sound system associated with roots reggae, Notting Hill Carnival and British sound-system culture.

Reggae Geel is a long-running Belgian reggae festival and one of Europe's important reggae gatherings, documenting the sustained appetite for Jamaican and diaspora reggae far beyond the island.

International route of sounds travelling to Jamaica to voice exclusive dubplates with artists, studios and producers.

German reggae festival associated with Cologne/Fühlinger See and European reggae audiences.

London carnival sound-system tradition where Jamaican sound-system culture became central to Black British public culture.

Pattern where overseas selectors, dancers and fans visit Jamaica, attend dances, voice dubplates, learn etiquette and build relationships with Jamaican communities.

David Rodigan (born 24 June 1951) is a British radio DJ and sound-system selector who has championed Jamaican reggae and dancehall for decades. He began reggae broadcasting on BBC Radio London in 1978, ran his "Roots Rockers" show on Capital Radio through the 1980s, and later broadcast on Kiss FM and BBC Radio 1Xtra, becoming renowned for sound-clash battles against systems such as Killamanjaro and Stone Love. He was appointed MBE in 2012 and awarded Jamaica's Order of Distinction in 2020 for promoting Jamaican music worldwide.

Editorial concept for documenting international love of Jamaican music while noting credit, context, reciprocity, community relationships and anti-extractive practice.

Rototom Sunsplash is a major European reggae festival that carries the Sunsplash name into a global festival context, reflecting how Jamaican festival language and reggae culture were adopted and expanded by overseas audiences.

Japanese reggae/dancehall sound system from Yokohama, internationally known for World Clash success and global dubplate culture.

Long before streaming, a ring of summer festivals across Germany, Italy, France, Spain and the Netherlands turned reggae into one of Europe's most durable live-music economies.

Dancehall's rhythms, moves and slang went global in the 2010s - the argument is over who gets credited.

Newspapers, radio stations, flyers, venues and festival lineups are evidence, not just background.

How a scattered corps of print critics and radio DJs first wrote and broadcast reggae into international recognition.