In the 1970s, reggae music swept the globe, only to fade away in most regions. Reggae was deemed ‘underground’ in Ethiopia, and as a result, it was neither broadcast on Ethiopian radio stations, nor did it attract any attention in Addis Ababa’s live music venues. Reggae’s mesmerizing rhythms and conscious message grabbed the hearts of a few artists who were eager to promote the genre, despite its lack of effective promotion. This article gives an overview of Ethiopian reggae and the performers who have helped to keep it alive. Ethiopia has a special place in the hearts of many reggae fans throughout the world since it appears in multiple songs by Bob Marley, the genre’s biggest star. We’re leaving Babylon and returning to our homeland.” The repatriation of black people to Zion, which in his opinion was Ethiopia, or more broadly, Africa, was a key theme in Marley’s songs.
The visit of Emperor Haile Selassie I to Jamaica in April 1966 boosted the Rastafarian movement’s impact in Ethiopia, laying the way for the birth of Roots Reggae. The emperor also encouraged Rastafarians to return to Ethiopia during his visit. More than 2000 Rastafarian immigrants from Jamaica eventually came in Ethiopia, with the majority settling in Shashamane, roughly 250 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital. Yohannes Bekele, better known as Jonny Ragga, was one of Ethiopia’s earliest local reggae performers.
