Dub is a sub-category of reggae music that at the beginning of the 60s was released on the B side of singles in 45 rpm format, and consisted of the mixed version of the songs on the A side. From the prevalence of the instrumental and rhythmic component over the vocal one, and soon this type of music gained its own autonomy. These new versions were called “dub version” of the original songs and most of the singles sold in Jamaica.

In the contemporary world, reggae / dub music is often associated with new age groups and / or groups belonging to all that “freak” dimension linked to the mere consumption of Marijuana, forgetting where the socio-cultural roots of this music come from: in the early years 30′, the political-religious movement, Rastafari, developed among the black population of Jamaica centered on the figure of the Negus Ras Tafarì and with Ethiopia which is the messianic destination of the great return of blacks deported to America. This is a syncretic religion derived from the myth of Samson (from this derive the characteristic dreadlocks, as a symbol of Samson’s strength that resided in the hair), however, read in an anti-European function and interpreted as the end of the domination of whites. The use of marijuana (ganja) sometimes takes on a religious and ritual meaning. Since the 1980s, Rasta culture has become known all over the world, mainly thanks to the Jamaican singer Bob Marley and reggae music.

For these reasons, since 2018, reggae has become a UNESCO Intangible Heritage Site, according to which reggae “has contributed to the international debate on injustice, resistance, love and humanity, highlighting the intellectual, socio-political, spiritual and sensual strength of this element of cultural heritage.”