Daggering is a form of dance originating from

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

. The dance incorporates the male dancer ramming his crotch area into the female dancer's buttocks, and other forms of frantic movement. Daggering is not a traditional dance; it is of recent origin, associated with the 2006 wave of

dancehall Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially, dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rou ...

music.

History

The activity of "daggering" has been present in

's dancehalls for many years, but only recently has the term "daggering" been used as a description. Some argue that it is roughly the equivalent of the Caribbean’s "cabin stabbing", another style of music and dance. ''Mojo'' magazine journalist and

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

historian David Katz attributes the recent popularity of daggering to a series of dancehall music videos and artists that promoted the style.

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

videos of people performing daggering have spread the trend worldwide.

Daggering music

Daggering is performed with dancehall music, although some artists have specifically created "daggering" music: *

Aidonia Aidonia (born Sheldon Lawrence, 6 April 1981) is a Jamaican dancehall and reggae artist from Kingston, Jamaica. He became active in early 2004, and has released albums on the record labels, VP Records and Jag One Productions. Aidonia has also ...

Dexta Daps Louis Grandison, known as Dexta Daps, Dappa Don or Dexta, is a Jamaican dancehall and reggae performer. Grandison’s career began in 2012 with the release of his first 2 singles "Save me Jah" and "May you be". Though he has made many songs in bet ...

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Major Lazer Major Lazer is an American electronic dance music DJ trio, which includes record producer Diplo, and DJs Walshy Fire and Ape Drums. It originates from Kingston, Jamaica, and was founded in 2008 by Diplo and Switch, with Switch leaving after t ...

* Mavado *

Mr. Vegas Clifford Smith (born December 29th, 1974), better known as Mr. Vegas, is a Jamaican dancehall musician. Biography Clifford Smith was born in Kingston in 1974.Barrow, Steve & Dalton, Peter (2004) "The Rough Guide to Reggae, 3rd edn.", Rough Gu ...

Popcaan Andrae Hugh Sutherland (born 19 July 1988), known professionally as Popcaan, is a Jamaican singer. In 2008, Popcaan joined Vybz Kartel's Gaza Music Empire. In 2010, he released his breakthrough international hit "Clarks" with Kartel, an ode t ...

Shenseea Chinsea Lee (born 1 October 1996), known professionally as Shenseea, is a Jamaican dancehall artist. She initially gained attention after appearing on songs by Vybz Kartel, Sean Paul, and Christina Aguilera. In 2019, she signed a recording contr ...

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Vybz Kartel Adidja Azim Palmer (born 7 January 1976), better known as Vybz Kartel, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall recording artist, composer, record producer, and entrepreneur. Among his various nicknames, he is referred to as "Worl' Boss". As summarize ...

Ban in Jamaica

In the wake of the popularity of daggering, in 2009 the Jamaican government enacted a radio and TV ban on songs and videos with blatantly sexual content. The

Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation The Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation (JBC) was a public broadcasting company in Jamaica founded in 1959 by premier Norman Manley with the aim of emulating the success of other national broadcasting companies such as the BBC and CBC.Thomas, Pradip ...

defines daggering as "a colloquial term or phrase used in dancehall culture as a reference to hardcore sex or what is popularly referred to as 'dry' sex, or the activities of persons engaged in the public simulation of various sexual acts and positions." Therefore, "There shall not be transmitted, any recording, live song, or music video which promotes the act of daggering or which makes reference to, or is otherwise suggestive of daggering." Jamaican doctors have also warned of the dangers of daggering, after having many cases of damaged penis tissue. The condition can result in permanent damage, and therefore must be taken seriously. Jamaican doctors assert that those trying to replicate the powerful moves of daggering in the bedroom can end up with dramatic injuries. In 2009, they stated that the incidence of broken penises has increased in the past year, according to an article in the ''Jamaican Star''. The community is divided over the dance, with singers up in arms over the ban, saying it stifles their right to free speech and diversity. Andrei Laskatelev argues that in social history numerous dances have been banned (the

belly dance Belly dance (Egyptian Arabic: رقص بلدي, translated: Dance of the Country/Folk Dance, romanized: Raks/Raas Baladi) is a dance that originates in Egypt. It features movements of the hips and torso. It has evolved to take many different f ...

, the

tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...

, the

waltz The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position. History There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the wa ...

etc.) and that public concern about daggering stems mostly from its novelty.

History

Daggering music

Ban in Jamaica

See also

References

Further reading