''Reggae Report'' was a U.S.-based music and culture magazine first published in 1983. The publication offered an abundance of news and information regarding

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 ...

, Caribbean, and world music artists and entertainers, including soca,

African African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** Ethn ...

, and hip hop. ''Reggae Report'' was founded by publisher M. Peggy Quattro and Michael "Zappow" Williams. With combined industry connections and experience that bridged the gap from reggae's beginnings to the artists making the most popular music of the day, Quattro and Williams began ''Reggae Report'' to spread the word, educate the fans about its rich history, and bring up-close-and-personal

interview An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.Merriam Webster DictionaryInterview Dictionary definition, Retrieved February 16, 2016 In common parlance, the word "interview" ...

s and photographs to a targeted international fan base. The

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

, Florida-based magazine owed its success to reggae's rising popularity. Its credibility and timeliness resulted in Reggae Report excelling in a market with limited print competition. Its mission was to introduce the music and accompanying culture and lifestyle to a large multi-ethnic US and North American base. The enthusiastic support shown by artists, musicians, and industry professionals in

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 UK, and the US resulted in increased

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

and distribution, as well as an enthusiastic international subscriber base. Reggae was still young in the early 1980s, and in the US it was basically undiscovered. By the late '80s, the magazine had achieved regional, national, and international distribution. At its peak, ''Reggae Report'' was distributed in 42 countries. Advertisers ranged from

record companies A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produc ...

and

record distributor The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...

s, to airlines, clothing lines, beverages, food items, restaurants,

accessories Accessory may refer to: * Accessory (legal term), a person who assists a criminal In anatomy * Accessory bone * Accessory muscle * Accessory nucleus, in anatomy, a cranial nerve nucleus * Accessory nerve In arts and entertainment * Accessory ...

, and record and gift stores. Its growing popularity brought accolades, articles, and awards, but the dawning of instant

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...

news resulted in the publication ceasing its print version. ''Reggae Report'' transformed int
ReggaeReport.com
in 1999 and its online site is active today.

Publication history

Reggae Report was founded by M. Peggy Quattro, an American reggae fan, writer, and former assistant manager to

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

Gregory Isaacs Gregory Anthony Isaacs OD (15 July 1951 – 25 October 2010)Thompson, p. 127. was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in ''The New York Times'', described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae".Miles, Milo (1992),RECORDI ...

, and Jimmy Cliff; and Kingston-born Michael "Zappow" Williams, acclaimed musician, producer, and songwriter, renowned for the band

Zap Pow Zap Pow is a Jamaican reggae band, founded by singer/bassist Michael Williams aka Mikey Zappow and guitarist Dwight Pinkney. Members also included singer Beres Hammond, trumpeter David Madden, saxman Glen DaCosta, and drummer Cornell Marshall ...

and writing the anthem "This is Reggae Music." In 1983, there wasn't any good press on Reggae, there was no way to get information on the artists—that's where the magazine idea came from—to fill this void. Williams returned to Jamaica in 1985. Quattro, inspired by the music's spirituality and frustrated that it was misunderstood,Scott Benarde, The Reggae Connection, ''The Palm Beach Post'', Oct. 13, 1991 continued publishing the magazine, traveling extensively to Jamaica and the Caribbean, as well as to England and major US cities, bringing news to the fans and exposure to the artists. Reggae Report can boast of introducing countless fans to Reggae and functioning as an important source of information. Reggae Report and M. Peggy Quattro produced the 1986 fan-favorite Small Axe Awards, which showcased performances by the top names in Jamaican Reggae. The publication produced stage and club shows, and promoted events where fans would win prizes, including T-shirts, CDs, and an all-expense-paid trip to Jamaica. "Those fans were supportive and kept me going, because it certainly hasn't been the money," says Quattro. In addition to magazines, Reggae Report also produced annual calendars with artists' photos, birthdays, and events, and a variety of Reggae Report

T-shirt A T-shirt (also spelled tee shirt), or tee, is a style of fabric shirt named after the T shape of its body and sleeves. Traditionally, it has short sleeves and a round neckline, known as a ''crew neck'', which lacks a collar. T-shirts are general ...

s and beach bags. In 1998, after declining sales, brought on by the entrance of the

World Wide Web The World Wide Web (WWW), commonly known as the Web, is an information system enabling documents and other web resources to be accessed over the Internet. Documents and downloadable media are made available to the network through web ...

, Quattro closed down the print version and bega
ReggaeReport.com
in 1999. In 2010, plans began to institute the Reggae Report Archive. This online, digital 30 year collection of magazines, photographs, video, audio, and interesting

memorabilia A souvenir (), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and transported home by the traveler as a m ...

documents the history of reggae from the late 1970s to the end of the '90s. Articles, photos, video, and more from 2000 to 2010 are also available.

Content

The magazine covered multiple reggae styles, including Lovers Rock, Roots & Culture, Rock Steady,

Ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...

, Dub, and Dancehall. In the mid-'80s, Reggae Report took a stand against 'slackness,' a form of Dancehall that was raunchy and out of sync with Roots Rock Reggae. "We didn't endorse it or support it," says Quattro The magazine's regular featured segments included articles, interviews, event and CD reviews. Departments included Yard Report, USA Reggae, Fresh on de Scene, New Releases, International Top 10 Charts, World a'Reggae, International Reggae, Poetry, Did U Knows, So Jah Seh, and So Dem Seh (Letters to the Editor.) Other content included discographies and retrospectives. Reggae Report produced annual special issues, such as Dancehall Rules!, Roots and Culture, and the annual Bob Marley Tribute issue.Howard Campbell, A Chat with Reggae Report's Peggy Quattro, The Gleaner (JA), 1995 In addition, there were specials, such as Women in Reggae, the UK Special, and a New York Special. Peter Tosh,

Lucky Dube Lucky Philip Dube (pronounced ''duu-beh'';
luckydubemusic.com, Retrieved 19 October 2007 3 August 1964 – 18 October 20 ...

Third World The term "Third World" arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. The United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Western European nations and their allies represented the " First ...

Ziggy Marley David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley (born 17 October 1968) is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, musician, actor and philanthropist. He is the son of reggae icon Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 20 ...

, and Jimmy Cliff were popular cover features. Fan favorites covered include

Maxi Priest Max Alfred "Maxi" Elliott (born 10 June 1961), known by his stage name Maxi Priest, is a British reggae vocalist of Jamaican descent. He is best known for singing reggae music with an R&B influence, otherwise known as reggae fusion. He was one ...

UB40 UB40 are an English reggae and pop band, formed in December 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has had more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. They have been nominated for the ...

Toots and the Maytals The Maytals, known from 1972 to 2020 as Toots and the Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group, one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups. The Maytals were formed in the early 1960s and were key figures in popularizing reggae music. ...

Steel Pulse Steel Pulse are a roots reggae band from the Handsworth area of Birmingham, England. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, and were composed of David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals), and Ro ...

Buju Banton Mark Anthony Myrie (born 15 July 1973),Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, professionally known by his stage name Buju Banton, is a Jamaican reggae dancehall musician. He is considered to be one of the most s ...

Garnett Silk Garnett Silk (born Garnet Damion Smith; 2 April 1966 – 9 December 1994) was a Jamaican reggae musician and Rastafarian, known for his diverse, emotive, powerful and smooth voice. During the early 1990s he was hailed as a rising talent, howeve ...

, Aswad,

Shaggy Shaggy may refer to: People *Shaggy (musician) (born 1968), Jamaican American reggae rapper and singer * Shaggy 2 Dope, half of the hip hop, horrorcore band Insane Clown Posse * Shaggy Flores (born 1973), Nuyorican poet, writer and African diaspor ...

Stephen Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...

and

Damian Marley Damian Robert Nesta "Jr. Gong" Marley (born 21 July 1978) is a Jamaican DJ, singer, lyricist and rapper. He is the recipient of four Grammy Awards. Early life, education and family Damian Marley is the youngest son of reggae musician Bob Marle ...

Black Uhuru Black Uhuru is a Jamaican reggae group formed in 1972, initially as Uhuru ( Swahili for 'freedom'). The group has undergone several line-up changes over the years, with Derrick "Duckie" Simpson as the mainstay. They had their most successful per ...

Sugar Minott Lincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott (25 May 1956 – 10 July 2010)Campbell, Howard (2010)Reggae singer Sugar Minott dies at 54, Associated Press, 11 July 2010. Retrieved 12 July 2010Peru, Yasmine (2010)Godfather of Dancehall, Sugar Minott, dead at ...

, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs,

Burning Spear Winston Rodney OD (born 1 March 1945), better known by the stage name Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer-songwriter, vocalist and musician. Burning Spear is a Rastafarian and one of the most influential and long-standing roots ...

Culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups ...

Marcia Griffiths Marcia Llyneth Griffiths (born 23 November 1949) is a Jamaican singer. One reviewer described her by noting "she is known primarily for her strong, smooth-as-mousse love songs and captivating live performances". Biography Born in West Kingst ...

Diana King Diana King (born 8 November 1970) is a Jamaican-American singer-songwriter who performs a mixture and fusion of reggae, reggae fusion and dancehall. They were born to an Indo-Jamaican mother and an Afro-Jamaican father. They are best known f ...

, and

Pato Banton Pato Banton (born Patrick Murray; 5 October 1961) is a reggae singer and toaster from Birmingham, England. He received the nickname "Pato Banton" from his stepfather; his first name derives from the sound of a Jamaican owl calling "patoo, patoo ...

. Bob Marley's Manager Don Taylor stated, "She's done a lot for Reggae music. Some of hose actsdepend on her for the only magazine exposure they'll get." Many of today's successful writers and photographers began at Reggae Report and contributed over the years. Writers include Sara Gurgen (Editor), Patricia Meschino, Lee O'Neill, Cynthia Wegmann, Howard Campbell, Jeffrey Dawkins, Amy Wachtel, Ryan MacMichael, and Shelah Moody. Photographers include Lee Abel, Jan Salzman, Jeffrey Dawkins, Jeffrey DawkinsJr, Thor Olson, Maverick, Tim Barrow, and Barbara Reuther.

Awards

For Best Reggae Magazine: * The Martin's Most Popular Reggae Magazine Award - 1987, 1989, 1990, and 1991 * The South Florida Reggae-Soca Award - 1994 and 1995 Recognition: * Miami-Dade County Commendation for Community Spirit - 1986 * Air Jamaica Award for Support - 1990 * Fanfare Int'l - For Outstanding Contribution to Caribbean Media - 1993 * The Bob Marley World Peace Award - Antigua, 1995

More projects

* 1986 - The Small Axe Awards - Voted for by the fans - Miami Beach, FL * 1991 - Co-produced Reggae USA, a compilation cassette with ROIR Records * 1998 - Executive Producer - Dancehall Dynamite, a compilation CD for Atlantic/Relativity Records

References

{{Reflist

External links

ReggaeReport.com

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1983 establishments in Florida 1999 disestablishments in Florida Defunct magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1983 Magazines disestablished in 1999 Magazines published in Florida Mass media in Miami Music magazines published in the United States