Bhangragga
Encyclopedia
Bhangragga is a slang
term for the style of music
incorporating elements of Bhangra and dancehall
(or Ragga
, short for the word Raggamuffin) created by British Asian
producers alex and lennart
on the debut album by Apache Indian No Reservations (1993).
The sound is very percussion
-heavy - a distinct holdover from Bhangra - with a propulsive beat clearly designed for dancing. The Dancehall influence can be felt through the use of pre-programmed music, similar to Dancehall "riddim
s".
Lyrically, the style features a combination of Sub-Continental-accented (usually India
n) vocals delivered in the clipped style associated with Dancehall - and sometimes including the Patois of the latter style.
This style is almost exclusively a British
phenomenon, as the two cultures involved in its genesis mix reasonably freely there. The most successful exponent, however, is Apache Indian
, who had a worldwide hit with "Boom Shack-A-Lak
", which was included on the soundtrack
to the film Dumb and Dumber, among others.
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
term for the style of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
incorporating elements of Bhangra and dancehall
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. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
(or Ragga
Ragga
-Origins:Ragga originated in Jamaica during the 1980s, at the same time that electronic dance music's popularity was increasing globally. One of the reasons for ragga's swift propagation is that it is generally easier and less expensive to produce than reggae performed on traditional musical...
, short for the word Raggamuffin) created by British Asian
British Asian
British Asian is a term used to describe British citizens who descended from mainly South Asia, also known as South Asians in the United Kingdom...
producers alex and lennart
Lennart
Lennart is a variant of Leonard most common in Sweden. Notable people named Lennart are:As a surname:*Isobel Lennart , an American screenwriter and playwright*Sonja de Lennart , a European fashion designer...
on the debut album by Apache Indian No Reservations (1993).
The sound is very percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
-heavy - a distinct holdover from Bhangra - with a propulsive beat clearly designed for dancing. The Dancehall influence can be felt through the use of pre-programmed music, similar to Dancehall "riddim
Riddim
Riddim is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word "rhythm," but in dancehall/reggae parlance it refers to the instrumental accompaniment to a song. Thus, a dancehall song consists of the riddim plus the "voicing" sung by the deejay. The resulting song structure may be taken for...
s".
Lyrically, the style features a combination of Sub-Continental-accented (usually India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n) vocals delivered in the clipped style associated with Dancehall - and sometimes including the Patois of the latter style.
This style is almost exclusively a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
phenomenon, as the two cultures involved in its genesis mix reasonably freely there. The most successful exponent, however, is Apache Indian
Apache Indian (musician)
Apache Indian is the stage name of the reggae DJ Steven Kapur .-Biography and career:Born into a family of Indian origins, Kapur was born and grew up in Handsworth, West Midlands, a racially mixed area with large Black and Asian communities, home of reggae bands such as Steel Pulse, and by the...
, who had a worldwide hit with "Boom Shack-A-Lak
Boom Shack-A-Lak
"Boom Shack-A-Lak" is a song by Apache Indian, released as a single in 1993. The song was included on Apache Indian's 'Nuff Vibes' EP. which is his biggest hit in the UK, reaching number 5 in the charts in 1993....
", which was included on the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to the film Dumb and Dumber, among others.