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Soca vs Dancehall Soca vs Dancehall
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Vulgarity in Caribbean Music | Soca vs Dancehall

By Published May 19, 2023
Today on Island Vybe Radio one of the hosts on "The Morning Vibes" stated that Soca music is too vulgar. Wait, what? Oh, hell no! Then it dawned on me, Dancehall can be rancid with vulgarity but there was no inference to the state of Dancehall today. Soca music is on the rise worldwide while Dancehall is waning. Granted there may be a few 'rancid' Soca songs but usually, Soca music uses double entendre to tease leaving it to the imagination of the listener to discern the meaning of the song.  Let's talk about this...
 

Yes, Soca and Dancehall are both Caribbean music genres known for their upbeat and party-like atmospheres. However, the two genres differ in their vulgarity use. Soca music is generally more family-friendly, while dancehall music is more explicit.

 

There are several reasons for this difference. First, Soca music is often played at Carnival, a major cultural event in Trinidad and Tobago. Carnival is a family-friendly event, so Soca artists tend to avoid vulgarity in their lyrics. Dancehall music, on the other hand, is not typically associated with any particular event, so Dancehall artists are more likely to use vulgarity in their lyrics.

 

Second, Soca music, in Trinidad and Tobago, is often written by and for Trinibagonians while Dancehall music is usually written by and for Jamaicans. Trinidad and Tobago have a more conservative culture than Jamaica, so Soca artists are more likely to avoid vulgarity in their lyrics. Dancehall music, on the other hand, is often associated with Jamaican street culture, which is more likely to accept vulgarity.

Finally, Soca music is often adapted to promote tourism, while Dancehall music is often utilized to express social and political commentary. Soca artists are more likely to limit vulgarity in their lyrics to appeal to a wider audience. Dancehall artists, on the other hand, are more likely to use vulgarity in their lyrics to make a social or political statement.

 

Of course, there are always exceptions to the rules. There are some Soca artists who use vulgarity in their lyrics, and Dancehall artists who avoid vulgarity. However, Soca music is generally more family-friendly than dancehall music. We hope this post adds to the conversation or creates an environment for others to follow up on. In the end, Caribbean culture promotion is paramount. We need to find the formula that works and promote our local artists on the international scene. Perhaps one day we will see Soca as a genre on the international charts. Just keep hope alive!

 

We are going to end this post on a positive note with our YouTube music playlist of Soca vs Dancehall. No crazy stuff here, just some good vibes from both music genres. Enjoy!

Please visit our official blog for more interesting content, link here:  Sokah2Soca 
 
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Production Notes/Music Credits:
Mixtape Title: Dancehall vs Soca 
Mixed by: Trackmaster 868
 
Please be advised that the music is presented here for your listening pleasure and for promotional purposes only ("Fair Use" Musical Content Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976). No copyright infringement is intended! We don't own the rights to this music: and, it is presented here for promotional use only. We encourage you to promote the artists and their music; please don't download and share the music and rob the artists of needed income! Music for sale should be purchased while music distributed for promotion purposes should be treated as such and not shared!
♫Please press the music player button below to listen now (small triangle in the Music player/TV Frame).
Read 2271 times Last modified on Friday, 26 May 2023 10:09
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