New book documenting dancehall and reggae in the 2000s published

London-based writer Marvin Sparks has penned a new book that explores reggae and dancehall released in the 2000s.

Run The Riddim 2K: The Rise Or Demise Of Reggae And Dancehall In The 2000s follows up on Sparks’ previous book, Run The Riddim: The Untold Story Of ’90s Dancehall To The World, which explored the global expansion of the Jamaican music scene.

Where the previous book explored the genre’s roots and identity through interviews with seminal scene figures, this latest one looks ahead to the next era of dancehall, as well as reggae music. “Not only will readers go on a deep dive into the biggest songs and riddim origins, author Marvin Sparks goes beyond the music’s surface to explore the personal stories and evolving culture’s highs and lows that helped shape the genres,” a synopsis reads.

The blurb continues: “While Jamaica’s unfiltered musical output reached previously unimaginable commercial heights and influence across the world, unforeseen challenges arose with saving its identity. In contrast to the universally cherished golden ’90s era, culture and generation wars raged as sound experimentation and lyrical content caused this to be considered the most divisive era in the island’s rich musical history.”

You can purchase a copy of Run The Riddim 2K: The Rise Or Demise Of Reggae And Dancehall In The 2000s here.

Revisit DJ Mag’s 2021 piece on the 100 most important dancehall tracks of all time here.