“Mix Up the Indian with All the Patwa”

Abstract

The international dispersal of Jamaican dancehall culture, as the music first accompanies migrant Jamaicans to Britain and North America and then becomes more broadly incorporated into the global economy of the multinational entertainment industry, raises complex ideological issues of “authenticity,” “identity,” and “diaspora politics.” As reggae/ragga goes “mainstream,” much remains of the (con)tributary Jamaican cultural values. But these are constantly swirling in the cross-currents that bear the music along. A classic example of these processes of interculturation is the emergence of DJ Apache Indian (Steve Kapur), in Birmingham, England. His career illustrates, as well, the necessary adaptation of this potent Jamaican dancehall culture to accommodate local needs in its global spread.