Meaning
A form of performance poetry, born in Jamaica in the 1970s, in which socially and politically conscious verse is spoken in Patois over reggae rhythms. Pioneered by artists like Oku Onuora, Mikey Smith, and Linton Kwesi Johnson, it fuses spoken word with the pulse of dub music.
Examples
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Him perform dub poetry bout di sufferation a di people.
He performs dub poetry about the people's suffering.
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Dub poetry chat di truth ova a reggae riddim.
Dub poetry speaks the truth over a reggae rhythm.
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Mutabaruka a one a di great dub poetry voice.
Mutabaruka is one of the great dub poetry voices.
Origin
From 'dub' (the stripped-down, bass-heavy reggae style) plus 'poetry' — verse written to be performed to dub/reggae rhythm, developed in 1970s Jamaica.
How it’s used
A recognised Jamaican art form of protest and consciousness, distinct from deejay 'toasting'.