General
toast
What does toast mean?
To talk, chant or rap spontaneously over a riddim — the vocal style that seeded rap and dancehall deejaying.
"Di deejay a toast pon di mic all night."
Origin
Jamaican sound-system tradition; from English 'toast' (to speak in praise).
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean to 'toast' in reggae?
To talk, chant or rap rhythmically over a riddim. This Jamaican vocal style directly influenced the birth of hip-hop rapping.
How is toasting related to rap?
Jamaican toasting over sound-system riddims is widely credited as a key root of rap, carried to New York by DJs like Kool Herc.
Where does 'toast' come from?
From the English sense of 'toast' meaning to speak in praise, adapted in Jamaican sound-system culture for chatting on the mic.
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