Slackness

Slackness refers to vulgarity in West Indian culture, behavior, and music. It also refers to a subgenre of dancehall music with straightforward sexual lyrics performed live or recorded. Its form and pronunciation varies throughout the Caribbean.

With the decline of roots reggae music, sound systems regained popularity. DJs performed over extended grooves produced by a new mixing style of selecting called "juggling." The energy in the dance halls became very sexual, with increasingly revealing clothing, scandalous dance styles, and cruder lyrics from the DJs. Previously, sexual lyrics had been merely suggestive, but the new "slack" lyrics, part of the rebellion against fading Rastafari movement ideals, left nothing to the imagination. The term reflects the derisive attitude typified by the Nyabinghi toward reggae music seen as lacking a deeper message.