DR Sonjah Stanley Niaah is not your average academic; she’s a cultural powerhouse at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus, where she enlightens minds as a senior lecturer in cultural studies. Beyond the confines of academia, she’s the chair of the Global Reggae Conference 2024, collaborating with Guinness to preserve Jamaica’s vibrant sound clash and sound system culture. With attendees from various backgrounds converging at the conference, she has used the opportunity to remind the public of the significance of cultural traditions in shaping Jamaican identity and fostering community.

For years, Dr Stanley Niaah has delved into the significance of sound clashes and sound systems to Jamaica’s rich heritage. “Sound systems are at the heart of community gatherings, from weddings to memorial dances; it’s foundational to Jamaican celebrations. In the 1970s, Orlando Patterson made the recommendation that every community should have its own sound system. He found that the sound system was a means by which communities were building bonds of solidarity, promoting economic engagement, economic prosperity, bringing communities together,” she passionately explained.

Her research has explored the historical roots of sound system culture, tracing its origins from the streets of Kingston to its global influence today. Through her work, she has shed light on the role of sound systems in shaping Jamaican identity and fostering a sense of community among people as well as on the global stage.

“We have now witnessed Jamaica not being the only place where you go to find the best sound clashes; these are now outside of Jamaica,” she highlighted. “There are all kinds of events now outside of Jamaica that keep popping up. There are sound clashes in South Africa, in the United Kingdom, and clashes all over the world that you can find and this is what is fascinating about Jamaican culture. While we are trying to figure out what we have given to the world, the rest of the world has taken what it is we do in very keen ways and are making money from it.”

Dr Stanley-Niaah commends corporate entities like Guinness for continuing its support of the sound clash culture.

“The kind of public-private partnership that we have had with corporate sponsors such as Guinness, even with entities like The University of the West Indies, are the ways to strengthen communities, strengthen the nation and build sustainable ways of preserving culture. The sound clash culture is definitely one area we need to preserve as little from this we are going to hear that the best sound systems exist in Japan and so on. There are other sound systems behind them coming so we have to be very careful about what it is that we do. There are many persons out there who would want to look at this kind of culture and develop careers and so this support is important for them.”

During Global Reggae Conference Week 2024 from February 14 to 17, Guinness partnered with Dr Stanley Niaah to host two major events: the UWI Student Sound Clash and the UWI Sound System Night. These events provided platforms for the new generation of Jamaican artistes and DJs to showcase their talents and celebrate the rich tradition of sound clash and sound system culture. After dominating the UWI Student Sound Clash, Alleyah Wright, aka DJ Kaotic, became the first semi-finalist of Guinness Sounds of Greatness (GSOG) 2024 as the sole female in the competition.

As a woman leading the charge in cultural studies, Dr Stanley Niaah also highlighted the crucial role of women in Jamaica’s music industry.

“Jamaican music is a male-dominated space and so the sound system arena, whether it be the production of music, the sound engineers, has been a male-dominated business, but there have been women that have been at very important junctures and managing important components of the music business. We’re seeing more women in sound system culture,” she noted.

She believes that women have played a vital role in shaping Jamaica’s musical heritage and will continue to be at the forefront of the island’s vibrant culture.

As the sound clash and sound system culture evolves, Dr Stanley Niaah is optimistic about what’s in store for Jamaica’s future. “I think the One Love Bob Marley movie has renewed attention to Jamaica. Along with investment from corporate entities like Guinness, I think we are now at another high point in our history. I’ve been studying these high points for some time and I think the investment from corporate entities is going to manifest in things that we have not seen before. I think there’s a new crop of deejays, of selectors of sound engineers, of producers and we are going to see a new horizon in Jamaican music in very short order,” she said.