Rude boy

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This article is about a Jamaican subculture. For other uses, see Rude boy (disambiguation).

Rudeboy, rudie, rudi or rudy is a subculture that developed in the early 1960s in Jamaica.

The term rude boy came from Jamaican slang for cool or hip, and rude boys dressed in the latest fashions at dancehalls and on the streets. The term rude boy may have been associated with an extremely potent rum-based drink called Rude to Your Parents, which was served at sound system parties. It may also be related to the term rudeness, which was used in Jamaica in the 1950s and 1960s in reference to sexual intercourse.

1 History of the subculture
- 1.1 Later uses of the term
2 References in popular culture
3 See Also
4 External links

[edit] History of the subculture

The rudeboy culture originated in the ghettos of Kingston, coinciding with the popular rise of rocksteady music, dancehall celebrations and sound system dances. Disaffected unemployed urban youths sometimes found temporary employment from sound system operators to disrupt competitors' dances (leading to the term dancehall crasher). This — and other street violence — became an integral part of rudeboy lifestyle, and often gave rise to gangs.

Many of these rudies started wearing sharp suits, thin ties, and pork-pie or Trilby hats, inspired by United States gangster movies and soul music groups. With growing emigration in the late 1960s, the rude boy culture and its music, ska and rocksteady, spread to the United Kingdom and other countries.

[edit] Later uses of the term

In the later ska revival and ska punk culture, the terms rude boy and rude girl became to refer to anyone associated with the ska subculture.

In the UK, the terms rude boy and rude girl have come to refer to mainly Afro-Caribbean youths who follow the latest trends and fashions in African-American or Afro-Caribbean culture, such as hip hop. The terms are often used in a derogatory sense to describe youths from poorer backgrounds who attempt to emulate such fashions. It could be argued that the UK has developed a distinctive rude boy culture, fronted by UK hip hop and grime artists such as Roots Manuva and Dizzee Rascal.

[edit] References in popular culture

The name Rudy often appears in the lyrics of ska, rocksteady, 2 Tone and ska punk lyrics. Many of Desmond Dekker's most popular songs were about rude boys, such as 007 (Shanty Town), RudeBoy Train and Warlock. Other famous rude boy-themed songs include Rudie Can't Fail by The Clash and A Message To You Rudy by The Specials (originally performed as Rudi, A Message To You by Dandy Livingstone). The Ruts recorded a song called Staring at the Rude Boys. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists released a song titled "Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone?" on their 2003 album Hearts of Oak, which was a tribute to The Specials and the rude boy culture in general. Ska punk band Leftöver Crack titled a song Gay Rude Boys Unite.

The 1980 film RudeBoy, directed by Jack Hazan and David Mingay, featured members of The Clash.

Urban Dance Squad singer Patrick Tillon uses the stage name Rudeboy. There is a Canadian ska band called General Rudie, and a Philadelphia third wave ska band called Ruder Than You (named from lyrics in the Prince Buster song Too Hot).