Why is dancehall...

...despite its obvious cultural baggage (macho, explicitly anti-gay) one of the few fun electronic (or reggae) styles these days? One answer is that a new generation of mixers came along who learned how to harness digital technology for a uniquely sample-based dub style. Another is that hip hop and dancehall (and even--see Gwen Stefani, M.I.A.--pop) have had a powerful cross-fertilization in the past three years. (That's in the rapping as well as the beats and riddims.) (thoughts listening to dublab.)