Junglist
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Junglist is a slang term first referring to a person living in an area of West Kingston, Jamaica, called Jungle. Then after as a term referring to a dedicated listener of jungle and/or drum and bass. Tracks from this genre often contain calls and references to the "original junglists" and "jungle soldiers". Junglists usually gravitate towards Oldschool and Ragga jungle.
History
The term itself is connected with the origin of the name jungle (Junglist movement founded by Adam Wilson and Lucien Blake) (see articles on history of drum and bass and jungle). During the time of Junglists, they were some times referred to as "rude bwoii" a slang term originally used by Jamaicans (as rude boy), meaning "gangsta" or "badbwoy" ("bad boy"). The term refers to an inner city area of West Kingston, Jamaica, called Jungle (the subject of the Bob Marley song "Concrete Jungle", from the Wailers album Catch a Fire).
'Junglist' developed into a slang term to refer to all tough outlaws - the kind one would find in a 'Jungle'. Certain tracks made references to the "original rudebwoys" or "original gangstas" as denoting particularly respected junglists. Most members of this sub-culture took great pride in the music created by jungle producers.
Unlike some urban styles of music, drug-dealing is rarely mentioned in drum and bass tracks, but several MCs sometimes feature lyrics in relation. The only generally accepted illegal activity in the subculture are drug use, and graffiti. Junglists often consume cannabis perhaps arising from the reggae roots of jungle music. Other terms applied to Junglists in varying degrees are "ravers" or "drum and bassheads".
Junglists belong to what is seen as a predominantly UK-based drum and bass subculture. As a subculture, however, it is not nearly as distinct as goth or punk to the untrained eye, where members can often distinguish each other by their mannerisms and fashion without hearing their choice of music. Though predominately UK based, some American jungle artists and American Junglists alike have a large association with "Gangsta" fashions. Also the uprising of an underground scene in Eastern Europe have fashions of mid 90's UK fashion.
Ali G in collaboration with Shane Handley could be seen as a parody Junglist (e.g. dressing in camouflage and listening to loud drum and bass music in his car; M-Beat and General Levy's "Incredible" was played in the Ali G feature film and appearing on its soundtrack. Though he can also be treated as a parody of a hip-hop listener.
