Toots Hibbert recorded “Do the Reggay,” a song often credited with popularizing the word reggae.
Hibbert recorded the song with the Maytals in 1968. The title used the spelling “reggay,” and the recording is frequently cited in accounts of how the term reggae became associated with Jamaica’s developing rhythm style. Toots and the Maytals were already important figures in ska and rocksteady before reggae emerged as a distinct mainstream sound.
The exact origin of the word has been debated, and the genre developed from several Jamaican musical traditions. Even so, “Do the Reggay” is a specific landmark in reggae history. It should not be confused with Bob Marley’s recordings, because Marley did not perform the song.