“Do the Reggay” · 1968
The beat already existed; this record gave it a name people could repeat. Toots & The Maytals’ 1968 “Do the Reggay” is the first known recording to use the word reggae in its title.
GO DEEPER
By 1968 Jamaican musicians were already moving beyond rocksteady into the rhythm that would become reggae. Toots Hibbert and The Maytals recorded “Do the Reggay” for producer Leslie Kong in that moment of transition. Hibbert later said the word came from Jamaican slang and insisted that he coined “reggay” for the song. The record matters because the name stuck, not because three singers invented the entire music. Other producers and musicians have their own stories about the word’s origin, and several recordings compete for the title of first reggae beat. The safest historical distinction is simple: “Do the Reggay” is the first known record to put the name on wax.
Where the history is argued
- Clancy Eccles and others also claimed roles in coining or popularizing “reggae.” The title is documented; sole authorship of the word is not settled.
How they stand with the others
Came togetherNaming a music is not the same thing as inventing all of its musical features.
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Last checked 1 September 2026