Riddim

In Jamaican dancehall music, a riddim is the instrumental accompaniment to a song and is synonymous with the rhythm section and of a song's "groove" in its bass and low drum parts. Jamaican music genres that use the term consist of the riddim plus the voicing (vocal part) sung by the deejay. A given riddim, if popular, may be used in dozens—or even hundreds—of songs, not only in recordings but also in live performances. Since the 1970s, riddims have accompanied reggae music and through the 1980s, more widely known as dancehall.