Riddim has multiple meanings, including a subgenre of dubstep and a term for the instrumental accompaniment in Jamaican dancehall music:
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Dubstep subgenre
Riddim is a subgenre of dubstep that’s known for its heavy use of triplet percussion and minimalist sub-bass. The term was adopted by American dubstep producers and fans to describe what was originally called “wonky dubstep”. Riddim gained mainstream popularity in the electronic music scene around 2015. Jakes and Rusko are considered to be some of the first riddim artists.
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Jamaican dancehall musicIn Jamaican dancehall music, a riddim is the instrumental accompaniment to a song, or the rhythm section. The term “riddim” is the Jamaican Patois pronunciation of the English word “rhythm”. Riddims became popular in the early 1960s as the role of the DJ evolved. Riddims are used in many Jamaican music genres, including reggae, lovers rock, dub, ragga, dancehall, soca, bouyon, sega, and reggaeton.
