The term PRECURSOR OF REGGAE can be summarized as SKA, a three letter word. SKA is a genre of music that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to reggae. It is a combination of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. SKA is characterized by a walking bass line, accentuated guitar or piano rhythms on the offbeat, and a drumming style emphasizing the third beat of the bar.