2/4 on to the One

[Glaire]

Hello,
I am currently translating Cope's Japrocksampler and here is a musical term that is giving me problems:

"Reggae was 'invented' by Jamaican DJs who played Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs-style R&B so loudly over their inadequate PA systems that the skanking rhythms appeared to have turned around from the 2/4 on to the One."

I know the basis of solfège, and i believe that by 2/4 he means "mesure à deux noires", but i have to admit that "the One" is confusing me...

I first thought the one means "une ronde", which would have made sense, but it turns out it is written "1" or it is a "whole"... I believe the author knows what he is talking about (being a musician himself) and he probably wouldnt have made a mistake about it or writing it in letters if it is usually written in numbers...
then, looking a bit around i found out it could be a synonym for "downbeat" ... though, "transformer des rythmes skank en 2/4 en temps fort" doesnt seem to make any sense to me (with my modest knowledge of solfège though!)...

I hope a musician will see my cry of help and be able to "unconfuse" me!

Thanks!

 

[Mauricet]

Je crois comprendre que peut-être il s'agit d'un rythme (skanking rythm) qui est transformé (pour le pire) d'une accentuation des deuxième et quatrième temps (d'une mesure à quatre temps) à une accentuation du premier temps, ce qui dénature totalement le rythme du R&B ... et invente le reggae !

Sous réserve de confirmation que "the One" peut désigner "le temps Un" d'une mesure ...

 

[gardian]

The One = 4/4 .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggae#Musical_characteristics

 

[Glaire]

Great thank you both!!