Ska is a fusion genre of mento combined with rhythm and blues, that began in Jamaica in the 1950s. Unlike American music, ska is defined by its emphasis on the after-beat instead of the downbeat. This means that emphasis is placed on the second and fourth beats of the 4/4 time signature. This emphasis on the after-beat is present in African rhythmic practices and mento music. Ska shows European influence through the use of guitars and horn instruments. This genre is a predecessor of another Jamaican sub-genre of afro-Caribbean music, Reggae.
