Rebetiko is a genre of music which originated in the first part of this century.

The exodus from the countryside to the bigger cities around the turn of the century, combined with the influence of the refugees coming from Asia Minor in the twenties,
were the main influences on this musical traditions, that has its roots in the Byzantine music.

In the thirties the bouzouki is becoming the main instrument of Rebetiko, instead of the santour, oud and other instruments used by the refugees.
Between 1930 and 1950 Rebetiko suffered a low esteem, as it was seen as the music from the lower part of society was associated with drugs and other illegal things.
But for the man in the street it was the music that he could understand and appreciate.

In the late 1940's the intelligentsia 'rediscovered' the style; Theodorakis for example let himself be inspired by this music. It also was the main reason for the suddenly growing popularity of the bouzouki.

Now Rebetiko is being rediscovered again: great collections with traditional recordings from the early part of the century are put on the market and new young bands are studying this part of their heritage.

THE REBETIS

Rebetiko is the music played and sung to by the rebetis. The term «rebetis» implies an attribute. It describes a characteristic type of man, of a particular mentality, behavior, stance and way of life. Etymologically the word derives from the Turkish «rebet» meaning the intractable, the rebellious, the unruly. The characteristic rebetis is a dropout par excellence. He defies institutional power, but in no case does he engage in militant action against it. He poses as being out of social conformities, thus being regarded more often than not as an outlaw. Despite this, he does not identify himself with the underworld. He is intently provocative, adopts a slang language and almost always carries a weapon. A rebetis though belongs to the impoverished, common and under-privileged people. The establishment calls him an «outsider».

The debut of the rebetis in Greek social reality has yet it be historically identified but it is undeniably related to the emergence of the first large urban centers. In around 1900, the Shadow Puppet Theater - a form of popular entertainment - included the rebetis among its characters. This is indicative because the Shadow Theater, in Greece as well as in the Ottoman Empire, constantly renewed its characters inspired by the prevailing social conditions, thus keeping a lively and modern style at any time. Supporting evidence concerning the issue of the appearance of the rebetes is supplied by many a Greek writer and philologist.

In 1891 Andreas Karkavitsas publishes in the «Estia» literary magazine his traveler’s notes from a tour round Peloponnese, in the south of Greece, where he reports of having listened to rebetika songs sung in the prison of Palamidi. Palamidi was the most notorious prison in Greece in the last century. Also many years back, in 1850, the French knight Appere records similar remarks in his study on the conditions of the prisons in Greece during the reign of King Otto. According to Elias Petropoulos, theorist of rebetiko, the popular discontent of the unemployed anonymous fighters of the Greek revolution of 1821 and of the newly-established Greek state is to be attributed for the phenomenon of the rebetes. In 1890 Athens, the dropout brotherhood of the rebetes is at its apogee. They now compose a peculiar social phenomenon and their prosecution comprises one of the top priorities of Greek police.