Shaggy, Beenie Man and Bounty Killer
WHO will continue to carry the mantle for dancehall music after today's leading deejays are no longer in existence?
Dancehall music has evolved from the days when the majority of the emphasis was placed on mastering the art of deejaying around the sound systems to spending time in the studio producing albums.
Artistes such as Shaggy and Beenie Man have now signed multi-million dollar record deals with internationally recognised recording companies. Along with Bounty Killer they have been the main acts in dancehall for several years now.
These acts took up the mantle from others such as Shabba Ranks, Ninja Man, Buju Banton, Super Cat and the veterans King Stitch, Daddy Uroy, Yellow Man, Charlie Chaplin and Josie Wales.
The question, however, is after the present leading acts fade who will take up the baton?
Among the new crop of youngbloods being touted to carry the music to the next level are Assassin, Wayne Marshall, Warrior King, Bling Dawg, Baby Cham, Mr Lex, TOK, Kip Rich, Alozade, Mr. Peppa, Monster Twin, Danny English and Hawkeye.
Upcoming and talented producer from Natural Bridge Recording Company, Ricardo 'Snow Cone' Fuller, thinks dancehall music can leap to tremendous heights if enough attention is given to the music and the effort is made to eliminate the negatives.
"It (the music) can go as far as we want it to go if we understand what we have, it has the potential to grow but we have to eliminate the corruption," the producer said.
He continued by explaining what the music needs in order to make the quantum leap internationally. "The music needs more original lyrics, more melody, more production skills and most of all the music needs more unity, everybody has to play their part."
"Dancehall has tremendous amount of potential, but it just needs to be cleaned up. Cleaned up from discrimination, hypocrisy and it clearly needs to be organized," explained Jerry D, popular radio disc jockey.
Considering the young talent that is currently active in the business, can the dream of having dancehall music as a strong competitor in mainstream markets be realized?
According to Snow Cone there is no doubt that dancehall music can make a great impact because the raw talent out there; "I think that dancehall music can achieve whatever it wants to achieve on the international circuit because the talent and the potential is there."
Patrick Roberts, CEO at Shocking Vibes says in order for major growth to take place, industry people will have to do some serious 'soul searching'. "Stop the pussy-footing, call a spade a spade and get rid of the backbiting and hypocrisy, all of those negatives have to go for us to have a booming industry."
