Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
CHAMBERS
WESTERN BUREAU:
HEAD OF the Dub Traffickers poetry grouping, Vernon 'Ras Rodd' Chambers, is not impressed with deejay Bounty Killer's inclusion on the Def Jam poetry series, which is shown on the United States Home Box Office (HBO) subscriber television network.
Presenting the situation as the 'lyricists verse-us the poets',Ras Rodd said that "it is just a commercial thing to big up the DJ again."
The Star reported on Friday, April 1, that Bounty Killer had been to New York to record scenes for the series, which will be aired later this year.
Rodd said he was going to write a letter to Rush Communications, the parent company of Russell Simmonds' businesses, which organises Def Poetry Jam, because he wanted to know the process for selecting poets from Jamaica to appear on Def Poetry Jam.
"You pick someone to represent the poets, but how," he demanded.
His concerns are mainly for poets that he speaks on behalf of over the direction of Def Poetry Jam are not confined to Bounty Killer, but extend to another popular entertainer who has also been involved in the series. The beginning, however, was satisfactory. "Mutabaruka was fine, but I am not up to Buju and Bounty Killer," Rodd said.
Hopeton 'Starman' Grey, a poet who is a part of Dub Traffickers, which claims a membership of over 60 persons, said "it is just a commercial thing, to big up the deejay again".
Among the names the two mentioned as possible suitable candidates for the show were DYCR, Oku Onura and Cherry Natural.
Speaking to The Star when it was announced that Bounty Killer was going to be on Def Poetry Jam, Rush Communications Vice-President and Special Advisor to Russell Simmons, Gary Foster, had said: "It's hard to think of poetry and not think of Jamaica. The series talks about the social issues of society and Bounty Killer, as you know, is known as the Poor People's Governor. Looking at what he went through and the message he carries for the forgotten people, it fits into what we are doing."
Ras Rodd addressed the argument of taking music out of the song to get to the poetry. "Then what do you get when you put music to the words?" he demanded, as this is the process that many poets go through in recording their work.
