Artistes don't want to be blamed for decay in society

The issue of whether or not dancehall artistes are negatively contributing to moral and intellectual decay was once again brought to the fore last Monday.

Hitz 92 FM's Ijahbing challenged a few of the industry's main players to mount a defence against the argument that their lyrics were negatively affecting the populace.

Mr Vegas, who spoke from Miami via telephone, Macka Diamond and Versatile would not agree with the sentiment, though they acknowledge that, as artistes, they have a very strong influence on society.

Missing from the party was reggae singer I-Octane, who was, at the time, on a flight back to Jamaica.

The songs Cow Foot, Certain Law and Nah Eat, which were done by Macka Diamond, Mr Vegas, I-Octane and Versatile, respectively, are creating much controversy in the public domain. And, despite the pleas from music authorities to listeners to not take what the artistes sing literally, many are adjusting their lifestyle and how they speak to the messages being delivered.

Mr Vegas was first to bat. He was asked to explain a certain line from Certain Law, which reads, "Well, as a gangsta, yuh affi know certain law, yuh cyah get a drink and a drink outta straw".

The artiste, known for songs like Heads High and Gyallis Straight said, "Well, it nuh luk right enuh, Ijah."

He was again asked by the radio host, in a different format, to explain the line.

The result was the same.

After the release of Macka Diamond's Cow Foot, word on the streets are that restaurants are seeing a decline in meal orders which involve the product. Macka Diamond doesn't buy the argument. According to her, the song has caused many people to start eating cow foot.

"Mi nuh know how dem a seh Cow Foot mek people stop eat? Nuff people see mi a road and a seh dem just start love cow foot because a mi song," she said.

Like Vegas, she then shied away from the question of whether her song has a negative effect on the intellect and psyche of Jamaicans, pointing out that "Cow foot is country slang. The other day mi go MoBay go do a show and a nuff cow did a wait pon mi fi dem foot."

Versatile, in the absence of I-Octane, appears to believe that whether or not they sing positively about a product, the effect is just the same, and that they should not be held responsible for every problem society faces.

"I think it more promotes the products or whatever we sing about. I am not aware of any sales decline," he said.

However, Sherene, a shopkeeper based in Trelawny, said that she has seen a decline in sales, especially Shirley biscuits, which she blames squarely on the song recorded by I-Octane and Versatile.

"Shirley biscuits slow down badly right now, but the females still continue to buy it," she said.

Versatile and I-Octane's single, Nah Eat, ridicules the consumption of Shirley biscuits, Julie mangoes, june plum and several Grace products.

There are now those in the society who simply refuse to eat Shirley biscuits because of the connotation that it might allude to an acceptance of oral sex.

Several listeners called the programme, giving their impression of the songs and the impact they have had. Some have admitted to not eating certain products, others said the songs don't influence their diet, while there are those who think the songs are insulting.

This is not the first time that the issue of dancehall music affecting the moral progress of the society has come to the discussion table.

Weighing in on the discussion was Herbert Gayle, a senior lecturer at the University of West Indies.

Gayle, while not removing all blame from dancehall artistes, pointed a finger at the combination of media hypocrisy and public demand.

"It's facilitating a social ill, which is insecurity," he said.

"There is a big hypocrisy issue in Jamaica, because media are playing the same songs over and over again, and then go about bashing them. Everybody has a part to play in this whole dramaturgy. We are extremely dual as humans," Gayle explained.

"The people (dancehall artistes) who supposedly can barely read and write have the ability to make 'upscale' people sing their foolish songs," Gayle added.

The artistes also pointed out that that they were abiding by the Broadcasting Commission's regulations, which forces them to be creative with their lyrics. According to the artistes, they find it strange that even after doing all they can to follow the commission's regulations they still have to deal with public outcry.

"But, if yuh check it Broadcasting Commission a ask wi fi be creative and all these things, but all when wi get creative dem still a bash wi," argued Versatile.

Gayle believes that the issue can be resolved easily if people begin to start looking at things objectively.

"For me, it's (the songs) a commentary. For a group of people, though, who need to belong desperately, they'll find themselves trying to align their actions to whatever the artistes are saying. It's a matter of how people look at things. People have to start thinking outside the box. Everywhere I see danger, I see opportunity," he added.

Gayle also agreed that it is a cause for concern that people are uneducated enough to stop eating certain food items because an artiste sings about it in a song. To correct this problem, Gayle, who is also the president of Father's Inc, said the media, as well as the public, must start paying attention to the more positive songs.

"The society has to begin to start paying attention to the positive songs. Take, for example, Tony Rebel's event, 'Rebel Salute', even a week after you still hear radio stations playing positive songs and that is why I will say the media has a large role to play in this change," he said.