Dancehall artiste Kiprich charged over song endorsing alleged One Order Gang don Thickman
Published:Monday | February 10, 2025 | 10:18 PM
Dancehall artiste Kiprich, whose given name is Marlon Plunkett, has been charged by the police over a song that they say endorses gang violence and pays tribute to alleged One Order Gang don Othniel 'Thickman' Lobban, who was recently fatally shot by police.
The 45-year-old has been charged with the use of audio and audiovisual communication to promote criminal activity.
The St Catherine North police included the entertainer among 16 individuals named as persons of interest last Friday.
He turned himself in to the police today in the company of his lawyer and was questioned.
He was subsequently charged.
The Gleaner understands that he was granted station bail and was given a court date of Friday, 21 February to appear in the St Catherine Parish Court.
In an interview with The Star, Kiprich said he believes the police's interest in him stemmed from a dubplate, intended as a One Order Dub, which he recorded for a foreign-based selector.
READ: KipRich speaks out - Artiste defends his name amid police probe
"Mi duh a dubplate fi a sound system, and di man dem splice di dub and fit it how dem waah fi get dem fawud," Kiprich explained.
"Is like dem flip it fi mek it a talk 'bout 1Daddy Badness [Lobban]... Mi always do One Order dubplate fi him and big up who him ask mi fi big up. Mi nuh even know half a di names dem wah mi call inna di dubplate."
Kiprich further explained that in sound system culture, selectors often request dubplates featuring shoutouts to key figures to hype up the crowd.
While some of these individuals may be associated with street life, he insisted that the practise is strictly for entertainment value and helps selectors earn money.
"Mi know seh di names dem give out fi call inna dub, some a dem a badman, but when di selector play di dub and di crowd hear dem name, a so dem get dem fawud," he said.
The entertainer denied being affiliated with any wrongdoing.
- Rasbert Turner contributed to this story
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