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The subject of this article is something that everyone working in Jamaica’s dancehall music industry – whether in country or overseas – should seriously consider. In 2021, the small island of Jamaica, with a population of approximately 2.961 million people, reported 1,463 murders. A high percentage of that was gang related.
The reason the question posed in the title must be contemplated is because most of these new dancehall artists seem to be: 1) gang affiliated, 2) always singing / promoting violence and 3) constantly brandishing guns in their videos.
Now as the debate about the high murder rate rages on, everyone, including those in the music industry, appear to be putting the blame squarely at the feet of the government; refusing to make the connection between their colleagues’ lyrical content and what is going on in the streets.
However, the truth is that youths in the streets are a 100% more likely to pay attention to, and imitate persons in the entertainment industry than they are politicians, pastors or police. That is just a fact that cannot be intelligently disputed by any well thinking person. That said, we all – everyone of us working in music – must be honest about where our country is and the role we can and will play to either get it out of this mess, or push it in deeper.
All hands are needed on deck and no role is too small. This means that if all you do is make mixtapes; refusing to include songs that promote violence is what you can and should do. The same goes for radio djs, sound system selectors and everyone in between. As for producers, you are probably in the most powerful position. All you have to do is refuse to voice any gun lyrics on your beats or feature the same on your record label. As for the gun-promoting artists that are financing their own projects, it will be up to the engineers (recording, mixing and mastering) to firmly refuse to work on anything that glorifies crime and violence.
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Sounds great! I hope this is actually done. We all need to do our part to fix social problems.
Facts
So what about the songs about pum pum and selling sex and encouraging young girl to particularly prostituting themselves for money and material things then we want to be “outrage” when “big” men prey on young girls while we have them exposed these things
True dat, Antiguan 🇦🇬 soca all day long … love it!
People keep talking about music but fail to address some of the things that are shown on TV
Why stop at #gun and #violent lyrics in music from Jamaica.
What happens to….
A…cartoons with their violent content which children are exposed to from birth?
B…movies and shows which have the same #gun and #violent content?
C…the internet/social media, video games with access to their violent and sexual content?
D…magazines, books, etc.
E…clothing designers and their clothing line(s).
F…the whorehouses, prostitution/pedo hotels
All of us were exposed to Westerns, Karate, Gangster, Reality TV Shows and still are not violent in nature. How come many of Us in our 70’s, 60’s, 50’s to teens haven’t developed #VIOLENT traits.
The problem is the ENTIRE CULTURE which people are immersed in.
Get real, and stop looking for scapegoats to blame and take responsibility for allowing, The Moulders of Society to get a #Free_Pass.
PS…will we blame the readily access to guns from the gun assembly and manufacturing plants which are now built in our Nation, or the Chinese get a #Free Pass when thousands of weapons hit our streets?
Any word about the barrels that where mysteriously stolen from customs and then there was silence 🤐 sshhh⏳
Japanese kids listen to the same violent music and plays alot of violent video games, but the high level of crime does not happen there. Somebody please explain that.
@Wadad1…I had the pleasure, of learning certain aspects, of the Japanese Culture, as I immersed myself in it through the SOKA GAKKAI Movement which taught Buddhism from the teachings of, Nichiren Daishonin a Buddhist Monk.
The very first thing which stands out, to me in their culture is RESPECT.
Everything revolves around RESPECT.
Respect for self, for culture, for nature(this one is somewhat conflicting when it comes to whaling etc, and the argument can be made for other animals such as the seafoods which we eat, the cow etc).
However, the overall RESPECT which is entrenched in their Culture, even when there are differences in terms of faith and religion, they find a way to “agree to disagree” and keep it moving with a balance.
We, and I’ll use a wide brush to paint the #we, as those of African Descent, appears to have being moulded/programmed by The Moulders Of Society to SELF DESTRUCT.
Not only do the Japanese play the same Dancehall Music and the violent video games, they invent produce, market and sell them.
#RESPECT #MATTERS!
#RESPECT #MATTERS!
#RESPECT #MATTERS!
Until we as a PEOPLE, as a whole understand, that RESPECT is not necessarily ACCEPTANCE, but more-so TOLERANCE for a difference of opinion, looks, etc, then we may further understand why somethings affects others and is like WATER on a DUCKS BACK, or on a Lotus Flower/leaf(pond flower/leaf).
RASpect…
If I iwas part of the decision making in this country I would ban all music that promote violence and gun related crimes. I would also ban all artists who sing about violence from coming into Antigua.
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