The musical history is a fascinating and rich one. Before reggae there was rocksteady and before that was the ska; before that was the blue beat and before that was the mento. Mento was the dominant music of Jamaica from its first appearance in the late 19th century up to the late 1930’s and was especially popular in rural areas.
One of the men who had the greatest influence on the direction of Jamaica music as a producer was Clement “Sir Soxsone” Dodd had real influence on the sound system business hence popular sound system operators in the early 50s like Duke “The Trojan” Reid, Prince Buster’s Voice of the People. These sound system played primarily in the inner-cities of the corporate area, particularly in Western Kingston.
The decline of R & B in the United States paved the way for original Jamaican recordings. Out of that came Ska, which still commands major attention. As one writer puts it “Ska is the no account stepfather of reggae.”
The emergence and rise to popularity of dancehall artistes out of the bowels of Kingston inner cities in the 1980s heralded a corresponding change in the country’s political culture with the apparent ideological merging of the Peoples National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). In an era of social, political and economic change, individuals were cut loose to seek their own space and create their own fortunes. With these transformations, the use of violence was again transformed. This change was influenced by the fascination of the ruling dancehall deejays with lyrical violence, violence against women, violence against self and society. One may argue that violence is purely lyrical, representing social commentary in the purest form with tenuous link to real violence in the society.
In my estimation, violence is both real and lyrical with the two being linked to the existing social, political and economic tensions in Jamaica. The linkage between real violence and lyrical violence is more evident in soci0-political and economic realities of the urban inner cities which are directly the creations of symbols and cultures which are the output of the dancehall. For example, “matey” wars, where women try to upstage each other for prime positions as “wifey” or woman.
Violent ruptures and outbursts in the dancehall place remain confined within the moment and among the actors of this space. From the clash of the sound systems to the class of the artistes versus artistes, or artistes versus audience, or audience versus artistes, the real violence is confined to this space. A fine example of this is the “passa passa” which existed between Capleton and Beenie Man. Until Sting 2002 Beenie Man and Capleton had not performed on stage for a while because of the differences that had existed at “Culturama” (stage show held in the United States) as a result of Beenie Man walking on stage while Capleton was performing. This later led to a confrontation at the Norman Manley Airport when Beenie Man was slapped in the face by persons who came to greet Capleton.
Today’s violence in the dancehall has deep rooted links to inner cities, poverty, political tribalism, drug culture, and culture of the gun. As these pressures hightended, the dancehall culture intensified. Deejays like Ninga Man known as the “gold teeth front teeth, gun pon front teeth don gorgan, and Supercat the “don dada” are linked to gun violence. Economic pressures increased access to illegal guns, increasing illegal drug trade, use and abuse of drugs influenced the influx of guns and violence. The movies, Dancehall Queen and Third World Cop and the Harder They Come are stark reminders of life in the inner cities and its linkages to dancehall.
Some Jamaicans believe that dancehall is a creeping ghetto culture that is taking over our society and has been contributing to our crime rate. Ghetto people were always viewed as criminals, hooligans, aggressors, and political terrorists. The artist Rodney Price known as “Bounti Killa”, the “war lord”, the “poor people’s govenor” has always been seen as one who is uncompromising, warlike and defiant in his lyrics. He too has had his share or violent interactions. He was sentenced to community service after using profanity. He was also implicated but later cleared after a verbal clash with Merciless and Beenie Man which ended in a bottle throwing incident at dancehall night at Reggae Sumfest. To add to this he is involved in legal wranglings in the United States with a promoter who sued him for failing to perform on a show.
Despite the foregoing, the issue however, includes poverty, lack of access to education, lack of jobs and poor social background, poor infrastructure, and lack of social mobility. Bounti’s song “Anytime” speaks to this issue. Lets look at an excerpt below:
Jackass oonu nuch tiyad fi pressure poor people
Well Babatunde have a message fi oonu
Never let yuh problems get you down
Gotta stay focused and hol yuh groun
Though it seems hopeless, there is no progress will still hustle roun
We do what he have to do to stay alive
We sell what wi sell so we haffi to survive
Wi tiyad a di fuckery and wi fed up from ‘95
So tell den say anytime wi hungry again dem a go see wi nine
Police out a rod a fight crime
But holiday a come an wi nuh si di first dime
Tell dem sey anytime
Di government policies undermine di poor people’s plight dat a sure sign
Corruption and war a go reach it prime.
There is power in this lyrics however our society has never been able to yield to these. On the contrary noted radio talk show host Wilmot “mutty” Perkins found favour with one of Bounti’s song “Look into my eyes” as being real and truthful.
Look into eyes tell me what you see
Can you feel my pain? Am I your enemy
Give us a better way, things are really bad
The only friend I know is the gun I have
Now you see the nine, are you worried yet?
You’ve been talking bout… you want war to cease
But when you show us hope, we will show you peace
Look into my eyes, can you see my kids/
Let me ask you this, do you know what hungry is?
Well in this part of town, survival is my will
For you stay alive, you’ve got to rob and kill
Look into my house would you live in there?
Look me in the eyes and tell that you care
Well I’ve made up my mind, to end up in the morgue
Right now I’d rather die, cause man a live like dog
Bounti’s like many other artists have had songs that have raised awareness and has asked many questions that have been unanswered to date. The reality is that economic conditions have always existed and the government and Jamaicans have turned a blind eye on same. Deejays are mighty forces and it well organized can really cause disturbances in the society, therefore as citizens we need to listen and be more responsive to those who are victims of poverty through no fault of theirs.
Recently Dr. Peter Phillips, Minister of National Security and Justice announced that two interest groups (presumably from the middle class) would look at the issue of fighting crime. However, a major element was missing and that is, the inclusion of representatives from the dancehall – which is believed to be the primary socialization agent in the inner city. Journalist, Ian Boyne clearly states that it is important to include deejays, promoters, producers and other personnel from the dancehall settings. These inclusions will play an important role in the discussions that will be held.
As discussed in one of our tutorial classes, dancehall music has power however it has not been able to mobilize any major cause. Ian Boyne believes that the country cannot become successful in changing the culture of violence in the inner cities without changing the culture of dancehall. Is this at all possible? A major purpose of dancehall is its utility as a tool to provide psycho-physiological relief from various forms of stress. A core participant commented on the stress-relieving roles of dancehall. Her arguments were in relation to what she believes to be a pressure-relieving entertainment setting exclusive to another social class: jazz sessions, and efforts on the part of the authorities to suppress dancehall sessions:
“dem go fi dem jazz supm fi feel good bout demself, if enjoy demself. Mi nuh like jazz. Nobody naah tell dem she dem nuh fi go dem supm. So wha mek dem nuh waan we fi go our supm? Dance a my ting if enjoy myself, fi feel nice bout myself”
Thus, dancehall is the only cultural space in which many can feel good.
The elites and upper class (peripherals) who are required to sit on these committees scorn dancehall. Additionally, they do not know or understand much of what is being said on the tracks hence, they are hardly in a position to know how dangerous it is to peace and order. On the other hand, it is believed that the dancehall music is unscientific hence, it is just entertainment and the rhythm and music don’t really have an effect on the people. Deejays cannot be blamed for dancehall. Politics and a host of socio-economic factors plays a major part. The culture reinforces these negatives and further marginalizes and victimize the poor, exploited youth by not instilling positive values in them. Crudeness, vulgar behaviour, sexism and promotion of violence is not a reflection of inner city culture. The view that deejays are just talking about reality is deterministic, and therefore one is basically saying that these guys can’t do any better. There are many artist who live in the ghetto and experience the same frustrating and exploitative conditions, and who are talking positive lyrics. Coming from the ghetto is no excuse to be intolerant, boorish and crude behaviour. There is the artist who speaks about guns, and it is believed he is talking about what he sees. Let us look at an excerpt from a song:
Dem rum but dem neva reach far;
Dem neva know mi have mi gun inna mi car;
See it deh now;
Dem a go splash morrow pon di tar:
Is this song promoting reality or is it promoting brutality and savagery. When people are killed savagely in this country our quickest response is that these guys are on drugs and that they are “cold”. But is the truce sense, this is how dancehall and gun violence are appraised in the dancehall.
Dancehall artist are more influential than politicians, pastors and private sector leaders. They are especially influential with our at-risk and inner city residents. Is dancehall music inferior to other music? Is Biggie’s fashion vulgar as compared to renowned fashion designers. What we are seeing in the dancehall culture is a conscious, raucous revolt against uptown standards; a cry of cultural space, expressions and authenticity. This make the peripherals feels threatened.
Our inner cities have been garrisoned and criminalized by politicians. Bitter feuds have ensued over decades and there is a long list of scores to be settled. Drug dons have entered, complicating what was already a very dangerous situation add to this a national culture of divisiveness and poor conflict resolution skills.
There are communities where hate and animosity are levied into the heads of the young minds everyday. The youths are being told of all the ills which have been done against their community and the natural thing would be revenge. Now add this to the dancehall culture which reinforces the view that only a “bwoy, a fassy or a pussy” would not defend his own. When the unemployed, unschooled our unchurched youth spends hours days and nights chanting lyrics of hate and vengeance, how then can we truly have peace between poor black ghetto youths. Generally speaking, the politicians started the fire and the dancehall refueled same.
It is hard to empirically establish a causal link between the murders committed in our inner cities and negative dancehall. However, several of Jamaica’s entertainer’s lives have been cut short by the gun or other wise. Michael “Mikey” Smith was stoned to death on August 17, 1983 in Stony Hill St. Andrew, as he passed a political meeting. He was recently remembered at a Caribbean Conference held at the UWI Mona. September 11, 1987 Peter Tosh, Free I and Doc Wilson were gunned down in Barbican. Another victim of the gun was Marcus “Bionic Steve” Townsend, made popular by the song “Fly the Gate” – later became a political anthem was killed on January 17, 1997. Patrick “Hammermouth” Woodburn’s life was snuffed out in Spanish Town in what is believed to be reprisal killings. Carlton Barrett original drummer of the Wailers Band was alledgedly ambush at this gate in 1987. Another Wailers Junior Braithwaite also fell victim of the gun when he was killed in Duhaney Park on June 1999. General Echo also known as “Ranking Slackness” was shot and killed in a shoot-out with the Constant Spring Police. Major Worries was killed by a security guard in Spanish Town in August of 1987. Another artist from the King Jammys label Tenor Saw was killed in 1998 and his friend Nitty Gritty was killed after he performed at a dance in New York. Henry “Junjo” Lawes know for identifying Barrington Levy was shot to death in England in 2001. Papa San too, lost brothers Dirtsman and Gravel. Panheand and Black Rat also became victims of the gun.
There are other major problems with the dancehall culture. The “bling-bling” culture of dancehall, the elevation of material things as the ultimate arbiter of value and meaning. The average youth wants the Hollywood style of life. They worship brand names. The “bling-bling” culture is as almost destructive as the lyrics of the song and the promotion of “shotta”. The fact that our dancehall artist are immensely talented should not go unnoticed. Once they are properly guided then they can make positive lyrics. On the television programme Impact which was hosted by Cliff Hughes on Sunday, April 13,2003, one of the panelist noted that something good can come out of dancehall and our industry should be of such that our artist should be performing in our local hotel as we are competitive by nature and to take the music to another level. This means that this form would be generating revenue in terms of US. Dollars as part of our tourism product. The deejays who have made their names in slackness and gun lyrics have had positive and conscious lyrics to equal force and effectiveness. We must dispel the notion that to make it in dancehall, slackness by virtue is a must.
Clifton George Bailey “Capleton” without preaching slackness, or violence against gays is a force to be reckoned with. His song “Tour” is one of the finest that he has done. He believes however that he is being judged by the aggression in his music, and the issue of “fire bun”. His explanation of the “fire bun” is as follows:
Di fire is all about self esteem, self reliance, self control. Di fire is about unification. It comes through words and livety.
In his view it is hard core culture that exists in the genre:
“a jus di fire a burn in a different form. A man seh dat hi fi tek off drawers (womens under wear) an nuh tek off nutten else but dat. Di yute dem a grow an dem fi know a dat dem fi tek off an nutten else. Di cable in den house an’ all type a tings a come ova it such as homosexuality. Yuh fi mek di yute dem know seh these things are not the norm an’ yuh nu fi partake a it. So a nuff tings out deh weh a corrupt di yutes mind”.
Capleton does not share the view that hard core lyrics are not good for children and are regarded as slackness. He believes that slackness exists in every aspect of society. He like other artist feels strongly about gays and homosexuals hence their songs advocate against homosexuals:
“any thing against life we nuh se why it nuh fi bun. A man live an’ do what hnm want to do. His judgement is his judgement, him do what him want do do”.
The issue of censorship is therefore important. This would allow for the dancehall not to loose its flavour because there is music in the music, there is fun and enjoyment, and not basically destroying what has become part of our rich heritage. The issue of censorship came to the fore in 2001, with the dance debacle at Reggae Sumfest. Several artist were landed in court for using profanity the likes of Bounti Killa, Lady Saw which saw her being banned from performing in Montego Bay, Alozade, and Kiprich. The Government must take a stance on this however difficult it may seem. When our artist perform in other Caribbean countries they have to censor themselves, if not they face the consequences like Mad Cobra who was arrested for using expletives in Barbados
Our culture must highlight the best in our people which we more than can achieve. Dancehall artist can be useful in our struggle for economic independence, cultural authentiticity and social harmony. Indeed they need guidance.
Our history and economy have excluded large sections of our people and have marginalized them. Dancehall reflects a certain reality and it is not that dancehall is the mother of vulgarity. Slackness had already existed in the way we organize the society to marginalize and disempower people. That is slackness. Additionally under representation by politicians is slackness, political victimization is slackness, handing out of guns to the youths is slackness and is worse than the lyrics. Slackness is of social and political order and needs to be addressed even more than the dancehall. There is structural violence and exploitation in the society which is enhanced by dancehall. However these values exists in the middle classes who have lost their moorings and engage in a crude materialistic and hedonistic quest. The intelligentsia and elite who hold power in Jamaica are far removed from the dancehall culture.
The ghetto youth can boast how he can “mash di punanny bad” in a way that glorifies him. Other youths get their prowess from being bad, “dog-hearted” or even “cold”. These ghetto youths are validated through violence and dominance of women – as Beenie Man puts it “nuff gal in a bungle”.
These youths needs to be educated with regard to peace, sharing, out heritage, as opposed to those “war lords”, “war heads”, “poor people govenor”, who are filling the minds of the poor ghetto youth who are already poor and marginalized, with weapons of massive destruction – lyrics.
Peace benefits everyone and especially the ghetto youth. Peace is not a middle class thing. However, when dancehall promotes certain vibes, how then cam we make peace in torn communities. In times like these we need to use the deejays and promoters of dancehall to be more forceful and effective in their output. As pointed out before being from the ghetto is not an excuse, as persons in the ghettos have been instilling moral values in their children. Inner city people need habits that will relieve them of stress, less gratification of the self, improvement in education and make sacrifices for the future. Additionally, women must pay attention to their children’s basic need versus buying fancy clothing, hairstyles, and all the brand names products that are available.
The Journalist Ian Boyne has always taken issue with defenders of dancehall particularly those from the UWI especially Professor Carolyn Cooper. He believes that they have always engaged in a certain kind of fallacious discourse, and that they are the guardians of the people’s culture against the middle class. The argument is that middle class people are seeking to impose uptown values on the inner city. The defenders of the music are often saying that the youth should be left alone. From an intellectual perspective it is good to analyze and write about dancehall. However, there is constant criticism, prejudice, snobbery and contempt for the masses and their culture hence their claim of vulgarity.
Quite recently, there was a hot discussion on the “Hot Line” programme hosted by Barbara Gloudon. This came as a result of an article that was written by Ian Boyne, with regard to the effect on dancehall music on the behaviour and thinking of our Jamaican young people. The Vice President of the Business and Professional Women’s Club of Kingston, Mrs. Iris Myrie, wrote a letter to the Editor of the Gleaner Company expressing her views on the issue. What I find most interesting is that every article that I have read seemed to have put Dr. Cooper in a very poor light. Most articles argue that Dr. Cooper is not listening to the lyrics of the songs, and that she believes that the artistes are to be commended for helping black poor women to appreciated and feel good about themselves and overcome poor self esteem. I frankly agree with the writer of the article and cannot accept Dr. Cooper’s opinion. It is my opinion that though one may live in the ghetto, it does not necessarily mean that you are to accept what it has to offer and there are many who can attest to this fact. I am yet to see how dancehall has lifted the self esteem of some of our young teenagers and young mothers.
Another issue is that Dr. Cooper does not live a space where she can hear the coarser dirt that is being spread by some Deejays. I cannot understand how Dr. Cooper rationalizes the idea of uplifting people’s esteem. As it is now, the dancehall has enslaved, subjugated and demoralized many of us. Mrs. Myrie believes that for Dr. Cooper to make such statements about dancehall is like vomiting to relieve that stomach of over surfeit and doing so in view of everyone is totally unbecoming. In other works, these dirty lyrics are killing our appetite.
We must be sure in our minds what we want as a society and in so doing we must involve the practicioners of the dancehall in order for us to enjoy the cleaner side of dancehall
Donna Hope MPhil Thesis Inna Di Dancehall Dis/place
The creators of the dancehall
Consumers of the dancehall
Stolfozz, Norman C Wake the Town and Tell the People
Stewart, Kingsley “So wha, mi nuh fi live to:” Interpreting Violence in Jamaica Through Dancehall Cultures. Ideaz, Volume 1, November 1, 2002
