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LOST IN THE MIX - Musical prejudice: small number of deejays get more airplay than others.
At parties one can expect to hear the 'usual suspects' playing throughout the night as a small number of deejays get more airplay than others.
There are deejays and songs that patrons can expect to hear at each event, no matter the venue, and these songs are sometimes played three or four times.
With the trend of having numerous artistes on a rhythm, there are songs that are going to get 'lost' on radio and in parties as other songs outshine the rest. Yet is it that some songs are hotter than others or is it that some selectors, who control what gets out to listeners, are biased in playing their artistes or friends?
When THE STAR spoke with O' Neil from Voicemail recently, he spoke out against what he called the hypocrisy with selecting at parties.
O' Neil said, "selectors playing bias dem play like three or four people in the dancehall. If yuh do a survey and put top ten current artistes in the minds of the people- Voicemail inna dat. Yet when yuh go dance yuh not hearing other artistes on a riddim, only a few. Yuh hear a million and one songs from some artistes and nah hear di rest of dem."
O' Neil further went on to say that Jamaican selectors are not trend setters, as they all play the same songs in the same sequence. He says, "dem play one way, yuh always play some songs di same way when there are other people on the riddim and it mek some people look like dem a di real big man. Dem mus start play fairly. Dem nah play all the music and dats why our music stagnant."
This is not the first time that prejudice in the music has been levelled at selectors. As Foota Hype was noted to always 'push' Mavado and Bounty Killer, while Vybz Kartel once accused the Bembe Squad of pushing the war between himself and Mavado by playing select Mavado clash songs.
At parties one can expect to hear the 'usual suspects' playing throughout the night as a small number of deejays get more airplay than others.
There are deejays and songs that patrons can expect to hear at each event, no matter the venue, and these songs are sometimes played three or four times.
With the trend of having numerous artistes on a rhythm, there are songs that are going to get 'lost' on radio and in parties as other songs outshine the rest. Yet is it that some songs are hotter than others or is it that some selectors, who control what gets out to listeners, are biased in playing their artistes or friends?
When THE STAR spoke with O' Neil from Voicemail recently, he spoke out against what he called the hypocrisy with selecting at parties.
O' Neil said, "selectors playing bias dem play like three or four people in the dancehall. If yuh do a survey and put top ten current artistes in the minds of the people- Voicemail inna dat. Yet when yuh go dance yuh not hearing other artistes on a riddim, only a few. Yuh hear a million and one songs from some artistes and nah hear di rest of dem."
O' Neil further went on to say that Jamaican selectors are not trend setters, as they all play the same songs in the same sequence. He says, "dem play one way, yuh always play some songs di same way when there are other people on the riddim and it mek some people look like dem a di real big man. Dem mus start play fairly. Dem nah play all the music and dats why our music stagnant."
This is not the first time that prejudice in the music has been levelled at selectors. As Foota Hype was noted to always 'push' Mavado and Bounty Killer, while Vybz Kartel once accused the Bembe Squad of pushing the war between himself and Mavado by playing select Mavado clash songs.
Naturall preferences
Selector Biggy from Razz and Biggy says he believes that certain selectors have preferences which are natural. These preferences can run from the artiste to the genre just as there are selectors who enjoy playing hip hop rather than soca and dancehall.
"If every man was the same and play di same set of tunes then everyone would be the same selector... Me play everybody, mi wouldn't get work because mi wouldn't be unique," Biggy said.
Marc Chin of Coppershot believes that while not all the music is played, some deejays are just hot in the dancehall at the moment so they will have to be continuously played.
He cites deejay Vybz Kartel and singjay Mavado as examples. He says, "you have some selectors that try new songs to break the monotony, for example the rise of Serani, who was originally just a producer and his singing career has sky rocketed."
Chin says good music cannot be hidden and if a song is good it will get played at some point. When it comes to the way that a selector plays he believes that is a matter of individual choice. He told THE STAR that each selector juggles differently. He did agree to some extent with O' Neil, saying, "it maybe true to some extent that many selectors will play what's hot because that's what the people want and it's evident by their response when those songs are played ... however, not every selector is brave enough to try something new, because of credibility and the chance of failing."
Selector Biggy from Razz and Biggy says he believes that certain selectors have preferences which are natural. These preferences can run from the artiste to the genre just as there are selectors who enjoy playing hip hop rather than soca and dancehall.
"If every man was the same and play di same set of tunes then everyone would be the same selector... Me play everybody, mi wouldn't get work because mi wouldn't be unique," Biggy said.
Marc Chin of Coppershot believes that while not all the music is played, some deejays are just hot in the dancehall at the moment so they will have to be continuously played.
He cites deejay Vybz Kartel and singjay Mavado as examples. He says, "you have some selectors that try new songs to break the monotony, for example the rise of Serani, who was originally just a producer and his singing career has sky rocketed."
Chin says good music cannot be hidden and if a song is good it will get played at some point. When it comes to the way that a selector plays he believes that is a matter of individual choice. He told THE STAR that each selector juggles differently. He did agree to some extent with O' Neil, saying, "it maybe true to some extent that many selectors will play what's hot because that's what the people want and it's evident by their response when those songs are played ... however, not every selector is brave enough to try something new, because of credibility and the chance of failing."
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