Don't fight the Dancehall

[Assasin]

Danchall as a art form is fine. The fact is we blame a lot on the music and society as a whole when we should look at our policy maker. Let us take a look at the last few years. many irresponsible artists were making many irresponsible music that were played and bleep out by some sort of responsible DJs. Now with one simple enforcement of policy by the media people that now stop.

Music was played till all hours of the night, and note this was not only in the dancehall but at funerals, reggae shows and others but a simple law put an end to it.

The effect of the law that artist can't curse on stage made a dent and remember that even RKelly and other artists have done very leud things on stage in Ja. The fact that kids are in the dancehall is not a new problem but one since I was a kid, and hopefully it will be solved in Ja. Now some artist can't cuss Bman them have to find other lyrics.

Red Stripe and others pull their sponsorship but now they are back on board with the same artists including Mavado and Vibes Kartel etc. on shows because the artist now understand their responsibilities.

The fact is when you look Shaggy new single "Sugar Cane" has gotten over 1 million hits on youtube in 2 months. He is on Jay Leno and others. That is dancehall at its best.

The fact is dancehall is a good music form and if you notice other foriegn artists have included either a dancehall mix, or dancehall phrase in some of their music. This include Madonna, Britney Spears, Beyonce, Alicia Keyes amongst others.

The fact is if you know me I am more of cultural, lovers rock person but I won't fight down the art form and I use to enjoy some good "water pumping" and "rub a dub". I don't really care for lewd music and when I work with any aritst, I ask them for a story behind the music and try to make sure they are on key with a good punch line.

Another thing we try not to look at is when artists such as Shaggy and Capleton and what they have given back it is amazing. We know about Shaggy philanthropy to Children's Hospital, but Capleton has is "St. Mary Mi Come From" show which donates to hospitals, schools, youth clubs including police youth club. Josie Wales also donated an ambulance after he was shot and nearly died.

Yes we talk about the bad but let us talk about the good but let us not blame the artists for our policy makers short comming and failure to set basic laws and implement them. I personally admire all form of Jamaican music because for a little country we certainly have made a lot of musical noise.[/font]

[Sir X]

Sass dancehall isnt going anywhere ,but do you want a society centered around it ? Jamaica is more than dancehall, reggae,ska, rocksteady, cricket T&F.

I want us to be centered around education and good values.Dont get defensive when we point out the obvious neglect of an educated society and the promotion of an uneducated one through music......yes I said it !


Duppyman vybz is a classic example.

[Assasin]

So there is no educated artist and well written songs in the dancehall? It was the same thing with SKa, and Reggae. Nothing is centered around dancehall. If it was Ska, or Reggae or Calypso. The fact is our policy makers have done us in.

We can't blame Reggae for the lack of education. I have some younger sisters who can make all the moves but they are very educated with all sort of degree and they are not the only ones. How can we blame dancehall for our kids education when they shouldn't even be in there in the first place?

[Sir X]

Who is blaming dancehall? I used the word promotion............neglect of an educated society and the promotion of an uneducated one through music......yes I said it !

These same politicians will use it dancehall to absolve themselves of any blame , like they have coined the term garrisons as if they really exist.

All that is a smoke screen to wash their hands of responsibility.

[Assasin]

So the dancehall is only a smoke screen? You know them use to say the same thing bout the reggae and ska?

The fact is don't look for educational music. You think Micheal Jackson and Prince is educational music or Beyonce? How about Barbados with Rhianna and Alison Hinds?

[Sir X]

Sass yuh off on a tangent ....take a deep breath , go to bed and come again.

[Bricktop]

Go mourn for the white trash crackhead Amy Winehouse...afterall if it's white it's right...SMDH...

[Lazie]

Sass dancehall isnt going anywhere ,but do you want a society centered around it ? Jamaica is more than dancehall, reggae,ska, rocksteady, cricket T&F.

I want us to be centered around education and good values.Dont get defensive when we point out the obvious neglect of an educated society and the promotion of an uneducated one through music......yes I said it !


Duppyman vybz is a classic example.

Anytime you ppl don't have anything to say y'all use education to prop up unuh argument as if anyone is against education. Time y'all start respecting the industry .because dancehall is big business. How many people actually made a honest living out of dancehall?

Its kinda hypocritical for one wanting to see the demise of the dancehall industry while at the same time advocating for a ganga industry. At times mi wonder if yuh high when yuh posting dude.

[Sir X]

I guess I touched a nerve.......ear it again.....promotion of an uneducated society through music.

The truth hurts ....willi bounce , over di riva , gully gaza mi say , people deddd, people dedd,swagga , tight up pance, tight up jeans , bleach face........how much a dem finish college or even enter it ? how much a dem finish school or even enter it ?

So it gi dem work and mek dem money?....one in a million ,literally, what happen to di rest , unemployed doing what ?......

Good music to listen to , if yuh young and nuh ave nutting betta to listen to , mi pass young and mi ave betta to listen to .

Wha yuh say Brick cry fi mi crackead gal.Wasnt a fan of amy , songs didnt make much sense to me , a wasted voice , but seriously when i heard she died , I said wasted ass.

It parallels the debate in black america where they question the promotion of gangsta rappers and athlethes being promoted as role models , where are the promotion of the academics ?It does become a self full filling prophecy ..misogyny, materialism and violence , for a nation thats in debt up to its ass can we afford it ?

Black america can, they have financial aid , scholarships etc to break a sic cycle and a community that recognises the danger of promoting an uneducated society through rap music............they question it.

The revolt of the black bourgeiose.

[Assasin]

I was spining some tunes at a family member wedding. When I started playing some 90s dancehall a group of about six took the floor including my family member and they did a routine that had me stunned. These were some top grads from Immaculate and are all educated Coporate Managers, Lawyers and Doctors. So I really don't understand what people dancing to music stop people from getting education.

Yes music influence people and lyrical content matter but we must not fool ourselves to think if we had Ska or Roots reggae we would have more educated children. That is up on us to educate our children. Many of us listen to Dancehall, and as for me go from dance to dance and most of my friends manage to get themselves educated.

SKa never had its ruff element as well?

[Bricktop]

So the failure of parents and society should be blamed on dancehall music?

[Sir X]

Nothing is wrong with it Sass spin yuh music , I like it too but society has to have balance .We should not deny ourselves to question if their is balance.

Compare generations at your peril , in the 60s , you could count the murder rate on your one hand , in the 70s X by 100 , in the 80 x 100 and it trends upwards so has the violence in the music.It would be foolish to observe that without looking at the increase in votility of our politics and the decrease in our educational system.

Its not that music is being blamed as the cause of our predicament but lets not fool ourselves it plays a role , as an orator or where we came from and where we are , to not speak on it to me would be foolish , it is a part of our culture , not THE CULTURE !

[Sir X]

Everyone has equal blame BRICK ! even the music.Lets not absolve anyone but question it.

Can you even do that ?

[Assasin]

A lot of things play a role. The fact is Dancehall music doesn't and in no way take away the responsiblity to educate our kids and for policy makers to make sensible rules.

Education neither stop or start with Dancehall. The fact that people are more violent and it shows in our music is not jjust a dancehall problem. The fact that we have kids in dancehall, dead yard and stage show until 7 o clock in the morning is not a dancehall problem. If you have ska beat or reggae beat, or hip hop beat they would be singing the same thing so the fact is that trying to stop or kill dancehall will not solve anything.

We as a society have to take policy making serious and ask more of our politicians and civil society. Yes that includes the dancehall artist but it also includes the other genre as well.

[Sir X]

Your opinion.......PEOPLE DEDDD PEOPLE DEDDD.....when wi pass back wi shot up all church, ants and flay and dawwg skull a guh burst , my weapon , my weapon tell dem ninja man naah leff im weapon at the age of one mi a sling a M1 ...BOOM BYE BYE INNA ... 80 to 90s music to gangasta fi life ?

It play no part ...ok sah ?.....well i believe they all do , just my opinion.The irony is you & lazie argue that it promotes violence against gays and the DJS need to tone it down or loose booking dates....Now it plays no part , i guess you have to be gay for it to play a part but if you are an uneducated ghetto youth with no strong familial upbringing it does not?