Classism Leaves J'cans Ignorant To Their Musical History

[Sir X]

Veteran journalist-author Dr Dennis Howard, in a recent interview with The Gleaner, noted that EDM was not the only internationally renowned genre that was started in Jamaica. According to cultural analyst Dr Donna Hope, during the formative years of Jamaican music, classism was at its peak, therefore, only the kind of music and musicians that were accepted by the elite received the required media coverage.

"Look at it this way: Every single form of Jamaican music emanated from the lower classes, or poor people, and in every era, those higher up on the social ladder have perceived each genre as problematic, immoral, and or working against their notions of decency. Mento had songs that were 'banned' in an era where local music was only played in dances or privately at home," she said.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/e...usical-history

[Sir X]

Missy and I got into it over this, his historical interpretation of the cultural importance of poor peoples music, had to be sorted out by me.

[Mosiah]

I won't give you any credit here cah you love to blow yuh own likkle ska trumpet.

Historian is reading this, of course, itching to tear it down. At least maybe he'll realise that we weren't just giving him a hard time when we told him that even dancehall is to be appreciated.

[Sir X]

Is awwright,Missy know.

[Mosiah]

Found this part a bit mixed up tho:

"But this ambiguity still persists. Take for instance the success of OMI's*Cheerleader, a song that dared to experiment with a fusion sound, which I call 'One Beat'. No one paid the song any attention until it broke internationally ... . Now you hear it on all radio stations in Jamaica," Howard said.

The original song was well-respected in Jamaica even as it struggled for airplay. The remake probably debuted internationally before it made it's way home so it's understandable for it to have made waves abroad before Jamaica. And yes, elitist Jamaicans would then have reason to jump on the bandwagon.

[Islandman]

That is true, I became familiar with the song about 3 summers ago after buying a mixtape in Jamaica. People knew the song but nobody could tell me who the singer was.

I felt it could go far but thought it probably would fade away like other Jamaican songs with crossover potential. Two that always come to mind for me are Bandelero by Pinchers and You''e Got Me by Morgans Heritage.

[Mosiah]

Blame Omi for not doing the sensible thing and giving himself a proper stage name. Omi , short for Omar. Really?!?

[Jangle]

"This is a major problem. It's what Rex Nettleford explained as the "blurred focus" of Jamaican society. We are still not completely comfortable with the creative output that comes from the belly of the working class, and even during the golden age of Jamaican popular music, there was also a movement to sanitise the music to create what I call gentrified Jamaican popular music, which, thankfully, did not work," he said.
"But this ambiguity still persists. Take for instance the success of OMI's Cheerleader, a song that dared to experiment with a fusion sound, which I call 'One Beat'. No one paid the song any attention until it broke internationally ... . Now you hear it on all radio stations in Jamaica," Howard said."



He hits the nail on the head here.

[Assasin]

Well Payola plays a big part of what is played on Jamaican radio today and even what appears on the charts. If Omi never have big money to pay it is not going to be played. You have to be cussing somebody or big in the Payola thing to do it a yard right now.

That is why I insist that there are good music been made but not seeing the lite of the day. However over the last year or two more interest has been shown in Jamaican music by top musicians and execs which has put us back on the forefront of the music scene and that is refreshing and I can bet you that they were not "buss" in Jamaica.

Talking about writing. We just don't write or believe in archives. It would be nice if some ghetto youth with the experience chart his own growth rather than someone in Califonia and sell it for a few million dollars. But we don't really write it. Two x forumites on here was very good at poetry. I tried to encourage them both to put it in writing but they always said sometime....

[Mosiah]

As pointed out above, I don't think he hit any nail.

[Peter R]

Oh me, oh my! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIRxB7QXP3g

[Islandman]

LOL. Beautiful rendition by the Queen. The type of singing that gives you goose pimples.

[Jangle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_4GJwriRnM