Vybz Kartel Drags Politicians & Their ‘Musical Clowns’ Doing Dubplates For ‘Hype’
Vybz Kartel, with the full backing of his Gaza Nation, frontally ripped into his Dancehall colleagues who have been voicing campaign dubplates for politicians.
On Sunday, the tough-talking deejay hurled a second barb at the candidates and his fellow artistes and dropped what he said was his own dubplate on Instagram.
“Wah do dem clown ya inna music weh a run dung hype? Dis a my dub,” Kartel captioned a video clip from his 2005 Emergency track, which decried the shabby state of Kingston’s ghettoes, and the failure of politicians to address the citizens’ plight.
The song demanded action from the Jamaica Labour Party and the People’s National Party and proposed that if those seeking a political office failed to change their behavior, the people would abstain from voting, as among other things, even the politician’s dogs were living better than their constituents.
The resounding support from Gaza fans immediately came, many of them even classifying the artistes who voiced political dubplates, as a bunch of ‘clout chasers and puppets’.
Some claimed that Emergency was the ultimate election song and not the frivolous dubplates and specials that the politicians were commissioning. They also contended that the artistes, including Spice, who has done several collaborations with Kartel, Shenseea, Stylo G, TeeJay, Masicka, Skillibeng, Dovey Magnum, Christopher Martin, and Jahvilliani were irresponsible and traitorous, and their actions had brought disgrace to the dancehall space.
“Them a really clown yes and a them same artist yaa cum on interview and a seh them waa bring dancehall to a bigger height and inna real life a sell them a sell it out to the same ppl dat a fight gainst smh,” bc_empire said.
“How yah go rep dancehall and support politricks weh fight dancehall so much? That’s why yuh nuh see dancehall at certain level, cause some artist love quick cash and nuh stand fi nth! Previously them use guns and wage war fi gain votes, now them a use dancehall fi gain votes. Cause them realise seh people a stop fall fi the trap, so them a use what the people love (dancehall) fi try get them attention! That’s why them can’t rate Gaza! Cause we do things different ova yah!” another fan ranted.
Others contended that many of the artistes would sell their souls for monetary rewards, even if they lost their self respect in the process.
“Dem fool yf mi g. Dem will sell dem soul fi money dem stand fi nothing,” Fabian_gazanation said, while an incensed mj.official1 declared: “Dem artist deh a f__king sell out…an me nuh care who wah bex…dem gwan like dem f__king hungry.”
He then added: “Me bex bex bex…that why me seh u real ghetto champion…wen last dem represent the ghetto… we know we dem do an we nah figet ..how the f__k dem a support people who lock of dance, ban dance? u cah teach people weh never grow in the ghetto…dem come see bread an we come see crackers an wata ..me vexxxxxx God know ..how the f__k some a dem buss…kmt.”
Declaring that politicians are the biggest detractors of dancehall, some predicted that as soon as the election date passes, those elected, will return to their anti-dancehall stance.
“Fight dancehall and wanna use dubs for elections. Puppet show ting fr,” blaundekartel said, while another piped in: “This system that blames dancehall for crimes and these fools jump on the opportunity to make dubs for these people.”
“Dem govament ppl yah are very conceited enuh mi teacha. So dem naa go waa hear wah u or di rest a poor ppl a seh. a we affi just stand firm an know seh we are alone inna dis and a just one time every 4 year dem memba we an every garrison inna di slum so to hell wid dem. mi nuh hungry GAZA FOREVER,” another fan stated.
There were a handful of followers though, who expressed displeasure with Kartel’s comments.
“Tan a prison n leave out the yute them. Di people dem cant live dem life fi please u dan. U done get the collabs them. The people dem wah live them life to… we no y u hate government,” mvpoosh said, while another countered: “money ey people dem a mek… bredda nobody nuh business wid u, a you ago feed dem pickney?”
In the meantime, Dr. Sonjah Stanley Niaah, head of the Institute of Caribbean Studies at The University of the West Indies, warned politicians against exploiting artistes “in the name of their campaigns and then not being willing to support the creative industries with the necessary investment once the election has passed”.
“Just don’t be exploiters and culture vultures. Let us make sure that after we use those dubs and increase the popularity of those very artistes that the investment is made to sustain the industry,” she said in a Jamaica Observer interview.
“I say this with all seriousness, because we have been a Jamaica very much interested in using culture to advance our needs, but when it is time for real investment, to put our money where out mouths are, we fall short,” she added.