Grange Urges Jamaican Artists To Steer Clear Of Gun Lyrics
Minister of Entertainment and Culture Olivia “Babsy” Grange has called on Jamaica’s artists and songwriters to steer clear of gun lyrics, and instead, use the island’s music to push the positivity for which Dancehall and Reggae have been long-known and embraced globally.
Responding to questions posed during an Irie FM interview on Sunday at the Reggae Month Church Service and Launch about how music can be used as a change agent, Grange said that based on the “difficulties” Jamaica was facing musicians ought to pay special attention to the lyrical content of their songs.
“The message is in the music and it is important that we convey positive music. And so, you have asked me the question, but I am going to use the opportunity to make a special appeal to the music sector and to the practitioners and particularly to the songwriters: we want you to promote, to write and to sing and perform positive songs,” the Minister, who is a former manager of Bounty Killer, Shabba Ranks and Patra, said.
“We are going through troubled times, not only in Jamaica, but throughout the world, and Reggae music is known for uplifting people. It’s known for being that Balm in Gilead when you are going through troubled times, and when you are challenged. And so I am asking the singers and songwriters and the musicians, let’s keep the music positive; let’s move away from that edge that I see creeping in. Let’s get rid of the gun lyrics; let’s get rid of the defamatory way that we refer to our women. Let us use the music to do good and let’s use the music to inspire,” she added.
The issue of the content of especially Dancehall songs written and recorded by some of Jamaica’s most popular stars, has been a bone of contention for many years, with many artists being accused of hypocrisy for singing violent songs while at the same time complaining about Jamaica’s excessively-high murder rate.
Just over a week ago, Popcaan was taken to task after complaining about the surge of murders. Dancehall fans rebuked him for glorifying killings in his songs in response to a Jamaica Observer article that noted that the Forever artist was among the “music insiders” voicing disgust about the then 112 murders committed across the island, up to that point, since the start of 2022.
“I would love to know what causing these war and senseless killing, it nuh look good!! It’s sad and frustrating, man them killing kids for what reason? Killing so much woman for what reason? Killing 60 year old woman?? Tr888 up f_ckry this man them affi fixtings!!!” Popcaan had tweeted.
While a handful of commenters attempted to defend the artists, the majority, consisting of skeptical Dancehall fans had pointed to Popcaan’s slew of gunman songs, some arguing that he was only speaking “because the fight against crime is trending”.
“If shi gi weh di p**#y mi must kill har” 🤔,” one commenter had written, pointing to lyrics embedded in Popcaan’s Feel Good song.
“Last week I was in a taxi heading home and the taxi man playing a Popcaan, I’m pretty him get A+ in descriptive writing because if I’ve never seen a crime scene in action to the aftermath, that song surely depicted it and I was sick to my core…,” one woman noted.
“Kmt,” another added. “Popcaan mek nuff song about killing ppl and badness. Call him friend dem “Killy Killy”. A lot of young people don’t know the difference between entertainment and real life. Wonder if him know how many gunman carry out certain acts based on the songs.”
“They need to keep quiet. El Chapo was a bloodletting song…pushing senseless killings,” another man said pointing to Popcaan’s 2017 song El Chapo.
Bounty Killer was not spared by the commenters, as he too, was rebuked as being two-faced, for recording the new violence-laced When We a Step track with Jahshii, while at the same time speaking out on murders.
“Bounty Killa just did a song with Jashi about gun killing and buying shots for gun men…if you condemn crime why are you glorifying it…,” one man mused, while a woman noted: “Bounty killa (anytime mi hungry again dem ago see mi 9 police outta road bout dem a fight crime) remember that y’all plant the seed now the country reaping the result.”
“Fimi gun nuh join lodge an it nuh join church…. people dead” think bout it,” another woman said, referencing Bounty Killer’s song Lodge, widely known as Splurt and his long-held slang.
Others said that the artists ought not to be surprised as they had continued to glorify killing people in their lyrics, even in the face of the heinous murders taking place on the island over the years.
“Suh onuh Neva know seh a dis did a guh happen wen onuh a sing bout gun??? 🙄🙄🙄🙄,” one woman questioned.
“Promoting violence then condemning it make no sense,” one man stated, while another added: “Every minute unu sing bout how much gun an rifle unu buy 🤦🏾♂️”.
“They’ve been influencing this for a long time now, talking about how cool it is to be a killer and all that,” another woman said.
Another commenter said that the Government was a part of the problem as they had allowed artists to have unfettered leeway to promote evil in their music.
“Them want know what causing it ….. when them a sing about shooting and violence. The government’s allowed them music to promote. Y’all sing nice music that influence young people to something with them life,” she ordered.
Others said that if artists really wanted the bloodletting to end, they would condemn and curse out gunmen in their songs.
“Condemn it in songs like how unuh promote violence in songs over the years.. unuh will never sing a song weh seh all gunman a crosses and dem fi gweh.. like how unuh bun out ppl sex life weh unhh nuh agree wid.. where is the smearing campaign for gunman?” one woman said.
“Isn’t this the type of lifestyle they glorify via the music they sing. Kmdt go and sit down all of unu apart of the problem too, everyday is gun and murdering unu sing bout and now its playing out unu want condemn,” another noted.