Dancehall Artists Missing Out On Millions Due To “Uninspiring, Repetitive” Lyrics, Says Minister Samuda

Social Security Minister Karl Samuda has charged his colleague, Entertainment Minister Olivia Babsy Grange, to use her charm and skills to encourage new Dancehall artists to step up their lyrical game, as uninspiring and mediocre content, is causing them to miss out on millions.

Samuda, who turned 80 years old last month, made his call to Grange, who is a former manager for Bounty Killer, Shabba Ranks and Patra, during Thursday’s sitting of the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament.

His request makes it the second time in three weeks that Grange is being asked by a politician, to prod the artistes with the rod of correction, as it comes on the heels of litany of concerns raised by former House Deputy Speaker Lloyd B. Smith about Dancehall music’s current content.

“Babsy you have been the best.  But there is one thing I want to add, in the area of entertainment and I hear you speaking about Jamworld et cetera.   Minister you have got to use some of your magic to get some of our entertainers to recognise that unless the songs that they sing can be marketed by being able to understand the lyrics, then they will not enjoy the level of popularity and revenue that is earned from it like the great Bob Marley and others,” Samuda, who is a former Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister, said.

Implying that there was monotony in the lyrical content that he was hearing in recent times, Samuda said that he knows that the artists are competent lyricists and should be encouraged to display their musical mettle.

“Nobody is going to buy something repetitively that only has the rhythm.  That’s only part of it.  The lyrics must go with it.  And the lyrics  – we are not short of lyrics and in fact, go one step further: encourage them to be philosophical with the lyrics.  The ones that are most successful are the ones with a philosophical base and a message,” the Minister said.

“Look at what is happening in Ukraine.  What is the song  chosen by the largest hotel group in Jamaica?  I felt so good when I heard it.    Everything will be all right by Bob Marley.  One Love.   That is what you have to push out that madam.  And I leave it to you and you know what I am talking about.  We talk regularly about it!” he added.

In response, Grange, a former Specs/Shang executive, reaffirmed that the issue was also of concern to her.

“I know Minister.  There is a lot of work to be done.  We have come a long way but there is still a lot more to be done,” she said.

The matter of many upcoming, and established Jamaican artiste unfettered use of violent and sexually degrading lyrics in their songs, has resurfaced a lot of discussion amongst Parliamentarians in recent times.

Last Month, Grange in responding to questions posed during an Irie FM interview at the Reggae Month Church Service and Launch about how music can be used as a change agent, had said that based on the “difficulties” Jamaica was facing musicians ought to pay special attention to the lyrical content of their songs.

At the time, she called on artists and songwriters to steer clear of gun lyrics and other depraved types of content, and instead, use their lyrics to inspire, as it was for this reason Dancehall and Reggae have been long-known and embraced worldwide.

A week later, Smith had, in his weekly Jamaica Observer column, urged Grange to establish programmes and projects that promote good, clean music, which can inspire the youth and “help make Jamaica a better place”.

In his musings, the former Deputy Speaker pointed to early Dancehall compositions which he described as having “impressive lyrical mastery” covering a wide range of social, cultural, and political issues, and not only focused on love, but also “rebellion and revolution against the forces which helped to generate poverty, racism, injustice, and government oppression”.

“But, alas, Jamaican dancehall, which initially influenced American hip hop, has made an about-face, moving from wholesome lyrics, for the most part, to gun lyrics and songs laced with expletives, as well as sexually explicit material as Jamaican artistes crossed over to the black American subculture, exemplified by skimpily dressed women with bouncing breasts and men with their underpants on full display…,” Smith had lamented.

The Governor, as he is also known, reasoned it was of great concern that Dancehall has not only lost its way, but, whether wittingly or unwittingly, may well be a major contributor to the high levels of crime and violence in Jamaica.

“While it is not prudent for any Government to ban lyrics that promote sexual promiscuity or gun violence as this may well turn out to be a constitutional matter based on the principle of freedom of expression, it behoves the ministry responsible for entertainment, led by the indefatigable Babsy Grange,” Smith noted in a recent article in the Jamaica Observer.

“Frankly, much of what passes as Jamaica’s popular music should be dubbed underground music and treated as such,” he added.

Smith, who is also a newspaper publisher, had fingered members of the media fraternity whom he said, along with some music producers “who are just looking at their bottom line”, were, among the main co-conspirators in what he described as “this degrading descent in Dancehall music”, and have been “appealing to the lowest common multiple in order to get high ratings and readership”.

However, days later, Prime Minister Andrew Holness had told journalists that while he was aware of the  many concerns being raised about the unsavory content in much of the new music, his administration would maintain its hands-off approach, and not censor Dancehall artistes or their lyrical content, even if depraved or degenerate, but would instead, continue to utilize gentle persuasion.