Jamaican Trap Artists Urged To “Graciously” Accept The Name “Chap Music” For Their Sub-Genre

“Chap music”.

This is the name Dancehall artist Tu Lox, of Twin of Twins, says is the most suitable, official name that should be designated onto Jamaican Trap music, a sub-genre which is centered on violent and hedonistic criminal lifestyles such as scamming and witchcraft.

This title, he says, will distinguish the sub-genre, which is rooted in US Trap and UK Drill, from authentic Dancehall, and prevent people from erroneously labeling it “Trap-Dancehall” or claiming “Dancehall has lost its way, or “is dead”.

“Mi nuh have a problem wid di yute dem enuh, but mi want oonu admit seh oonu a scamma.  Find a different name an gi fi oonu type a Dancehall.  Dancehall is a genre; Trap is a genre.  Find a name.  Matter of fact, based pon oonu content, and most a di fu_kery weh oonu a sing bout, mi have a nice name fi it: ‘Chap music’,” Tu Lox said in a recent podcast.

“Yeh.  Caw most a oonu a scammer.  Oonu waan mi show oonu how?  Studio meck oonu.  Oonu caan do a show fi save oonu life.  Oonu 45 an oonu stage performance, totally different,” he added.

According to Tu Lox, he is expecting that the artists who have made this type of music their mainstay, will have no objection, but will graciously accept the name “Chap” and make it into a real genre, as it is the best reflection of what they constantly sing about in their music and what they stand for.

“‘Chap music’:  nice name. Hopefully di fans can teck onto it and gi oonu oonu own genre.  Chap music oonu do.  Suh people can si oonu oneside a do fi oonu ting,  an if it grow and get international, an it work fi oonu, a oonu create dah genre deh,” the artiste, whose given name is Paul Gaynor,  said.

“A just dat mi want oonu fi do.  Simple.  Suh no baddy nuh si oonu a do oonu f_ckery and seh Dancehall.  Dancehall get di blame fi it. ‘A suh Dancehall lame now’? No.  A suh di yute dem weh a try change an a piggy-back pon Dancehall fi scam oonu fi meck oonu believe seh a Dancehall.  ‘Chap music’. Nice name.  Teck it.  Don’t leave it please.  Teck it.  It fit oonu,” he added.

Skillibeng, Skeng, Gold Gad and Intence are among a slew of artists, many from Montego Bay, who are purveyors of Trap music.

The issue of distancing Jamaican Trap from Dancehall and giving its own name and space, has been on the discussion table for some time, but resurfaced on Sunday after the Jamaica Observer carried an article quoting Clyde McKenzie as saying that Jamaicans should not sleep on trap music” as the “new music form could make international inroads”.

In response, some respondents, said they do not have a problem with the new genre, but that mislabelling it as “Dancehall” is causing global confusion, while others said it should be named “Jamaican Drill”, “chap” or “chop music” once and for all as ‘chappas’ are their biggest supporters.

“We don’t have a problem with trap music, just call it what it is and stop confusing people by telling them it’s dancehall. That is not what we have come to know as dancehall,” nadir said pow_123456 added: “Good now it officially has it’s own name…. People need to realize and accept that Dancehall is a different music”.

“Just like Jamaicans don’t like American versions of Reggae, let’s not expect them to appreciate Jamaican versions of Trap music. 😂😂😂😂   Trap Music out of Jamaica is like Reggae out of Chicago…it won’t be taken seriously,” Delroy Simms said.

“Most foreigners don’t understand the patois in dancehall music and really love the riddim, the riddim was the vibe, now the riddim gone and they don’t understand the patois, give me a good reason why they would listen that trap whatever it is.  I wish dem luck anyway,” shae said.

Dubwise Jamaica founder Jason Panton, who also weighed in on the discussion, pointed out, among other things that the music labelled “Trap” was music for “men” and was actually UK drill-influenced.

“Kids love it. Good or Bad that is a reality that must be acknowledged,” Panton said, later explaining: “Let’s follow the logic a) Trap music is already international b) Jamaican trap (which is actually more drill influenced than trap) Trap has heavy bass lines or Jamaican trap has very very short bass lines like UK drill.”

“Ask any DJ who plays dancehall in front audiences that don’t have the context for this new sound and ask them if people dance to it, or know what to do when it plays. Jamaican (trap) is trapped regionally because it’s not Trap.   It’s actually drill and it’s made for men and groups of men not for women to dance. TROUBLE!!!” he added.

He continued later: “I certainly approve of the co-signed sub-, so dancehall can be what it needs to be – ‘chop’ is a regional sound – in the sense that without context – the music falls short sonically & lyrically in comparison to other sub-genres. Regional music is fine, but it’s not international Jamaican music that has rocked the world…”

Another commenter donofdons sought to encourage people not to give up on the new sub-genre.

“I think it’s still too early to quit on it. We don’t even know if its right to call it TRAP DANCEHALL. We are witnessing the birth of a new sub-genre.   It’s an amazing thing. From songs like Yahoo Boyz to Gunman Shift to even the dynamic Crocodile teeth (all hits to me). All different but similiar sounds. N it a tek time reach foreign. They all perform internationally n hav collabs as such. The art of it is amazing and I think we shud sit back and enjoy it. The yutes a mek money fi dem n dem friend n dem nah buss gun or kill ppl. We should support that at least…,” he said.

He was however counteracted by waliworx, who argued that “Trap dancehall” has shown “zero” success outside of Jamaican and Caribbean circles, in comparison to authentic Dancehall.

“Dancehall had many international hits and international stars even when the older heads were saying it was rubbish. It’s going on 6 years now, Jamaican trap has produced not even one international hit. Not even in South America or Europe where it is easy for our music to buss out,” he said.

“Yahoo boys, gunman shift, crocs teeth are not hits, sorry. In Jamaica and the diaspora yes, outside of that, no. Nobody outside of ja, Caribbean, Miami Atl and NY have even heard of intense or Skili,” he added.