Shane O Tackles Paternity Fraud In New Song ‘7 Jacket’

Dancehall artist Shane O has addressed a very topical family matter in Jamaica: the issue of paternity fraud.

In a new song released yesterday simply titled 7 Jacket, the Jamaican label given to a child, whom a man is saddled with the responsibility for maintaining, after being led to believe that he is the biological father.

In the track, for which the accompanying video was premiered on YouTube yesterday, Shane O, uses a series of metaphors to remind men that there are possibly other men in their communities who resemble them, and they cannot rule out being “given” children who are not theirs. 

He noted that, in his case, his woman gave him “seven jacket, not even two pants fi match it”.

In describing the doubts and speculations surrounding who the children’s fathers were, he mentions Foota Hype and Aidonia, as their possible dads to the amusement of his fans.

Shane O’s song is not the first Dancehall song about paternity fraud, although it is only one of a handful that have been voiced on the subject.

In 2007, Shaggy voiced a song titled Who a Wear di Jacket, on the Hard Beat riddim.  Like Shane O, the song also saw him using double entendres, as he described how community members were speculating and placing bets about who a promiscuous woman in the community would present with her jacket, upon exiting the maternity ward.   

In comedic fashion, Shaggy, pointed out that he was among those named as possible dads (because he was known to be sharp), alongside the postman, taxi-driver and others.

Agent Sasco also voiced a song titled Jacket, interestingly, on the DNA riddim in 2010, and, as is characteristic of him, used word-play, in a cautionary tale declaring that “t-shirt an jeans mi rock it” while making it clear that he was not interested in a jacket, whether it be a blazer, trench coat, or any other type.

He also cited an example of a woman who tried to dupe him into accepting a jacket, and, after he found out he was a victim of paternity fraud the woman apologized, and that was when he realised that she wanted to use the child to trick him into marriage.

“Cause nuff a dem gyal yah sharp like a razor! If you nuh mind-sharp, you end up with a blazer,” he sang at one point.

Mr. Vegas also voiced a similarly-titled song in 1998 on the Baddis riddim, in which he asserts that some women were engaging in “raffle and dip” to decide which of their many men should be assigned father of their children.

Under Jamaica’s Registration (Births and Deaths) Act, a woman who knowingly names the wrong man as her child’s father on the birth certificate, can be fined or sentenced to three months in prison.

The issue of Paternity Fraud resurfaced last year when St James Central MP Heroy Clarke, during the 2021 State of the Constituency Debate, declared that he intended to move a motion calling for DNA paternity testing at birth.

Clarke had referenced a study by University of the West Indies (UWI) lecturer and anthropologist, Dr. Herbert Gayle, while stating that paternal issues contribute to Jamaica’s high rate of domestic violence that leads to murders.

However, in responding to the MP, Dr. Gayle had discouraged policymakers from what he described as “making the error of forcing paternity DNA on families” on the premise that, “most of the data on paternity fraud in Jamaica are niche studies which focus on only the poor and working class, who have higher incidents of jackets than other socio-economic groups”.

The anthropologist had said that as a consequence, the data presented by one DNA diagnostic business in 2019, which stated  that 70 per cent of persons who suspected paternity fraud were proven correct, were misinterpreted and could not be applied to the general population of women.

On Shane’s O YouTube channel, his fans sang his praises, for being creative and not penning ‘choppa’ lyrics like some of his compatriots.

“Only a few artist can find topics like these and Shane O a one a dem. Dancehall at its finest All these other DJ’s sing bout is gun gun gun and scammer business,” Top Ballaz said.

“The world need to know that Shane o is a lyciral machine. This is a sure hit! Know even FOOTA hype ago medz this!” unomuko noted while iceburgscowan added: “This is what dancehall lacking, creativity at one of it’s finest, style and gimmicks when a reality, keep them coming Shane – O…”

Others held on to the erroneous information notion that paternity fraud was rampant in Jamaica. 

“Social commentary at its best Jamaica full up a jacket,” Anointed Healer said, while Ben-Ken noted: “This song hit different when you research and find that Jamaica is the jacket capital of the world”.

Others found the lyrics amusing with one even referencing a recent instance in which a Dancehall star found out he had fallen victim to paternity fraud.

“This song age make every man do DNA…test now lol LikkleAddi get Jacket weh day ️ Women wicked dem wicked but song bad g,” said Farrin Zay, while Mr S added: “This is fuckin funny But fuckin serous at the same time Ja ladies who give jacket I know you lot going dance and be happy to hear this song WICKED!”