Is Dancehall music dying?

The recent reports about artistes and the state of the dancehall music is not good.

Recently it was reported that four deejays and one selector had their visas, both visiting and working, to the United States of America cancelled.

This follows after reports also surfaced that a deejay popularly known to be flossing was held after allegedly illegally trying to enter the United States in a boat.

There was also more bad news earlier of popular dj, Buju Banton being locked up in the US and now  awaiting trial for possession and alleged trafficking of cocaine.

Recently yet another door was shut in the face of the music when Vbyz Kartel and Mavado were banned from going to Barbados because the authorities there said the artistes promoted violence.

Promoters overseas are worried and say the potential to market dancehall music overseas has fallen significantly with the travel of some key artistes now curtailed. Those who lost their visas now join a number of artistes who already could not travel to the US such as Busy Signal and Kartel.

It is sad what has been happening and it seems all these things are nails now being drilled into the coffin of dancehall.

Dancehall music is clearly going through some serious times. But are these challenges or just retribution for a controversial expression, which has been blamed for violence and over exposing the society,  particularly the youth to sex?

Has the lack of standards and guidelines helped to cause these problems, which now threaten to end dancehall music as we know it?

Is dancehall dying? what are your thoughts?

By Queen

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196 Responses to “Is Dancehall music dying?”

  1. Johan says:

    Good Day, Adijah Palmer, must consider taking an active step, the building up of limited access in the caribbean basin.
    Recently Barbados banned the idea of work permit, now st.lucia has as well, yet the artist makes no attempt to cover the news in those countries. This is his new chanllenge believe or not and he should not just see it as less money.

    Show the people that ban him that in money there is principle and right now, as man, the slap in the face has been given.

    Adijah, provide a visual statement to be diliveried to St.lucia, news carrier dbs daher broadcasting service ATT: Linda Daher 4532727
    Expressing to Fans, that you presence will allways be with them as well, please do research Csme movement in relation to this case. But most of all, Address the labour minister, the ministers of paliment and speak to the young people to express thier dissatisfaction for banning thier freedom to choose.

  2. Clarence Johnson says:

    I’m very, very happy to know that these DJ’s/singers visas have been canceled. USA Immigration..keep on doing doing your job and cancel them all out. There’s a disgrace to society. Many veteran artist nowadays can’t even get good work because some of these (veteran promoters) also refuse to book them on their shows. Thank God for this Great Happening..I’m Happy that finally the US and other countries and refusing these mongrels in their countries.

  3. Derrick Morgan says:

    Blessed love. I say Bring forward the dance hall style with artist like Brigadier General. Artist like that still have it and can work, but because the foolishness has taken over, it’s like they’re being starved for work. Shame on those Jamaicans for not respecting where our dance hall music came from. I remember going to Jah Love dances and watch Briggy DJ from 8pm right thru the night non-stop ’til 8-9am next morning and Never repeat the same lyrics. These young artist can’t even finish a song on stage and they’re the ones all the hype is on. Shame on all of you who are now running around trying to correct your wrongs. It’s simple..start hiring back the veteran artists to do shows and stop all your rambling.

    TO GOOSE who made that statement…you can say all that you’re saying.Maybe (and I hope it will never happen to you)you’ve never been robbed at gun point by some of these hoodlums who glorifies the gun and the sex (BECAUSE OF THE MESSAGE IN THEIR MUSIC). Walk good you hear!!!

  4. Mau Mau says:

    Dancehall will vanish when the poor and dispossessed in Jamaica are no more. They have created this art to reflect their reality (and in a way that is not contingent on pretentious morality).

    There are enormous positives regarding the culture (e.g. its economic implication…does it not bring more to the economy than the sugar industry?)As a Rastafarian, I loathe dancehall music and culture once, and thanks to the likes of Cooper, Hope, etc and research in the culture; anti-hegemonic discourses; and an appreciation of Jamaican folk culture I have enormous respect for the uniquess of dancehall (I’ve never bought a dancehall album and only go to events if they are free). I am perfectly aware of the poor capitalist fronting like the “poor people governa.”

    Perhaps if the situation in Jamaica changed the music will. I can’t wait to hear songs about mashing up di dance afta a week pon di slavery. Speaking of slavery…remember has always been violent since the Spaniards…

    Kartel is amazing, brilliant, articulate and transcends the facil inclination to categorize him as the other “suspect” indeed “uneducated” artists. Perhaps, because he is like Anancy (cunning and selfish, but we love him, check the polls), there may be ambivalence towards him; but, yo, the dj is ridiculous…would love to see him battle these American dj (which should tell you something about the longevity of urban black poor music…is hip hop dead).

    Dancehall nah dead but it a go change…mento anyone? Or…been to Japan lately? Haters, you all sound like the Miss Lou bashers back in the day…tek weh yuself!

  5. alton says:

    All you dancehall haters will not live to see dancehall die.

    Dancehall music has been going strong for 30yrs. It was created by poor people for poor people when they had no alternative means of getting an income.

    Dancehall music has only been supported by corporate Jamaica becauses it controls the masses.

    So all you PHDs and MBAs and hypocrites who are trying to blame the entertainment industry for Jamaica’s ills , find another scapegoat.

    For two and a half decades you have all been waiting for dancehall to die and everytime it reinvents itself and forever will.

    Why? because it is supported by the masses majority of whom are poor.
    ‘Unu a go tiad fi si it face.

  6. carlton larmond says:

    Dancehall music will never die, not now or ever will. music evolve. you are all fooling yourself if you think this art form will die or just go away. Is rap music dying? dancehall is a avenue of expression that comes with a benefit, and one that is well deserving. how many more Jamaican would be without a job had it not been for dancehall. If you hate dancehall then you hate yourselves because it reflects everyone of us, our communities, life style and our politics. Sure i do not support hate on any group of people, we all have to learn to respect others and their way of life and let it start with our political leaders who shoot off at the mouth. Dancehall will die when we no longer has necessities and needs, when there is no more first class or second class citizens and every man is respected irrespective of his belief, when all the church doors are closed and love reign. Accept the art chastise the wrong doers and embrace the talents.

  7. BlazinFire says:

    i guess it happens in writing as well as in conversation people just want to hear the sound of their own voice. You want so badly to place the blame on someone else that instead of holding those who are truly negligible in our societys downturn you go after the artist who make a HONEST living expressing themselves over melodic riddims Just because you dont like it doesnt mean we should get rid of it. Let the vegetarian tell it all diseases come from eating meats of animals. now there is a just cause to ban something. its just to easy to say lets ban dancehall and that will solve our problems. and if you believe that then i have a bridge in brooklyn i am selling Steve, Vinnie and everyone else. LOL you all are probably some of the same one’s who invested in Olint! Thats what you should have banned,

  8. afreaka says:

    these now a days artists,are full of crap,promoting slackness and violence.
    What happened to decent inspiring lyrics that will push young people to want to do better in life.
    Frankly I cant understand half of what they are saying and the half I do, its garbage,the riddim is good lousy lyrics and producers and managers of these artists need to see the bigger picture and not just the dollar signs.
    I must admit there are a few old timers who are still holding the fort of “good clean lyrics”and I must applaud them but the rest please if you need better lyrics ‘check me’

  9. G says:

    KISS TEEEEEET!!!

  10. jon brown says:

    Look…there’s nothing new in this life…ITS ALL BEEN DONE BEFORE..young people will always feel invincible and talk whatever they want (sex, drugs etc) and do whatever…thats just the way life is. Next 50 years it will be the same way…Don’t bash Dancehall music…its funny how folks can act crazy..do drugs, run around act a fool…then when the same folks have kids, its a no no. don’t smoke, don’t drink, be on your best behavior…c’mon gimme a break…. and the same people bashing danehall are the same people with “farrin mind”..listening to hip hop (crack music) and everything overseas…WE ARE FIGHTING OUR OWN..LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE

  11. jon brown says:

    U KNOW WHAT…YES, LETS BAN DANCEHALL….THEN EVERYONE WILL LOOK AT JAMAICA IN A POSITIVE LIGHT…JAMAICA WILL BE CRIME AND DRUG FREE AND OUR TEENS WON’T HAVE SEX…AND WE’LL LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER…AWW

  12. JC says:

    I don’t hate dancehall and probably never will. But I do have to say that some of it is getting played out for me, and being replaced by music with a more positive message or milder tones. Example…Kartel is SO tired now, all his songs sound the same! He’s always busting a head open like ackee or sexin a prostitute in a go go club. I’m tired of HIM and others like him, but not tired of dancehall as a whole.
    I’d much rather listen to Jah Vinci, Busy, Elephant Man, ones who have some fun with music.

  13. smiley says:

    I think all these problems that are happening in the Dance Hall industry could be blame on Vybz Kartel and his followers they are the root of all them problem, because from kartel sing rompimg shop the broad casting commission is clamping down on the whole dance Hall industry in Jamaica. Also his follower Ricky Trooper’s actions may be responsible for the canceling of the other artistes visas. Also vybz kartel is fulling up the young people head with his evil and demonic talks.

  14. TomianGyal says:

    I personally wouldn’t want to see Dancehall die; however, sometimes you get sick of hearing the same slackness, the same ole thing… and it get to the point when he degrading and immoralizing the whole society ah people in Jamaica. Remember, music influences people and if your lyrics is all about violence, sex, and you promoting it heavy, some people would love it and hype it yea but in the long run there are consequences (Visa revoked, banned, etc) happens. So I say, artiste need to come up with a new strategy and be more creative other than singing about the same shit all the time..

  15. dancehall is good to sustain the feeling of criminality and to
    promote total disregards for the norms of our society. you
    will notice that I do not mention music because there is no
    relationship between dancehall and music.

  16. Horom says:

    Dance hall music what is that,Dance hall music have been dead for the past 15 years I hear some new guys coming out of jamaica I would not call them artist because they play the most confusing concotion of verbal idocentic crap I dont call that music,some of them was seen of stage with there pant down exposing there posteria so it,s good to say that there satanic babbling on the mike is a chant to seduce people to be homosexuals with them “that,s what what u call a kruff

  17. G says:

    Well I guess artists know by now they better change their ways. Big up bounty setting a sample, ethiopian orthodox forever! Which brings me to Sizzla who certainly does not follow the works of his majesty nowadays. No sizzla is now in Africa in Zimbabwe talking to the most evilous African dictator Mugabe. Mugabe who is hated by most Africans especially by the Etiopians and by people as Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu and Africans all over the continent who know and have felt the consequences of his regime. At this point in time there are talks between Iran, North Korea and Zimbabwe and Sizzla is in the middle of letting himself being used by these evilous murderous people for political reasons. Thank you Sizzla for ignoring the works of Marcus and HIM. First chasing Capleton from stage at JamJam 2010, then gunshots at Judgement yard and then travel to Africa to support the wrong leaders, it´s like him have a fourtyleg inna him head. Anyways people I hope you Jamaicans understand the wrong way Sizzla has chosen is not supported by most Africans

    Live message from Africa

  18. dbajanman says:

    Dancehall isn’t dead, but don’t fool your self, dancehall hasn’t grown at all, it still remains an underground music in the US, where is dancehall at the US grammy? Shaba was performing in the US about 20 years ago, the music should be bigger by now, the music is just not growing. There was a concert here in Boston with Alison Hinds and Machel, the concert sold out really fast, how can a concert with two people who release maybe no more than 4 songs a year out sell dancehall artiste that are releasing songs every month and in some cases every week? Back in the day I could listen to dancehall with my Mom in the same room, but I cannot do it now because of all the cussing in the music, artiste really need to clean up the music.

  19. Get Up, Stand Up! says:

    The Jamaican recording artistes must study the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and stand up for their rights. Any Caribbean country that is a signatory to this treaty is in breach of the CSME if they ban any artiste. Lobby the Jamaican government to stand up for your rights. Jamaica should impose sanctions on any CSME member who prevent the free passage of any Jamaican who seeks to enter their territory for work.

  20. T.G says:

    Dancehall MUSIC is not the problem but rather the lyrical content. Music means to muse or ponder…to meditate upon so it is really very dangerous to be listening to material coming from unholy sources. As one commenter stated, just look at the lives of these people who are influencing the thought patterns of others of the society, especially the young. If this continues, Jamaica is in serious trouble. If we meditate on violence, violence will begin to manifest itself in no uncertain way as is true of sexual immorality etc. People look up to these artistes and producers. Take for instance the boom in the sales of Clark shoes. One dj talk about it and now the price has increased by thousands of dollars. So the dj who says “Ah Bwoy Fi Dead” will no doubt incite murder. The government (over the years)has been like a laid back parent who refused to correct the wayward, spoilt brat of a child and now has a criminal adult to deal with.

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  22. Nicky says:

    I am an avid dancehall lover. However, it’s the same ol’ crap everytime…sex, guns, gay haters. Find something else to talk about, man! How about Red Rat, Goofy, Ele (when he was funnier) and all of the light hearted artists? They made the music fun…but now even they have to chat up the same rubbish like Kartel & all the raunchy DJs just to make a dollar?

    I am an expatriate who was raised in predominantly lily white neighborhoods, with stoosh friends, who cannot understand what I love so much about dancehall. I love to embrace my heritage, but even now, the dancehall is sounding more like “dirty south” foolishness that Americans are now embracing…

    get back to the basics, speak legibly, so that other people can UNDERSTAND what the hell you are saying – it sells more records…does it take a rocket scientist to figure that out DJs??

    And for the love of JAMAICA…please change the music to big up our country more – this will bring more tourists, and hence, more money to our beloved country!!! DO not talk about how scary it is…heck, even I’m afraid of Kingston just by listening to your music…

  23. likkl danny aka zion i says:

    well my own opinion dancehall musick in jamaica has lost is focus jamaican sholud stick to culture because we in africa we dont like the dancehall is promoting this days in ja

  24. likkl danny aka zion i says:

    trust me that is why rispek foundation artist more dancehall inna ja is heading to the roung direction and you see katel the should stop that boy bcos is corrupting ja with is dirty song

  25. Adam says:

    Dancehall music will not die but the current style of lyrical content will definitely die out. People are getting tired of the same old “dirty” lyrics and will eventually stop supporting those artists who continue to use them, which will eventually lead to a cleaning up of the lyrical content

  26. joules says:

    AS A JAMAICAN ITPAINS ME TO SAY JAMAICA IS FALLING APART…… NO GOOD LEADERS…I DON’T WHAT’S GOING TOBECOME OF THE ISLAND……HAVE NO PLANS TO COME BACK THERE AND LIVE. AS FOR THE DANCHALL ISSUES………THEY DO ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO VIOLENCE, DRUGS, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES….THEY DESERVE FOR THEIR VISA TO BE TAKEN AWAY……….

  27. TSC says:

    Dancehall a dead long time. These artists’ lyrics now a days have no substance. Their lyrics are degrading to women, encourages violence, not to mention the sexual gratification and exploitation. I don’t blame these countries for
    prohibiting them from entering. I am glad they weren’t given visas and i hope they will now take the time to see the negative impact their music is having and make the changes necessary. Not because their crap is tolerated here in Jamaica means other countries will allow it.

  28. Man A Bad Man says:

    Dancehall music is the most creative music in the world right now. However, it is suffering because of the slackness coming from Kartel and his kind.

    Kartel fi gweh.

  29. maurice gray says:

    Greeting to all in the name of Jesus…what has happen over the years in the Dance Hall music industry is that God himself has been taken out of the equation completely,the nowadays DJ’s has turn to violence,sex,drugs and demonic ideologies.The glorification of these is been taken root in younger youths mind.Remember, we can’t go back in life but what we can do is move forward in righteousness and truth.The main culprits of the problem is these money hungry producer who have no care for the society and no morality.Producers and Promoters alike are to be accountable and responsible for all that is taken place within the Dance Hall.The government must stop fine the entertainers but now charge these promoters and producers for their actions, (where else in the world have ever hear of a promoter going in the correctional facility take a prison out for one night and have him return to commute his time the next day that is absurd).Rastafarian entertainers who are hiding behind the banner of a great legacy which was placed for the benefit of Peace and Love has a greater responsibility that just a pay day,they get so caught up in the moment that they are blinded of the realities that is facing the young generation.If the example of guns and drugs is what the youths see, well guess what, that’s what they are going to do.We can’t kill a tree by cutting down a limb we have to dig out the root,and if the law makers and authoritative figures don’t uphold the law well it’s a no win situation,so don’t expect anything to go back but only gets worse.For the bible say everything will passed away for only salvation last forever.So will dance hall music die?,the question is if not will it die but will it last.b blessed b n a blessing,1LUV

  30. DANCEHALL HAS DONE MORE FOR JAMAICA THAN ANY POLITICAL PARTY HAVE EVER DONE FOR POOR PEOPLE IN JAMAICA !!! DANCEHALL PROVIDED WORK FOR THE CREATIVE AND TALENTED GHETTO YOUTHS, PROVIDED ENTREPRENEURIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRODUCERS, VIDEO PRODUCTION, SOUND ENGINEERS, LIGHTING ENGINEERS, FOR POOR GHETTO YOUTHS WHO WILL NEVER BE HIRED BY ANY DECENT JOBS THE COUNTRY HAVE TO OFFER.FOR EXAMPLE AT EVERY DANCEHALL EVENT WE HAVE, PEANUT VENDOR, CHICKEN MAN, WEED MAN, CHEWING GUM VENDOR, VIDEO MAN, CD MAN “WHO ALL HAVE THERE SOURCES WORLDWIDE TO BUY THE EVENT FROM THEM BY THE NEXT MORNING” . THE GOVERNMENT AND UNREALISTIC IGNORANT JAMAICANS WHO DONT KNOW CRAP ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF DANCEHALL, NEED TO RESEARCH THE GLOBAL EFFECT THE GHETTO YOUTH’S OF JAMAICA CREATED . DANCEHALL IN JAPAN BRINGS CROWD OF 20 TO 30000 PEOPLE. USA – 8000, LONDON 8000 OR MORE. DANCEHALL FEEDS ALOT OF PEOPLE IN JAMAICA!!!!! ALOT!!! SO WE ALL NEED TO CHERISH IT , EMBRACE IT AND SUPPORT IT . DANCEHALL ONLY TELLS THE STORY OF THE REAL EXPERIENCES OF THE GHETTO. SO ALL U UPTOWNERS WHO ARE OFFENDED!! CRAWL UNDER U ROCK AND THINK! HOW SAFE YOU ARE BECAUSE OF DANCEHALL.

  31. jeff says:

    Please keep the music clean, we have children to grow

  32. jeff says:

    Please keep the music clean, we have children to grow.

  33. miss malcolm says:

    dancehall music caaan dead and will remain until the end of tym. why do the ppl in the upper echelons of our society continue to bash dancehall, then try to capitalize on it???

  34. Jahbin says:

    Dance hall music now is dead the urrent state of jamaican music is at the lowest level when it come to quality,the lyrics is not good the vocal is terrable the arrangement is no good the soun is weak, the people who are producing that idiotic kind of sound wehere did it come from Jamaican sound is a regal and wicked not like any other sound. I have a lot of friend from all around the world and every body say what is that new stupid sound coming out of jamaica. there is a lot of radio station ion the new york area who play jamaican music and none of them play them stupid sound from vybz cartel and them other idiots,they dont even sound like jamaican soombody need to stop them idiot before they mash up the whole music business. the so called dance hall artist sound like satanic band belzibbub singing there satanic anthem,them trinidadian laughting at jamaican music everybody laught at them new idiot they make jamaica look bad. one time everybody use to listto jamaican music to get new idia about new sound now the drug addicted demon take over and mash up everything.

  35. El baradi says:

    vybes cartel is the most stupid no talented man ever go into any studio,this guy seem like he can,t even read,the foolishness he put on plastic ,his voice is capable of causing a pain in the ear, the music is so stupid a hive of bees in a box have better flair and talent than him,vybes cartel is not the only one there a slew of no name who sound like a group of drug addicted demon. here in the us no body dont,know these fools,because there idiotic babbling is not played on and radio station because nobody want to hear that stupid crap.

  36. dn't blame we blame yourself says:

    Listen if ya’ll think banning dancehall going to fix anything what going on with these young people now a days ya’ll making a sad mistake.. ya’ll need to ban TV because is not the dancehall is the TV .. you can’t blame a neither man for your problem same as how you can’t blame dancehall for what your kids watching on TV.. I thought everybody have a mind for them self i never knew say we have people who deside what we listen to or what we don’t listen to..

  37. Evadney W says:

    Thank God! It is overdue!

  38. derrick says:

    dancehall will never die, in fact i am listening to under mi sensi right now! now dutty wine!!! it is one of my favourite type of music. Jamaica needs to legalize marijuana, cultivate hemp for all products like plastic, fuel, paint, paper, clothing, etc, basically every oil is used for, hemp can be used for and ellminate the buggery law. look at amsterdam, one of the lovliest and peaceful cities in the world. it is an underdeveloped nation cause of the united states. popular mechanics magazine called hemp the most valuable crop in 1938 and hemp seeds are considered nutritious and economical solution to end world hunger. JA wake up fr your nighmare and take control of your destiny. just think of all the tourism y’all would attract not to mention jobs. Blame government and religion for all the hate and violence, not dancehall.

  39. Hugo says:

    If it dies there is nobody else to blame but themselves,(the artists) the dirty lyrics,the cursing, promoting of violence,the promoting of the gun etc.I am sure if they clean up their songs Jamaicans will be more appreciating of their performance.I for one hope it dies

  40. Terence says:

    Dance Hall music is ever evolving and so will continue to live on. Will it have the much desired international impact is another matter. There are many talented artiste out there now who currently do not receive the airplay they deserve. Its always the same hand full of artiste you hear being played 24/7, it is way too hard for new talented to get exposure. Artiste such as Vybz Kartel whom i respect as a lyricist despite how lewd or violent they might be at times needs to step up to the plate. Step up in the sense of separating himself from the world of hype and the here and now. He is caught up in his own success at the moment and needs to refocus.

  41. listen dancehall is not dying, it is just going tru a fase.and to some people who are bias against vybz kartel,how can you say what dancehall is going tru is because of him,one man cant be responcible for it.violence has been part of dancehall since the begining,i readed some of yall comments and yall are tlking about dancehall is responsible for the crime in ja,but remeber this,crime has been apart of ja from di days of pirates n will be until poor people are treated with respect n are allowed to work no matter where they live n to take care of their children n family.dancehall music dont make mi r anybody i know wanna go out n shoot some one r commit crime,people do dat becaz of how they have lived.di lyrics of dancehall is coming from realistic problems people grow up with.so tell mi dis,does hip hop n rap make di black men in america do crime r is it the same problem of poverty?.if yur answer is yes then your are beening stupid for believeing that music make normal people with a brain do stupid shit.plus violence is part of life on this planet no matter where yu are from,wen reggae was the main music in jamaica,men were killing men,women n children.it is not right but how are you gonna sit there n say one man n his friends are the cause of crime n violence in jamaica,dat is just a stupid thought.movado dj’s about crime n violence,bust signal does the same and also thier friends,the government preaches crime n violence but treating people like there are trash n because of where they live they cant get a job to support their family.so what do you think they are going to do,they are going to do what they have to do to feed their children n family.that is what breeds crime n violence in jamaica,the government n the upper class who act like they are better than a poor person.upper class n lower class bleed the same blood n breathe the same air n eat the same food.dancehall music is just a way from people to express their views of how they live n you cant tell someone dat lived their life in crime n violence to not preach it r speak their minds.it is up to the people who are listening to it not to take it literal,it is just music people,music n crime is a part of life n alot of us dont like it but instead of sitting on yur ass n blaming it on some one else,try n do something about it in your life n neighborhood. And for yall who keep blaming vybz kartel for di crime in jamaica stop the bullshit,he is not the only person is dancehall music who is djing about slackness,almost every dj does dat,shabba ranks did it,ninja man did it,even dj’s from back in the day wen reggae was ruling the air waves. dancehall music is from the poorest of poor who found a way out of poverty n they will speak about what they live tru n how they use to live they lives. DANCEHALL WILL NEVER DIE AS LONG AS THERE ARE JAMAICANS LIVING ON THIS PLANET WHO ARE LIVING IN POVERTY N SUFFERING ON A DAILY BASIS. VYBZ KARTEL IS N WILL BE THE GREATEST LYRICIST IN DANCEHALL, JUST LIKE BIGGIE SMALLS(JAMAICAN BORN)IS THE GREATEST LYRICAL RAPPER EVER. WELL THIS IS MY OPINION N IF YALL DONT LIKE R WANNA HATE MI FOR IT,DROP A SLEEP. JAMAICA N DANCEHALL MI SEH.

  42. Protocol says:

    One of the responsibilities of Government is to first have a vision for their Country and society 20 – 30 years in the future. Secondly, they must use tools of social engineering to bring the vision into being.

    USA has that vision. One of their tools of social engineering is the ban on Jamaica’s toxic export; dance hall (I refuse to call it music). They perceive a harmful effect similar to that of illegal drugs.

    Barbados, Cayman, and St. Lucia have also seen the light, and we in Jamaica can thank God for this, because in Jamaica our so-called leaders have no moral compass or sense of decency. Year after year the recordings plunge to lower levels and our uneducated masses swoon to the swill and excreta from these purveyors of disease while our Government sits hapless. Same situation with crime, with justice, with the economy etc.

    My thanks to these countries. It is my hope and prayer that this dance hall thing dies soon.

  43. AAA says:

    As a jamaican i support dancehall music wholeheartedly but the direction and pattern of dancehall music has totally lost its focus. we as a people need to hear and see more positivity in the music we are promoting as a country.
    right now the country is going down the drain,dancehall music is going down the drain.Even though dancehall has a tendency to lean towards being considered bad for the country,there are still some artists who give positively to dancehall.though it may have been necessary for their visas to be taken away by the authortities,they must realize that with their actions they are slowly killing dancehall,the culture and the country.
    because there is no denying that dancehall does in fact give back to the country.they just killed another source of income for us,we’re already on shaky ground with our country hanging in the balance off of a very high cliff pondering on which side of the country is going to fall first.we should take income where we can get it instead of constantly borrowing to pay off never ending debts,start looking inward instead of outward for help,then maybe the country just might have a fighting chance until then were going to be staring ominously down,contemplating how far the drop is until the debt becomes so huge we inevitably topple over to our death.

  44. Marian says:

    It is not the music that is disturbing but the dirty language and promotion of violence. Words are so powerful and when these artists use these kind of lycris they are not producing anything positive in the community. We may talk about “freedom of speech and expression” but please note that there is nothing called absolute freedom- there is however “RESPONSIBILTY”. We are responsible for all things and everything that we say and do and everything we say and do has consequences.

    Some people try to justify this dirty lycris by saying that it is what happening in the community but then this is not contributing positively to the problem, it makes it worse. Would you pour acid on a sore foot?

    It is time that we change our community and we have to start right now and set standards. Just imagine : if the sea don’t live by the rules set by its Creator what happens. So if creation must live by rules and regulations what makes us believe that we should have no rules either.

    SO I SAY BAN THEM until they change their lycris..

  45. Maximus says:

    Dancehall will live on long after many of us are passed and forgotten. It’s the same thing the “better than you” of this society said about Reggae and Rastafarianism (don’t know…read some history) and look at Reaggae now. Reggae is undeniable a world music art form with reggae bands and festivals on the continent in Australia.
    Many don’t know than Dancehall draws crowds from across the world at all our major festivals and fills stadiums in Japan all year round. Why?
    Simply because the genre represents more than a music form but an evolving culture; accept it or not our Jamaican culture. Yes maybe it’s the side some would like to push under the carpet but it’s us. The side that’s blunt, violent and unflinching in its soul and beliefs. The messages all relate to the Jamaican experience, ideologies which are influenced by religion and politics and thus can never die.
    All the Dancehall art form needs are the same organization and construct that has been applied to Hip Hop and its early gangster roots transforming it to mainstream music. Wake up people time we support our own, market our niches and create the wealth in the society.

  46. Man A Bad Man says:

    Dem man who waah seh artiste av right fi sing slackness cawse a dat dem live fi gweh. UUnu neva ere bout social responsibility?

    Even if a towsan man an u a live in a gutter u fi be di one fi rise an lead. Don be a follower fool.

    Man A Bad Man, mi caan back up chat.

    Kartel an im kin weh a destroy dancehall music wid slackness fi gweh. Sing good tune yout. Man A Bad Man.

    Wen mi tink all mi pickney dem av fi listen dem slack music wedda dem like it ar not, it bun mi niah. Wish mi coulda si Kartel one a dem day pon road.

    Mi lik out gainst slackness inna music. Mi kick dung slackness. Wah man a argu, cawse merica black man sing slackness wi fi dweet to. Kick dung dat. Wah u a sheep, falla nex man? A Jamaica mi seh, wi set di pace, wi lead di way, wi no falla. Kick dat dung now.

    Man A Bad Man.

    By di way a ghetto mi live, so wah u a go seh now? Weh Kartel an adda slackness dj a go do? Contact mi. Mi wi gi address.

    Man A Bad Man.

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196 comments so far
francine Posted by: francine April 8, 2010 at 6:14 pm