World A Reggae Music singer Anthony B has cautioned that Jamaica’s seeming penchant for elevating foreign music over that of its own Reggae artists can ultimately result in the decimation of the culture.

“There is a lot of goodwill out there for the music, but if we are not careful we will be faced with a dying culture,” Anthony B said in a Gleaner interview, in response to a question as to whether Reggae music gets the respect that it deserves.

“We play more Drake songs in Jamaica than we play our own music. Just ask JACAP (Jamaica Association of Composers Authors and Publishers) how much royalty money they have to send overseas annually,” the Trelawny native added.

According to Spotify Wrapped, Drake was the most-streamed artist in Jamaica for the years 2021 and 2022.

Data provided to DancehallMag from the Jamaica Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers Limited (JACAP) confirms the statements made by Anthony B.  In March last year, JACAP reported that overseas copyright holders were still collecting the majority of royalties paid over by Jamaican radio stations for playing music.

Their data also showed that as recent as 2020, of the $106,602,998 in royalties collected by JACAP, only 35 percent—a total of $37,385,556—was paid to local interests while $69,217,442 was paid to foreigners, while in 2013, as much as 85 percent of royalties collected by JACAP was paid over to overseas copyright holders.

Ethnomusicologist Dr. Dennis Howard had described the state of affairs as “absolutely a problem” as Jamaica, a country with eight music genres, was not playing enough Jamaican music, and happens to be “the net importers of copyrighted material”.

“There is a trade imbalance in other areas, and it is a similar situation which exists in music but we never look at music as a viable trade commodities, we don’t encourage it,” he had told DancehallMag in an interview last year.

In February this year, Minister of Entertainment Olivia “Babsy” Grange, in her address at the Negril Entertainment Association’s inaugural conference, had said the Government might have to consider the establishment of minimum quotas to get Jamaica’s radio stations to play majority local music, similar to its Canadian counterparts.

“We pay out more to foreigners than we pay to our local creatives.  And we really need to do something about it,” the Minister had said.

“I know the radio stations love to play foreign music, and I also know that we have to work on improving our productions and our output in order to balance.  And, of course, Government has a role to play.  In Canada, there is a minimum quota for playing local content.  And this is something that we also need to look at,” she added.

In December 2020, Dancehall megastar Shaggy had called for the Jamaican government to establish a quota system to ensure that at least 60 percent of the music played on Jamaican radio stations is from the island, as opposed to overseas.

The Oh Carolina singer had pointed out that in other jurisdictions, such as Canada and France, only a small amount of foreign music can be played on their local radio, as opposed to Jamaica, where there is a free-for-all.

He had also posited that having local music being played on the radio at least 60 percent of the time would help the island’s streaming numbers.

Grammy-nominated deejay Devin Di Dakta had also decried the fact that there was still too much foreign music being played on Jamaican radio stations, to the detriment of the island’s artists.

The St Mary native had also argued that young entertainers who are focusing on using Trap and Hip Hop beats, ought not to be blamed or condemned, as many of the island’s radio stations, over the years, had bombarded the airwaves with foreign music.

This, he said, has resulted in many being under the impression that genres like Hip Hop and Trap are superior to Dancehall, Reggae and Jamaica’s other music genres.

During the International Reggae Day conference in 2015, Veteran music producer Danny Browne who serves as chairman of the Jamaica Music Society (JAMMS), had lobbied the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica (BCJ) for the introduction of a content quota system, arguing that limiting the amount of foreign music being aired on local media was the key to strengthening the country’s creative industry.

The Filthy riddim producer had argued that in addition to boosting the local recording industry, the quota system would support the development of local culture and national identity. 

Browne had also contended that whilst he was not against foreign content, he did not believe it should be at the peril of the local music industry. 

Browne had also pointed out that Canada, Australia, France, and Nigeria as countries that had imposed local content quotas, even though none of them had given the world even at least three distinct genres of music, unlike Jamaica, with eight.

BCJ Executive Director Cordell Green however, had rejected the music stakeholders’ proposal, claiming that it was payola that was the root cause of the problems facing the music fraternity and was also the reason why there is very little variety in the music being played on radio.

Green had said he was unconvinced that by setting a local content quota Jamaica would be protecting its music, claiming that Jamaica’s music ought not to be mandated but instead played out of respect and love and “not because there are laws forcing us to.”

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The St. Andrew Central police have confirmed that a pickup owned by Dancehall artist Jahshii was attacked by armed men on Friday morning. Six men, members of the 25/8 artist’s entourage, were shot and injured, but Jahshii emerged from the incident unscathed.

“At about 4:15 a.m, a pickup type vehicle with Jahshii and several of his friends and associates was exiting Marketplace on to Constant Spring road when men on bikes rode up and shot up the vehicle. Jahshii managed to elude his attackers and was not injured, but six persons were shot, none of the injuries are serious, and they were treated at hospital,” Head of the St Andrew Central Police Division, Senior Superintendent Marlon Nesbeth, told DancehallMag.

Eyewitness reports said that an off-duty police officer, well-known in entertainment circles, challenged the bike-riding men before they could do more damage. Jahshii was reportedly leaving his own birthday party, which was held at the Mecca nightclub in the Marketplace. He was in another car with the promoter, that’s why he was able to evade harm.

The shooting comes two days after Jahshii asserted his innocence in a new song Fire Alarm, released with visuals on Wednesday.

The song appears to address recent rumours about the singer’s alleged involvement in the murder of a man called “Romie” in the Grants Pen community in St. Andrew last month.

The song was released with emotional visuals that show the effect the rumor-mongering had on the artist’s family. Jahshii’s mother, Lorna Henry, makes an appearance in the introduction of the video to drive home the point.

“Why dem want hold down mi pickney? As mi say already, and mi ah go say it again, oonu go find Proverbs 12 and read 22 to 28,” Henry advised.

Jahshii maintains his innocence and advocates self-defence, saying he has no fear of any retaliation for his alleged role in the death of the businessman. He deejays: “Mi deh pan dah stage yah wid a weapon near mi weh nuh deh pan safety/Ah di whole place mi wi tek and shake it/Cah tek mi 3 points nuh Lebron James this/Dem affi go witness bless and greatness…”

The 25/8 artist is even more defiant on the chorus, advocating extreme measures of self-defence, where he warns: “A rather them than me cah kill mi suh easy/One up inna the mattic, mi nah itch fi squeeze i’/ ah rather them than me…ah rather them than me.”

He upbraided news media and social media bloggers on the single, declaring, “Mr. Newsman, get your facts right, and nuh bring your news wrong”.

He also shares his thoughts about his experiences and sings about being paranoid about the situation that the media speculation created.

In the second verse, Jahshii remains defiant, saying that, like David vs Goliath, he would be protecting himself at any cost going forward.

In June, the police had expressed an interest in speaking to the Born Fighter deejay as they believed that Jahshii could have information about the death of 45-year-old businessman Omar ‘Romie’ Wright.

Jahshii had surrendered himself to the police in the company of his attorneys, King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie and Richard Lynch. He was questioned and released by the cops about the June 7 murder.

His lawyer, Peter Champagnie, has consistently maintained his client’s innocence.

The police have yet to make an arrest in relation to Wright’s murder.

Reports are that Wright was killed on Shortwood Road about 10:40 p.m on June 7 by armed men. There are allegations that Jahshii’s mom, who operates a wholesale business in the area, had an altercation with Wright during which he threw water in her face.

It is rumored that Jashii, whose real name is Mluleki Tafari Clarke, then reportedly argued with Wright about the incident. Wright was gunned down hours later by persons unknown.

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As suggested by her boss, Prime Minister Andrew Holness and former Cabinet Member Karl Samuda, Entertainment Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange appears to have been using “gentle persuasion” and her “charm and skills” in an attempt to steer her “nephew” Valiant away from recording unwholesome songs.

Grange shared a video of her address at Valiant’s 4X14 Mix Tape launch a few days ago, where she expressed how proud she was of the Red Hills native and urged the Dunce Cheque singer to always remind himself that he has an “awesome responsibility.”

Grange, who is a former manager of Patra, Shabba Ranks and Bounty Killer, noted that she hailed from “West Kingston above Coronation Market, and so I have been exposed to the good, the bad, and the ugly.” The Minister, during her seven-minute presentation, told Valiant that in spite of some of his bellicose musical content, he had made her proud, particularly due to his most recent act of benevolence.

“I have always felt that you must stay at work with your people and help to change attitudes and help to make them better.  And so, I have seen many poor youths rise to the top to the point where they can turn around and help others.  But I am so proud of Valiant, because there was this student who could not pay the school fee and Valiant stood up and said he would do it,” Grange explained.

“And not many others would do that: so you make some money, you buy some nice car, buy some nice sneakers; yuh spend yuh money on all kinda things and you forget where you coming from,” she added.

What Grange said next resulted in an outburst of laughter from those in attendance.

“So tonight, I want to say that Valiant is a special human being.  Yes, his music is controversial; yes, some of it, I can’t handle.  Yes, some of it, my colleagues don’t like it,” she declared, alluding to Information Minister Robert Morgan’s decrying of Dunce Cheque last year.

“You know what’s interesting?  I have a five year old great-granddaughter, She’s now in England.  Her birthday was a week ago.  And you know the message I had from her?  She wants a big up from Valiant,” Grange, 77, said. 

The former Specs/Shang executive also made references to Valiant’s recent declaration that he had “gone corporate” and therefore had no need to do raunchy or risqué songs.

“So Valiant, you have an awesome responsibility.  You say you gone corporate, right?  So now that you gone corporate, I expect that your music will display the kind of awesome responsibility that you have.  There are a lot of things happening in the society that is not good for us. Your fans and your audience and everybody here tonight, also equally, have the responsibility that you have,” the Central St. Catherine MP said.

Turning to Valiant again, she said: “Valiant come here. Come to Auntie Babsy.   I am proud of you.  I think you have an awesome responsibility and I think you recognise that.   And as you grow, you grow to greatness.  And as you grow, and you become great.  Greatness must also involve goodness.   I know you know what I’m saying.  And I know you know what I’m talking about.   Everybody in here love you. And the world love you.  And you have a great future,” she stated.

Grange said that Jamaica, having given the world, Reggae, Dancehall, the world’s fastest men and women, best coffee, a new religion in Rastafari, its nationals ought to recognise that “we are not an ordinary likkle country”. 

“This society is a society weh kinda love badness and things weh kinda risqué but the more that we penetrate the world is the more we have to understand the responsibility that we have,” she emphasized. 

Valiant’s EP launch she said, was a must-attend for her, despite any criticisms which may arise of her presence at his event.   

“I had to be here tonight, and there may be some who may criticise the fact that I am here.  But I am here for everybody.   I love my people and I will never, ever forsake them.  But I will guide you,” she said.

“Where I am standing here tonight is not new to me.   It’s just a new generation.  And as music evolves and the music grows, it’s not gonna be the same,” she added.

In November last year, during her address at the launch of Sting 2022, Grange had cautioned upcoming Dancehall artists to refrain from singing about content such as scamming and violence and instead be “positive” and “respectful of women”.

“I don’t want to hear you continue to sing about scamming, those of you who are doing so.  And I don’t want you to sing about violence,” she had said.

“I want you to promote the positive things about Jamaica and about ‘livity’. Because if you don’t, you won’t last as long as the Bounty Killers, and the Shabba Ranks and the Beenie Man…  So you young artistes, you are talented but, I want you to respect the music and to carry on the positive vibes and the positive tradition of those who paved the way for you,” she had added.

In March this year, then Social Security Minister Karl Samuda, during a sitting of the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament, had charged Grange, to use her “charm and skills” to encourage Jamaican music newbies to step up their lyrical game, as uninspiring and mediocre content being recorded by many of them, was causing them to miss out on millions.

Samuda, while implying that there was monotony in the lyrical content that he had been hearing in recent times, had said that he knew the artistes are competent lyricists who should be encouraged to display their musical mettle.  He also asked Grange to encourage the youngsters to be “philosophical with their lyrics” as “the ones that are most successful are the ones with a philosophical base and a message”.

Early last year, Prime Minister Andrew Holness had told journalists that while he was aware of the many concerns being raised about the unsavory lyrics 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.

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