Sean Paul’s former manager Jeremy Harding has rubbished suggestions that the We Be Burnin artist was able to surge ahead of Beenie Man internationally in the 2000s because foreign record labels favored him due to his lighter skin color. 

Harding, who produced Beenie Man’s biggest solo hit Who Am I, on his Playground riddin, declared Beenie the greatest Dancehall artist of all time but came out in full defense of Sean Paul during an Entertainment Report Podcast interview, in which host Muscle asked if there were any reasons “why Sean Paul got to break over Beenie Man at that time.” 

Muscle had explained that he had heard Beenie in an interview pointing out that “after the “strength of Who Am I, it seemed like he was supposed to really get that international super break but then it’s like after a while Sean Paul got to break.”

Harding, however, said that the way the two artists’ careers turned out all boiled down to proper management on Sean Paul’s part, and a lack thereof, in the case of Beenie.

“I can just put it down to better management.  I don’t know what else to tell you. What else would I be able to say about it?  Beenie Man got himself embroiled in controversy, with the gay bashing lyrics and all that.  He put himself on that list as well.  And then he had to, you know, apology letter… was it GLAAD – the gay community that was trying to lock down his shows?  And all those things start to happen for Beenie Man,” Harding stated.

“I think by the time he got like King of the Dancehall, one of those records that he did, by that time MTV and BET were snubbing him and he was getting a lot a pressure from International rights activists to change his stance on the LGBTQ community.  That hampered his success tremendously.   That was also happening at the time.  So yeah, a victim of circumstance perhaps with that,” the 2Hard producer added.

Jeremy Harding

While lauding Beenie’s Billboard success with Who Am I, Harding also said the song served to cement his place in Dancehall as a revered producer.

“Yo big up to Beenie and all; love to Beenie Man.  I mean he made me just as much as I helped that record in his career,” he said.

Harding doubled down on the fact that record labels primary focus is on song quality and sales potential, and not the skin colour of the artist, pointing out that Beenie’s troubles at the time, were totally the fault of his management, as several other very poor decisions were made by them.

“I think that’s what was taking place with him at the time, that that hampered his progress… and just managerial choices – doing the song with Janet Jackson and he decided to sing instead of deejay, weird things like that which he was doing…,” he explained.

“I don’t know what else to put it down to.  I know where this is leading to this question of: ‘oh cause Sean was the brown uptown guy and that’s why he got the f–king break’ which is nonsense, because record companies don’t work that way. Record companies in New York don’t work that way.   They’re not in this air of shadisms like Jamaicans, bro. It’s absolute stupidity.  What are you talking about?” he added.

Continued Harding: “They have R&B artists and rappers signed to the label that are black like f–king tar.  What difference it meck?  There’s no brown person thing in a record label that makes the brown people better or the light-skinned people the better.  All that’s garbage.   Working with the Urban Music departments and there are black people; they’re from down south from the states.  There are black people signed to the label; they have black artistes, black rappers.   There’s nothing that says oh well you’re a brown and so you’re going to get more of the push.  All that is stupidness bro.”

According to Harding, skin colour is “not a factor for Jamaican music”, which is still classified as “Urban”, which is code for black music, plus Sean in his ascension to global stardom had scored hits such as Get Busy, Temperature and Baby Boy with Beyonce, as well as other huge collabs with megastars.

“So, no matter whether you’re brown, Asian, red, green, f–king purple or anything, as long as you’re doing dancehall or reggae bro and you drop into a US radio station or a U.S record, company you’re ‘black music’.  So there’s no segment for the browner guys to be better, off is what I’m trying to explain too.  All that’s silly,” he said.

“There’s tons of black R&B and rappers like Biggie Smalls: big, fat ugly black guy – f–king multi-millionaire.   What are you talking about?  So why does that stop any a Jamaican artist because of your skin color, your blackness.  It’s stupidness.”

He added: “It’s upsetting when I hear people talk about it.  And I’m not saying that’s what he (Beenie) is saying, but dem type of comments kind of lead to that speculation of ‘hmm wonder why Sean got bigger over all the fact that Sean bonafide had three number one records on Billboard.  That’s not because of being brown.   It’s the songs that you’re making; it’s the records.   That’s what makes you unstoppable… that’s why he is bigger than people.  That’s sole reason why.  It’s just songs.  So let’s just debunk that right here bro.” 

Harding said Jamaican artists should refrain from using skin color as an excuse for their lack of success and instead, “figure out what records work in the international market and go make those records”, as Sean Paul and Shaggy have done. 

Sean Paul, Shaggy

“It’s just an excuse.  It’s something to hide behind.  Go make better records; that’s what you need to do… and stop trying to say that it’s because of your skin color you can’t get to work because that’s nonsense!”

“They (Sean Paula and Shaggy) have hits.  Shaggy had monster hit records.  What are you talking about?  Number one record smashed, tear up the world, sell freaking Diamond.  That’s why.  It’s not skin color.   It’s the size of a record.  Go make some monster records bro stop talking about skin color it’s a hindrance if anything else bro…,” he added.

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Dancehall star Busy Signal was presented with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for his “outstanding and invaluable service to the community.” The award was presented to him on Sunday, June 11, by New York’s Congresswoman, Yvette D. Clarke.

The presentation to Busy marks the commemoration of Guyana’s 57th Independence celebrations, organised by New York’s Guyana Independence Celebration Committee. The celebration will unfold with an independence parade, flag raising with award ceremony, and independence concert in Brooklyn New York.

“Whereas Reaono Gordon has distinguished himself in the musical field by infusing traditional Caribbean music with Afrobeats, Soca, EDM, and Hip Hop, have shown his vast versatility and has allowed him to collaborate with artists such as Major Lazer, No Doubt, Damion Marley among others”, states the official proclamation document by Brooklyn’s Congressman and leader of the House of Democrats, Hakeem Jeffries.

The proclamation by Jeffries continued, “apart from his passion for music, Reano has diligently worked to expand his philanthropic efforts. In 2014, he established his Busy 2020 Helping Hands Foundation which is dedicated to implementing sustainable programs to improve health, education, and the overall standard of living in Jamaica. I, Hakeem Jeffries, as a duly elected member of the House of Representatives, join in honouring a truly outstanding individual.”

Along with his congressional honorary award, the chairman of the Guyana Independence Celebration Committee of New York, Rickford Burke, also presented Busy with an award of distinction as “a Dancehall music legend.”

There to witness were Reggae artiste Kananga (Turf Bobo), producer Retlaw Tha Future, and Garth Facey.

In 2005, Busy Signal released his debut single, “Step Out” which garnered commercial success. Other hits include, Nah Go Jail Again, Smoke Some High Grade, Tic Toc, Unknown Number, Whine Pon The Edge, These Are The Days, and the internationally acclaimed hit song, Watch Out For This, with Major Lazer.

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Following the premiere of the Bad Like Brooklyn Dancehall documentary at the recently held Tribeca Film Festival, Dancehall megastar Shaggy took to Instagram to reflect on the film’s largely positive reception while celebrating the genre that made it all possible.

Shaggy wrote: “This genre is a genre that has been fruitful to so many, but not without hard work, sacrifice and breaking down barriers. This documentary is a small part of the story of what I today call Dancehall.”

The It Wasn’t Me singer, who also served as Executive Producer on the film, continued: “This documentary shows that in each territory there’s a story and there are players and contributors to its overall success, some of whom are unsung heroes.”

The post referenced Dancehall’s expansive and multi-faceted history and addressed Shaggy’s gratitude for the opportunity to premiere it at the well-reputed film festival.

“Though there’s no way to document the entire journey of the genre within 90 min… We at least highlighted the story of the Brooklyn version of the journey. Congratulations to the team. It was a pleasure to be a part of it. Special thanks also to Tribeca Film Festival for allowing us to use their platform,” he concluded.

The documentary, which explores the emergence of Dancehall music in New York City throughout the 80’s and 90’s through, among other things “never-before-seen archival footage”, featured commentary from Sean Paul and Ding Dong, as well as a host of other Dancehall historians. Importantly, it also featured one of, if not the most important figure for Dancehall music and Hip Hop throughout that era of sound systems and house parties – DJ Kool Herc.

The project has since been described as a riveting account of Dancehall’s storied history in New York City – often called Jamaica’s 15th parish.

Shaggy’s display of gratitude was met with similar sentiments from fans of his, some of whom appear to have seen the Ben DiGiacomo and Dutty Vannier-directed film.

One fan explained: “I was there… and I loved it. Great job to the directors and to you Shaggy, and all who contributed. Def Netflix-worthy.”

Another added: “Congratulations Shaggy!!”

There were also those who sought to find out whether there would be other viewings for the documentary, as well as those who expressed interest in seeing it.

Bad Like Brooklyn Dancehall marks the first time Shaggy has gone behind the cameras as an executive producer in film.

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Supreme Promotions’ Isaiah Laing has admitted that the drama that A’mari “DJ Mona-Lisa” and Queen Ladi Gangsta brought to Sting 2022 had a positive side as it caused the event to “trend” globally for two days in a row.

Laing made the revelation after initially downplaying the effect of the comedic display, while speaking with The Star during an interview. He was asked whether or not he thought “the clash with Queenie and A’mari gave Sting a bad name.”

“I think people overdo dat though enuh.  Because that was just a gimmicks clash. Tha wasn’t a real nutting,” Laing responded.

“But is just that a lot of the females keep calling down mi phone dat they want that clash: ‘do it, do it, do it’… and then it cost so much money to book people from so far.  It nuh meck sense really,” he reflected.

Laing then acceded that the two women’s actions were what propelled the name Sting on the lips of many across the world.

“Yes, it meck Sting trend.  So I am not going to beat it either.  That’s true. Sting trend for two days straight to number one.  Everybody in the world was asking what is Sting?  Suh, wi haffi give kudos to dem too.  People a cuss an a seh dis, but there is a good side to it.  It is true,” he stated. 

During the clash, A’mari had started an onstage brawl by hurling invectives at Queenie, ripping off her ‘wedding dress’ before proceeding to engage the Double Tapartist in a cat-and-mouse chase.  Queenie had, in turn, dragged the Nekoartist’s wig off her head and tossed it aside, the audience erupting in laughter as she continued to sing the hook of Double Tap over and over.

Responding to statements that Sting got both praises and a beating in the aftermath of ‘the clash’, Laing said, contrary to widely-held claims, he was not the one who instigated the battle, but that it resulted due to widespread clamoring, particularly from female Dancehall fans, that there be a showdown between the two ladies.

“Is you people who asked for that clash. It wasn’t me or anybody from Supreme you know.  Because I sent people to do interviews and the people are saying ‘not dat clash.  Wi talkin about A’mari and Queenie’,” Laing said.

“Dat wasn’t in my books any at all, because I knew something was planned from another company for something to happen on the stage… but it was set for dat to happen, cause you notice di artiste neva came out to work; di artiste came out to fight,” he added, referencing A’mari.

With respect to the stampede backstage. which erupted and which many people thought caused the premature end to the show, Laing asserted that it had nothing to do with any of the clashes onstage, but due to police orders for the show to end.

“The reason for that stampede was because the police said the show should stop and Heavy D had asked everybody to come on the stage to at least do a song.  Suh everybody was rushing to get on the stage one time, an di police was sayin too much people up there,” the former police inspector said. 

Hours after the event came to an end, leading scholar on Reggae/Dancehall and University of the West Indies Professor Donna P. Hope, had called on Supreme Promotions, to put a permanent closure to Sting, describing it as an “existential crisis”.

Professor Hope had laid the blame squarely at the feet of the Supreme Promotions for the litany of woes that plagued the event, among them a sub-par line-up, inexperienced emcees; below-par production, poor scheduling of artists, and substandard stage management.

“Poor lineup, poor production, poor running order organization, poor stage management, inexperienced hosts, unsettled artiste contracts, no-shows etc. This cannot be it. Sting is in an existential crisis. It is time to pack it in,” Professor Hope had declared on Instagram.

The Culture, Gender, and Society lecturer had said that the A’mari-Queenie showdown, which she described as “the Comedy Buss Debacle between social media favourites”, which ended up being the trending topic from the event, was a sign that Sting had completely lost its identity, meaning and purpose.

The UWI lecturer, who is also known as the Dancehall Professor in music circles, due to her extensive academic work and publications about Reggae and Dancehall, had pointed out that from the outset, Sting 2022 had seemed destined to be a mockery.

According to her, she had “declined all invites to attend the return of Sting 2022 after its last staging in 2015”.

“This is a show that I have been attending from the 1980s at the Stadium. The confusing lineup and behind-the-scenes vibrations for 2022 already told its own story,” Professor Hope had written.

In maintaining the view that Sting had “a few good points, but was woefully inadequate”, the Professor had insisted to some of her followers that Sting’s “time has obviously come” and that “institutions transform, transition and also die”.

“There are other Dancehall events that match this current era. Today’s artistes do not need Sting to buss or maintain relevance. Dancehall and its fans and supporters deserve to have the Brand showcased at its best. This isn’t it,” she stated, adding later: “This is OUR culture. We must speak truths. One-off artistes forming the fool can be ignored. But Sting is a Dancehall Institution of long-standing. They have a responsibility to uphold”.

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Minister Marion Hall has given a sneak peek into her upcoming Reggae Sumfest performance, and it’s giving Sunday service meets clean Dancehall. 

Hall, who last slayed the festival as Lady Saw in 2015, will return to Catherine Hall, St. James, on July 22 with at least 1,000 Bibles which her team will distribute before she graces the stage.

“You’ll have some people standing in T-shirts which say ‘kiss out mi Bible’ with the scripture ‘seek ye first the kingdom of God and all his righteousness and everything else shall be added’…,” Hall said during her Wednesday prayer and fasting service.

“You go’ see them have other scriptures: ‘there is no salvation in no other name’. So, anyone you see with those scriptures in white shirts coming through…we go send Bibles from the front to the back, so, just pass it to the back.”

She described this particular set opener as a sanctification of the venue. Hall, who established the Holy Ghost Pentecostal church in 2020, said she will then make a congregation out of patrons.

“I want you all who are coming to bring your phone and make sure you know how to turn the lights on because we’re gonna read,” she said. “I’m gonna open by reading a passage in the Bible… You in the venue and I on the stage, we will be reading from the Bibles, so, come get your Bible and if you don’t have one in your hand, if you don’t get one, just read along with whoever is standing beside you.”

The I’m Doing Betterartist was able to buy the Bibles thanks to donors, including CEO of the Bob Marley Group of Companies, Cedella Marley. She wants to get more Bibles for the show, and encouraged supporters to go to her Facebook page for ways to donate. 

The holy books aside, Hall also teased a song that she’ll be deejaying with her newly-formed band. 

Everybody just a anticipate, waan guh gwaan when mi drop inna the placeSatan and him army a debate, cause dem know seh hell it a go shakeDemons dem a run fi go hide, cause dem nuh waan mi and dem fi collideA tell lie bout seh mi backslide, but a Jesus plan dem waan override

She continued:

Prayer warriors unno better pray, cause tonight demon a get slayMi come fi tek back the whole a MobayAll unclean spirit dem haffi run away 

Montego Bay has gotten a bad rap for developing and growing scamming and “chopping” culture, and Hall is tailoring her set to appeal to the Kingpins of the town. 

“Choppa-choppa, mi a come; I have something for you,” she said. “Mr. Prime Minister, I got something for you… I have something for everybody.” 

Wrapping it up, Hall said, “Just come out and worship with us. You’ll get worship, you will get other things, yeah, not anything unclean, but you’ll definitely get other things and the devil done know mi coming through.”

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