Sharon Gordon (left) and Carlyle McKetty

WESTERN BUREAU:

As the effects of dancehall music take centre stage, reggae and brand Jamaica's vulnerability will capture the spotlight at a community forum in New York tagged 'Could dancehall be the ruination of reggae and by extension, brand Jamaica?'

Being pushed by the Coalition to Preserve Reggae music (CPR), in association with ZYNC TV, New York, the event takes place on Wednesday, March 4, at the historic Billie Holiday Theatre at Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

CPR's Sharon Gordon and Carlyle McKetty are convinced that dancehall is in a position to undercut reggae music and help to further damage the Jamaican brand. They say, "instead of a music portraying truths, rights, love and respect, we see a popular sound that is demeaning, hateful, destructive and downward vulgar".

Preposterous statement

However, this statement is already being rejected by one of the billed panellists, VP Records' Cristy Barber as the most preposterous statement she has ever heard.

Barber, who has worked with eight labels, including Tuff Gong, Capitol, Island and Colombia, says that even though she doesn't want to start the debate outside the forum, dancehall is a fabulous genre of music and reggae remains the most popular in the world.

"What these artistes are singing about is no different from what they are exposed to," she said.

Critiquing what is shown on the "explicit television news" in Jamaica, she said what is shown would never appear on television in the United States.

"Instead of not showing a whole burnt body at all, someone comes on apologising for what you are about to see. Imagine showing a child with several degrees of buns over his body," she recapped, referring to last week's traumatic story of an eight-year-old who was severely burnt by his father.

Devastating effect

Another panellist, journalist Anthony Turner told The Gleaner he was not convinced that dancehall could have such a devastating effect. He, however, admitted that a lot of what is happening with dancehall, can have some effect. "But we have to look at a broader concept and not blame it all on dancehall. We are narrowing our focus on a few artistes who are overshadowing a number of good acts. I think they have gone too far in some of the lyrics, but radio has a role in it, and they need to redirect their focus and start playing some of the cultural acts," stated Turner.

According to him, everything that Vybz Kartel says or does makes it into the media. "When I see some of the things on YouTube coming out of Jamaica, it's hard to imagine."

A visit to the website dancehallreggae.com proved true to form with men and women 'daggerin' openly at parties. Some of the videos shown on this website make their way on YouTube.

But CPR, which is working to raise the bar in the creation, development, promotion and presentation of reggae music, is extremely passionate about the need to stop the degradation.

"From our vantage point, they see the music as Jamaica's gift to the world. A popular music that has also told a descriptive story of what is happening in the country, transcending a message relevant throughout the world," said McKetty.

He said, with people associating Jamaica with crime and violence, domestic dispute, homophobia and anger, this could take away from the country's tourism.

"In as much as the music tells the story of Jamaica, the artistes challenge in expressing themselves responsibly, reflect the failure of the education system to adequately prepare them ... while the stories they tell reflect other failures of the Jamaican society, such as its economic system and institutions of socialisation," he said, adding that when Bob Marley and Peter Tosh sang, they didn't have to curse to send their message.

Marley and Tosh, and the artistes at the vanguard of reggae music, were more than descriptive of the Jamaican experience; they offered direction that has been embraced not only by Jamaicans, but by many across the world. Their music inspired, edified, elevated, soothed the spirit, expressed loved and devotion, "at times was even churchical ... and we cannot forget their songs of love, this is what distinguished reggae music from all other Jamaican popular music," McKetty offered.

Will create awareness

Accordingly, a forum of this nature will create awareness among reggae consumers and practitioners about the intrinsic value of the music and its impact on society locally and internationally.

Coming out of the forum, CPR hopes to present its findings, which will be available online at its website (www.tsoproductions.com). Copies will be sent to the prime minister's office, the minister of culture and the Jamaica Tourist Board.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com

Cristy Barber - Contributed photos