Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

TOK in performance. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Over the years, it has become the norm for political parties to adopt the songs of dancehall and reggae artistes as part of their campaigns gimmicks. However, some artistes say no permission has been granted and warn that this will no longer be tolerated if it is done for the wrong reasons.

T.O.K's Flexx says, "a two a wi song dem use, Solid As A Rock and Chi Chi Man. We don't give them permission, but when rally time come round dem jus use the hottest songs at the time to help in dem rally, 'cause when dem play it di crowd will respond in a positive way."

Solid As A Rock and Chi Chi Man were used by the PNP and JLP, respectively.

However, Flexx says, "wi want to make it clear to everybody that wi not affiliated to any of them (political parties) and as long as it don't affect us in that way where people think we are affiliated then it don't matter, because we do our music to bring people together, not to separate or cause segregation."

Flexx says so far T.O.K has not been affected, although "wi suppose to get royalties still. That's just a part of the Jamaican music industry that needs to be fixed".

Another member of the group, Craig T, says he is neutral, so being affiliated is the least of his concerns.

"I think permission was given for Solid As A Rock, but not for Chi Chi Man, but wi nuh really afraid of being aligned cause wi neutral and I think the people know that over the years. I would rather that they (political leaders) come to us for permission first, so it should be our decision for our song to be used. We just want to be sure that our songs are not being used to send out a message that we did not originally intend for," Craig T said.

Shaggy's Strength Of A Woman was also used in a political campaign when Portia Simpson-Miller ran for the PNP Presidency in 2006. However, a representative from Shaggy's Big Yard Record Label said "they did not get official permission from us because they didn't contact us before hand, but I think afterwards somebody approached us but we just kind of left it alone because at the end of the day it was still a form of promotion".

However, one artiste admitted to giving permission for his song to be used as part of a PNP political campaign back in the 70's.

Max Romeo's Let The Power Fall On I was used during the PNP's 1972 campaign.

"Well I did give permission for my song because at the time I liked Michael Manley and I was a follower of his politics at the time so it was easy for me to say yes and at the same time it was promotion for me," Max Romeo recalled.

Romeo says although his song was not written for that purpose, politicians tend to use the songs of dancehall and reggae artistes because of the power of music.

"What happen is that music is the greatest form of motivating people and I think they discovered that and music was what helped Michael Manley to win in that election," Romeo said.

Like other artistes, Romeo says "I'm not really affiliated. I don't take sides because I have to entertain both PNP and JLP". But he recalls being branded on more than one occasion.

"One time I was branded to be a Labourite too, but I just write songs about things that happen. I talk about things happening socially, like No Joshua No, released in 1974. That wasn't actually a political song per sey, it was just calling the government's attention to people's needs that weren't being met and they (the people) were on the brink of rebellion. When I sing songs sometimes I'm branded as PNP and other times Labourite, but the truth is I am none. I just sing songs to entertain everybody," Max Romeo said.

Well, if past trends are anything to go by, in terms of popular songs being used as part of political campaigns, Buju Banton's Driver A may very well be the target of politicians. However, despite rumours that both political parties are scrambling to use Buju's hit song as part of their campaigning, a member of his publicity team said they knew nothing about that.