Carolyn Cooper | Vybz Kartel fi national hero

CHAKA-CHAKA SPELLING

Inna mi column last week, mi seh wi shoulda follow back a Barbados an mek Louise Bennett an Bob Marley national hero same like Rihanna. Look wa ‘Marcus Garvey II’ post pon Gleaner website: “I am almost sure that Dr Cooper would not object to Kartel being named a hero.” Pon purpose, mi never draw fi dancehall inna di column. Mi done know seh dem woulda seh mi a promote dancehall national hero. Mi seh ‘popular culture.’ Dat a music, dance, style an fashion, flim, theatre, all kind a ting.

Mi did seh dat di one an few people dem weh a pick hero fi wi “have no vision of the kind of modern hero that is needed to inspire young people.” Nuff yute born long-long time after Bob Marley dead inna 1981; an Louise Bennett inna 2006. But mi did also seh, “Of course, we have to teach the youth to appreciate the culture of the past.” Mi never tink seh mi woulda afi a bawl out an write it down seh dat mi woulda ‘object’ if dem try fi mek Vybz Kartel national hero.

Mi woulda gwaan bad, same like how nuff a wi did ha fi rail up wen di mad smaddy dem did gi national honour to Al Miller. Dishonourable, irreverent convicted criminal! Still for all, if Kartel never turn criminal, mi tink se im coulda get national honour. Same like Shabba Ranks, Lt Stitchie, Sean Paul, David Rodigan an nuff more entertainer! Kartel write whole heap a gun lyrics. But im write nuff conscious lyrics too.

‘REGGAE POETRY’

A di student dem inna mi ‘Reggae Poetry’ class a University of the West Indies (UWI) mek mi start listen Kartel lyrics. Wi did study Burning Spear, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Steel Pulse, Buju Banton an Tanya Stephens. Every year di student dem complain bout wa mek mi nuh put Kartel inna di course. Im good. Mi tell dem seh everybody cyaan deh inna di one course. Fi satisfy dem, mi did invite Kartel fi gi lecture a UWI inna 2011. All now, certain people still a cuss mi.

Mi wonder how Adidja ‘Vybz Kartel’ Palmer life would a did turn out if Calabar did have one recording studio fi dem music class; an di teacher dem did tek dancehall serious. A nuh Calabar one. All a di high school dem ha fi consider di subject dem a teach fi see how dem can reach di student dem. Adidja shoulda never ha fi skull school fi go a studio. A dat mek im get expel. An, perhaps, im wouldn’t deh a prison. Adidja Palmer mighta did have one next work, pon top a dancehall DJ, weh coulda did tek Vybz Kartel outa badness.

PRAPA-PRAPA SPELIN

Ina mi kalam laas wiik, mi se wi shuda fala baka Barbados an mek Louise Bennett an Bob Marley nashinal iiro siem laik Rihanna. Luk wa ‘Marcus Garvey II’ puos pan Gleaner websait: “I am almost sure that Dr Cooper would not object to Kartel being named a hero.” Pan porpos, mi neva jraa fi daansaal ina di kalam. Mi don nuo se dem wuda se mi a promuot daansaal nashinal iiro. Mi se ‘popular culture.’ Dat a myuuzik, daans, stail an fashan, flim, tieta, aal kain a ting.

Mi did se dat di wan an fyuu piipl dem we a pik iiro fi wi “have no vision of the kind of modern hero that is needed to inspire young people.” Nof yuut baan lang-lang taim aafta Bob Marley ded ina 1981; an Louise Bennett ina 2006. Bot mi did aalso se, “Of course, we have to teach the youth to appreciate the culture of the past.” Mi neva tingk se mi wuda afi a baal out an rait it dong se dat mi wuda ‘object’ if dem chrai fi mek Vybz Kartel nashinal iiro.

Mi wuda gwaan bad, siem laik ou nof a wi did afi riel op wen di mad smadi dem did gi nashinal ana tu Al Miller. Disanarebl, irevrent kanviktid kriminal! Stil far aal, if Kartel neva ton kriminal, mi tink se im kuda get nashinal ana. Siem laik Shabba Ranks, Lt Stitchie, Sean Paul, David Rodigan an nof muor entatiena! Kartel rait uol iip a gon liriks. Bot im rait nof kanshos liriks tu.

‘REGGAE POETRY’

A di styuudent dem ina mi ‘Reggae Poetry’ klaas a University of the West Indies (UWI) mek mi staat lisn Kartel liriks. Wi did stodi Burning Spear, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Steel Pulse, Buju Banton an Tanya Stephens. Evri ier di styuudent dem komplien bout wa mek mi no put Kartel ina di kuors . Im gud. Mi tel dem se evribadi kyaahn de ina di wan kuors. Fi satisfai dem, mi did invait Kartel fi gi lekcha a UWI ina 2011. Aal nou, sortn piipl stil a kos mi.

Mi wanda ou Adidja ‘Vybz Kartel’ Palmer laif wuda did ton out if Calabar did av wan rikaadn styuudiyo fi dem myuuzik klaas; an di tiicha dem did tek daansaal siiriyos. A no Calabar wan. Aal a di ai skuul dem afi kansida di sobjek dem a tiich fi si ou dem kyan riich di styuudent dem. Adidja shuda neva a fi skol skuul fi go a styuudiyo. A dat mek im get ekspel. An, paraps, im wudn de a prizn. Adidja Palmer maita did av wan neks work, pan tap a daansaal DJ, we kuda did tek Vybz Kartel outa badnis.

For an English translation, visit carolynjoycooper.wordpress.com

- Carolyn Cooper, PhD, is a teacher of English language and literature and a specialist on culture and development. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and karokupa@gmail.com.