Michael Abrahams | A look at violence in our music

“Me fulla gun, heavy clip fulla crocodile teeth (teeth)

Everything get f**k when I reach, hm

.16 bun up bwoy skin

Head top buss up and split.”

Crocodile Teeth – Skillibeng

“Every guns up, every killa mask up

Travel pon dem endz ‘bout dozen claat up

Dozen man haffi dead a weh yuh feel mi lef’ some

No sah yuh mussi mad, mi killa dem nuh work suh.”

Gvnman Shift – Skeng

Recently, the Broadcasting Commission announced the banning of songs on the radio that are promoting illegal activities, including gun violence. I am not a fan of censorship. I believe creatives should be free to express themselves musically, lyrically, visually, and in any other way they choose. Freedom of expression is a principle I embrace. My argument has always been, ‘If you don’t like it, don’t listen to, read or watch it.’

I also believe most issues are not black or white, and the problem of violent song lyrics in my country is one such issue. Popular music is often a barometer of what is taking place in society. Dancehall is our most popular genre, and the lyrical content often reflects what the artistes see and experience. Violence is no exception, especially using illegal guns to kill people. We are an exceptionally violent society, and we have deteriorated in recent times. I cannot recall incidents of children being shot when I was a child. Today, if someone asks me if I heard about a child who was shot to death recently, my response would be, “Which one?”

CONFLICTED

Today I find myself conflicted. The creative part of me abhors censorship. The humanist in me observes a crisis affecting human life that needs to be addressed urgently, and in dealing with crises, measures taken to cauterise the matter may cause discomfort to some.

It would be unfair to blame dancehall music for the issues of violence we face in our society. Dancehall is a genre of music, and not all songs in that genre are violent. It would also be unfair to blame song lyrics for our moral decay. Our society did not become this way because of utterances from people chanting into microphones.

Conversely, it would be disingenuous to pretend that violent songs and their accompanying videos have no influence, especially on our youth. Music does influence our thoughts and behaviour. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in 2003 found that violent song lyrics increase negative emotions and thoughts that can lead to aggression. More recently, in 2010, a study published in the North American Journal of Medical Sciences found a correlation between ‘hard-core’ dancehall music and sexual and violent behaviour of adolescents.

I support the ban instituted by the Broadcasting Commission as a matter of principle, as these songs have the potential to influence vulnerable minds. I am also aware that it will not single-handedly solve the problem. After all, most youngsters nowadays do not listen to radio and will be exposed to the music, as they will hear it on public transportation and in their communities. They will also see the videos on YouTube and other social media sites anyway.

HUGE PROBLEM

Yes. We do have a problem. A huge problem. How do we fix it, though?

We must first realise that the violent songs are a symptom of a disease: chronic, unabated violence. Focusing on the music alone will not solve the problem. It is like treating other complex conditions.

For example, rheumatoid arthritis is a disorder characterized by joint pain and swelling, among other symptoms. Taking painkillers will help the manifestation of pain and provide some relief but will not affect the disease process, which is caused by an immune system that has gone haywire. So, in addition to painkillers, patients need medications and supplements that fight inflammation and modify the behaviour of the immune system, in addition to advice about diet and managing stress and other factors that can worsen the disease.

Similarly, we must look at the causes of the preponderance of violence in our society, which influences our music. Most proponents of dancehall music are young men from inner-city communities, areas plagued by poverty and violence, often neglected by political leaders who have used and manipulated their citizens for political gain. Ironically, some of the same politicians who publicly condemn violence and the dancehall genre will utilise the services of gunmen and blast dancehall songs during their political campaigns.

If our leaders are genuinely concerned about the violence in our music, they must re-evaluate their approach to inner-city communities and the socialisation of our youth in general. The issues of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and shortage of affordable housing must be addressed. The introduction of character education in our schools, which our Ministry of Education and Youth is working on, is also a fantastic idea.

But we cannot depend on the Government to solve all our problems. We must get involved, too. So, if the music disturbs us, we must ask ourselves, ‘How can I help improve the quality of life of people in these communities and positively influence our youth?’ There are many inner-city programmes that you can get involved in, especially ones involving mentorship. Contacting members of parliament, councillors, school principals and church leaders in these areas to see how you can help is a great way to start.

Our society needs to be fixed, and we have the power to do it.

Michael Abrahams is an obstetrician and gynaecologist, social commentator and human-rights advocate. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and michabe_1999@hotmail.com, or follow him on Twitter @mikeyabrahams.