Music, murder and mayhem

By Devon Dick

TWO SATURDAYS ago, in an interview between the dreadlocked reggae artiste Ricardo Gayle, better known as Khago, and Winford Williams on the programme 'Onstage' hosted on CVM TV, it emerged that Khago was at the studio with police as his bodyguard. Apparently, there is a feud between Khago and Sizzla in which Khago wrote a song about threesome, from which Sizzla claimed Khago was sexually freaky. And according to Khago, it was a financial bonanza to respond to Sizzla who has a wide fan base, and so and it would enhance his career, facilitating a move from a Honda car to a BMW X5 or X6.

Khago is known for hit songs such as Nah Sell Out, in which he claims he will not sell out his friend over liquor though he was aware that persons wanted him to get a gun shot. He pledged to bless them in Tun Up Di Ting, a song in which he boasts about his sexual prowess in spite of 'shotta a road'. This feud reminds us of the underbelly of music and its relationship with violence and murder. This is not a new phenomenon. It was described fictionally in the Jamaican classic movie, The Harder They Come, in which Ivanhoe Martin was a poor Jamaican man who went in search of a job and finally landed one as a reggae singer. Upon the verge of a hit record, he discovers the only way he can get a hit record is by signing away the recording rights. Eventually, he is offered an opportunity to deal illegally in marijuana. He turns to a life of crime and violence. The film stars reggae icon Jimmy Cliff, who plays Ivanhoe Martin, a character based on Rhygin, a real-life Jamaican criminal who achieved fame in the 1940s.

Now worse

It appears that things have got worse and reggae artistes are turning against each other. In the 1970s there was an attempt on the life of Bob Marley. Khago gave an insight into how the criminal network operates in the music industry. He claims that a well-known reggae artiste will have a large entourage. Each member will get a small sum of money and will be willing to do dirty work for the reggae star. He claims that he would never stoop to that level.

Music ought to be a means of inspiring us to greater heights. It should create a mood for fun and fellowship. It can soothe us when depressed. It can create an atmosphere for love. And music, reggae in particular, has placed Jamaica on the world map. However, it can cater to basic instincts of revenge, violence, murder and mayhem. It can brainwash persons who are poor and vulnerable. It means that young people have to be more discerning as to the songs they will buy and those to which they party.

It seems that some of our leading artistes, based on lyrics and lifestyle, will use our music to encourage murder and mayhem in this society. The Broadcasting Commission is doing all it can to monitor the electronic media, broadcast radio and television, as well as subscriber television in terms of the lyrics of songs that are being played. Media houses should spurn songs that glorify the gun and promote the use of violence.

This matter needs urgent attention. As a nation, celebrating our 50th anniversary of Independence, we ought to frown upon anything that will hinder our progress and derail our mission.

So we say no to music promoting murder and mayhem.

Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church in St Andrew.