Did you know Jamaica Dancehall originated from the Jamaican Reggae and is defined in dance steps and music. Fabian Lewis writes on dancehall below…
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From the days of mento, ska and then reggae, Jamaica has been known to produce music that has earned it a reputation for creativity, beauty and flare. During the reggae period we produced greats like Bob Marley, Peter tosh among others. But as everything in life, the music evolved into another form we now know as dancehall, as all cultural institutions of which dancehall is apart. It has great influence over the society as a whole in both positive are negative ways.
EARLY BEGINNINGS
In the case of dancehall, there has been more negative than positive. In the early beginnings of dancehall, with foundation dancehall artistes such as Jose Wales, it was a means of expressing the feelings of the common man in a form that can be readily understood and appreciated by everyone. The dancehall artiste could make a difference in the lives of deprived and voiceless persons, especially those within the inner city areas of the country called the ghettos. These down trodden and deprived persons have been at the margins of society without anyone to voice their plight for a very long time.
Dancehall now has become the vehicle that was been used to draw attention to their situation.
Admittedly, earlier on, reggae had played a part in bringing such social issues to the fore, but this new form of music, dancehall, is taking over from reggae and is gaining a very wide audience at the present time. Separate and apart from its social advocacy, dancehall became an economic means to pull a lot of individuals out of poverty, thereby transforming a lot of lives in the processs. As people began to gravitate to the new form of entertainment that they could identify with, and enjoy, the influence of these deejays and economic might rose astronomically.
Undoubtedly, this new found influence benefited the artist very much as record deals, and overseas booking started to enrich them beyond their wildest dreams, thus ensuring their immediate dependents a better standard of living that led to a beneficial effect on the country with money now flowing into the local economy. This new venture ensured that businesses prosper and expand resulting in creation of employment opportunities for more Jamaicans.
Street dances became a popular avenue for the deejays to perform for their fans, and to make a living, but also to voice the ‘everyday plight’ of the people. Street dance sessions became a great way for the masses to enjoy themselves and thereby releasing a lot of stress. These sessions are electrifying! Promoters, artistes and their entourage, and the ever present sellers benefit too. Dancehall really is a great deal economically and socially for the common man who otherwise would not have had the chance to earn a living.
However, with an increase in the number of deejays coming into dancehall, the complexion and lyrics of the artistes change dramatically! The promotion of guns, drugs and sex became the central and abiding theme of the music. During the early years of dancehall, the Jamaican society was undergoing a fundamental change as politics became divisive and tribalised, pitching the two leading political parties, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the Peoples National Party (PNP) against each other, splitting the society in two.
CAPITALISM VS DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM
Ideological differences too, popped up – capitalism against democratic socialism. The most tragic of all was the arming of gangs to carry out killings on behalf of the parties. This new found culture of violence and mayhem was the order of the day and dancehall found itself in the middle of it, not as a force for change, but as a promoter.
The artistes started to promote the use of guns in a way that further contributed to the already off-hand murder rate, by glorifying it to be used as a means to settle disputes, make duppies, to show that one’s the big man, and to show that one’s in control. The followers took it upon themselves to carry out crimes with evangelical zeal, murdering and maiming as many as they could, and becoming a menace to society, rather than productive citizens. As the death toll increased so did the promotion from dancehall artistes who proclaimed it from every possible vantage point and platform they could find, like a Pentecostal minister proclaiming the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour of the world.
POSITIVE ATTITUDE?
Many would question the reason these artistes did not take a more dignified, non confrontational stance, a more positive attitude to what they put into their lyrics?
I offer two answers to that question – money and the prevailing circumstances that society has found itself in. As the unbridled disrespect for life who knew no boundaries, artistes claimed that they were catering to what they would say ‘the taste of their audience’. That given answer is lame somewhat, but truthful in some sense. To say, as an artiste, that one were only catering to his/her audience shows the scant regard they have for the country and the very audience themselves many of which, in my opinion, were murderers as a result of the lyrics.
Secondly the dancehall artistes contributed in no small measure to the taste for guns. The clashing on stage at events too didn’t help.
Hope you enjoyed this article. COMING: Drugs, sex and society
EDITOR’S NOTES:
Fabian Lewis is an intern columnist, and his views do not necessarily reflect those of this mediahouse and site.
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- ... am a serious-minded Christian in my mid twenties. I am a certified construction worker with a level 2 certificate from Heart Trust. I am an intern columnist expressing my thoughts, concerns, observations through my passion for writing. Link me here
