For The British Blacklist April 2014
http://www.thebritishblacklist.com/shakara-speaks-vybz-kartel-dance-hall-culture-jamaican-society/
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On Thursday 3rd April 2014, the world would bare witness to the news that top Jamaican Dance Hall artist, Vybz Kartel was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. In truth, this was the culmination of a whole slew of legal issues that have befallen many of the genre’s leading exponents over the past few years. Most notable among them, Buju Banton is currently serving 10 years in Florida for conspiracy to distribute Class A drugs. Last year Busy Signal spent close to a year in Prison for similar offences. The Dan Gaargan Ninja Man is currently out on bail on a murder charge; the trial for which begins in November. Other artists such as Bounty Killer, Tommy Lee, Flippa Mafia and Elephant Man have been or are embroiled in run-ins with the law for various offences.
The last 3 years therefore have been arguably the most taxing in Dance Hall history, interestingly coinciding with the continued rise of Jamaican culture on the world stage as fuelled by the fame of Usain Bolt, The Voice USA winner Tessanne Chin and many others. Since 2012, “Brand Jamaica” has been a common term on the lips of journalists and commentators, with the expressed intention to sell all things Jamaican to the world, thereby heightening Jamaica’s standing on the world stage.
It is therefore a low blow for the self styled “World Boss” to have gone down for the ultimate of all crime in such a climate. Since Vybz’z conviction many have said that “Dance Hall is in jail”, an opinion which suggests that the progression of the music is in peril because its leading man is no longer “deh ah road”. While such an event must have considerable impact, proponents of this opinion fail to realise the extent of the insult they espouse.
Vybz Kartel has never been a loan soldier in the realms of Dance Hall. Artists such as Assassin (Agent Sasco), Lady Saw, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man and many others are veterans who kept the culture alive and kicking for many years. In truth, Kartel is yet to achieve what many, including the likes of Shabba Ranks have achieved in terms of world wide touring acclaim and so called “mainstream” notoriety. It is however virtually undoubtable that Kartel has been the hottest artist over the past few years. Ever since he came to the fore and world attention at Sting 2002, he has been an almost unstoppable force of hit making prowess.
Unlike many genres, Reggae at large does not have what some may be called a scientific method for gauging its own hits. The litmus test, and arguably the most viable method therefore, is the impact on the people itself, and by this standard Vybz Kartel is certainly top ranking. An example of this is the extent to which by all accounts his 2010 hit“Clarks” precipitated a world wide increase in demand for the 187 year old English brand. And when he is not making money for Clarks, Kartel is making money for himself, breaking ground as a Dance Hall Entrepreneur. As the CEO of Street Vybz Rum & Distillery, the Promoter of Street Vybz Thursday’s and a number of Clubs and Club Nights, Vybz has also released his own “Daggering Condoms” line and even became the first Dance Hall artist to front a reality TV show with “Teachers Pet”, his own take on Flava Flav’s questionable antics on MTV’s “Flava of Love”. So in short the“World Boss” significance can not be denied.
That said however, serious questions have to be asked about the substance of the impact that he was having. Dance Hall culture has long been rife with critiques concerning the morality with in it, and rightly so. Even still, ardent adherents will be aware of a certain moral compass that guided the actions of its key exponents. Whereas many would chant gun lyrics, few would actually partake in it. As much as Guns, Gyal and Partying are popular Dance Hall themes, the genre has also birthed some of the most passionate God songs and searing social commentary to be found anywhere. Artists such as Shabba and Ninja Man for example are well known for “slackness”, but in their late 80’s and early 90’s incarnations had a slew of lyrics chanting down apartheid South Africa, and vying for the release of Nelson Mandela. The veteran’s long standing lyrical war never became physical and Ninja Man in fact turned on a crowd who facilitated his “killing” Supercat, when they began bottling his rival during a clash.
Dance Hall has always been sexually explicit on certain levels, but the “Freaky Gyal” behavior that Kartel began to promote seemed to lie outside of the sensibilities of many Bashmentites, old skool and new skool alike. The Gully vs Gaza feud erupted into a situation where for the first time, lyrical war was said to be having ongoing real life consequences on the streets of Jamaica, based on loyalty to the World Boss, or the “Gully God” – Movado. In 2003, Kartel became the first artist in Dance Hall history to assault a fellow artist, (veteran Ninja Man no less) live on stage. A precedent that would lead many to believe that he did not respect his elder artists, later fuelled by increasingly strained relations between him and stalwarts Beenie Man and his “Daddy” Bounty Killer, despite their key roles in propelling and maintaining his career. Then in a culture that forever proclaims GOD, Kartel adopted the title “Daddy Devil” as the personification of wicked bad behaviour.
All the above came to a head when after months of denial, Kartel finally admitted to the world that he had indeed been bleaching – and proudly so. In a nation still battling the effects of colonialism and slavery in the form of light skin prejudice and preference, such high profile browning is indeed an affront to the Black pride and dignity that many, such as Marcus Mosiah Garvey have tried to instill in Jamaican people. When pressed on the issue, the self proclaimed“Colouring Book” stated in an “OnStage” interview with Winford Williams:
“Vybz Kartel has always been controversial, outrageous and spontaneous… Vybz Kartel is a true representer of Dance Hall music which is a reflection of Jamaican lifestyle. And in Jamaican culture you have a lot of people who bleach… So Vybz Kartel is for the people, of the people and by the people, so why not.”
He continued:
“With history a lot of thing change because a lot of appearance altering practices that were once deemed controversial or even taboo during a certain period, now its just style… It has nothing to with self hate, or a denial of the Garveyite message of Blackness – it’s just style.”
This delusional approach to the causes and effects of skin Bleaching within Jamaican society lead many artist from Bounty to Queen Ifrica, to come out and directly challenge Kartel’s principles and moral standing; and while they had their supporters, Kartel certainly had his – a fact which remains true even in light of the murder conviction.
Following the verdict, CVM news ran a piece on the protest outside the court. The piece featured a number of Kartel supporters evidently angered at the decision of the Jury. Two of the said protestors had this to say:
“The bible said if yuh right hand offend yuh, chop it off and Lizard offend we, so we affi chop him. Him never kill no lawyer, him don’t kill no judge, him no kill no topanarist [trans: Elite member of society] or police. Di man weh him kill is a man weh him ah run up an down wid everyday together. Dem cudda over look it and give him a chance.”
Is this pure ignorance? Blind Loyalty to the World Boss? Or could it be a reflection of the Jamaican justice system at large? My estimation is that it is all of the above. What is apparent here, is that these women though proud members of the “FREE KARTEL” posse, are among the many who actually believe that Kartel committed the Murder. The second comment shines a very uncomfortable light on the perception that Justice in Jamaica does not apply to the “upper classes”, a perception which exists for good reason. Extra Judicial Killings are increasingly becoming a fact of life in Jamaica. Last year, Police reportedly killed 258 civilians, many in questionable circumstances with little or no recourse for justice by way of charge, let alone conviction.
Successive governments have either supported such behavior on the part of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and/or created laws in order to facilitate it. It is well known that gun culture in Jamaica was deliberately fuelled by the 2 major political parties under the leadership of Edward Seaga and Michael Manley during the 1970’s. Simultaneously Michael Manley’s “Suppression of Crimes Act” (1974) virtually gave police unlimited power to shoot first ask question later law enforcement tactics.
More recently, a reported 78-300 people were shot and killed by the Police and the Army in Tivoli Gardens (2010), apparently in the search for one man – Christopher “Dudus” Coke”. The brevity of the estimated killings speaks to the absolute incompetence of the JA government in properly investigating a massacre that they, under the leadership of Bruce Golding, are undoubtedly responsible for facilitating. Golding’s actions were in response to the USA Government demand that Dudus be extradited, shedding some light on the extent to which the American government holds power over Jamaican politics. Their role in this matter as well the proliferation of drugs and guns in Jamaica is yet to be fully interrogated.
While police and politicians are routinely protected by JA Courts and Government, Dance Hall Culture has been cited as the continuing cause of violence in Jamaica and the primary force corrupting the minds of Jamaican youth. Comedians, Impressionists, Artists and popular Social commentators Twins of Twins have gone on record stating that Vybz Kartel is being used as a scapegoat in a war against dance Hall Culture. It is noted that while the many social maladies in Jamaican society go unchecked, Dance Hall culture and its artists increasingly become the target of Laws restricting sound systems and stage show performance; and now police and courts increasingly target the artist.
It is a shame that it takes the conviction of Kartel to bring all these issues to such blinding light. But seeing as this is the case, the opportunity for some serious soul searching can and must be taken. Dance Hall Culture must conduct a serious evaluation of the principles and values for which it stands and therefore projects to the wider society. Jamaican society as a whole must address the psychosis that can produce such blatant, corrupt and oppressive disparities of Justice and the causes that produce it from the government right on down.
It is wrong to place the responsibility of social cohesion squarely at the feet of artists and musicians. But it must be said that Reggae as a whole has always carried the voice of social change. It therefore stands to reason, that a vehicle can not continue to be a force for healing, if it continues to perpetuate so much of the ideals that make the society sick in the first place. A cleansing must take place, and now is the time to do it.
ShakaRa Speaks On It Vybz Kartel, Dance Hall Culture & Jamaican Society by @ShakaRaBKS for the british blacklist