Visa woes taint music industry

BY STEVEN JACKSON Observer writer

Friday, April 09, 2010

FELLOW entertainers may not benefit from the group of five whose visas were recently revoked, as the entire industry has been tainted, said booking agencies.

Top artistes with US visas now include Capleton, Tarrus Riley, Elephant Man, Assassin, Chino, Voicemail, and Sean Paul, however, US promoters may avoid these and other local deejays altogether due to the risk of subsequent revocations.

"Who is to say that they book an artiste today and two days before the concert they lose their visa. So, they may look at performers from other Caribbean countries or rap artistes," said Carlette DeLeon, administrative director at Headline Entertainment, the island's largest booking agency.

"I do not look at it as who will benefit, because the industry will suffer... the entire industry will lose out. Even if other artistes have visas, we have no guarantee," she adding that the five entertainers should jointly contest the revocation at the US embassy.

There is concern that the visa revocation may spread beyond the US into other key markets which would affect managers including Shane Brown, whose artiste Busy Signal has already lost access to the US in previous years.

"It affects everybody, it's like when an artiste shoots *****boy it affects all the industry," he said of the blacklisting of dancehall music as anti-gay and its negative effect on securing bookings.

"People are not sure what caused it, whether it was X or Y, but if it was tax -elated then it will affect other territories like the UK and Canada because Canada is even more strict than the US in that respect."

Brown, who also owns Jukeboxx booking agency, guided Busy Signal to create music which appeals to the markets of Europe, Japan and Africa in order to compensate for the loss of the US market.

"And it has paid off for him. You have to make music more appealing that goes to the wider cross-section beyond the ethnic market of the US," he said, adding that strong singing melodies and reggae rhythms will increase international appeal.

Up to print, Splash was unable to contact Solid Agency, which is the booking agency for three of the five artistes whose visas were revoked.

Last week top dancehall deejays Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Mavado, Aidonia, along with veteran selector, Ricky Trooper, had their visas revoked by the US Embassy. Airlines were advised not to board the artistes as their visas were in the process of being revoked. The artistes themselves claim they had no knowledge that such a move was afoot and the US embassy offered no comment following the incident.

Other artistes -- including Sizzla -- have had their visas previously revoked, whilst Buju Banton is currently imprisoned awaiting trial in the US.

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COMMENTS (21)

4/9/2010

I have read on the internet is long time they been watching dance artist because they lick out against gay ..The visa cancellation has something to do with it also the incarcaration of Buju ..I live in NYC I told some one who is jamaican that Buju been locked up is a big blow for jamaican he told me he was american citzens and he didn't care..
If u weren't born in the USA no one is safe any more , America can do what ever they want....
I am from Jamaica living in NYC I am very hurt by it regardless...I think Movado and Beenie man should get their visas back ..They should not give up..I don't think everyone deserve to get it back..
Ricky trooper hell no , I watch that garbage u put on u tube u deserve what u get...
They can't stop reggae music...
I don't know with this thing with BUJU he should have never gotten mix up in this mess..I hope he is found not guilty..
We need a voice so some of these artistes can get their visas back...
I grew up with reggae

Empress Lockness
4/9/2010

What does Dancehall have to do with Visa's. I would need further explanation as to exactly why these artist's visas have been revoked. It doesn't make any sense.

james wood
4/9/2010

To iraq combat vet: america need us more, they are the ones always sending for our teachers, nurses,farm workers ect. because their people just not up to the task. America depends on immigrant to bulid their country. U dont realise the more gay activist protest against our singers, is the more overseas promoters call them. Since America dont have a culture fo themselves, they depend on other peoples culture to entertain them. Jamaica's culture and music is trending right now and i am not surprise that they are fighting it .Right now i am overseas working because they love Jamaican workers and jamaican people here.JAMAICAN PEOPLE BELIEVE IN A UNU SELF AND DONT LISTEN THE BAD MIND IMPERIALIST DEM. WE ARE THE MOST TALENTED IN THE WORLD.

gregory cross
4/9/2010

The way i see it, dancehall music has become a garage sale, everything must go. Guess what? US does no want it and i do not blame them one bit. Make quality music and you don't have to worry.
LOVE JA !!!!!

Rose Patterson
4/9/2010

I am 40 so I grew on on dancehall, such as Yellowman,Biggi, Chaplin etc., some I must admit, were risky, if you will, but it was not out to cause wars. I enjoyed dancehall, Shabba Ninga, Tiger. But now...it's totally slack and Jamaica most recently took a stand to have Movado and Kartel make peace, but that may have been too late. The rippling affect is being heard all over. I personally don't this this has to do with Dudus Coke. this is what one country is staying to the other..."If you can't handle it, then we don't want it". One love

Brooklyn Jamaican
4/9/2010

Its more than lyrics. It has to do with guys who come on Youtube with guns while visiting Atlanta, and guys who beat every woman they come into contact with.
Lyrics we can deal with although they are crude and brutish, but gun thing and violence and in and outta court, we nuh want dem man deh inna we country.

iraq combat vet
4/9/2010

AMERICA IS SENDING A MESSAGE, JAMAICA, JAMAICANS YOU NEED THE USA, THE USA DONT NEED YOU, WAKE

Jenny Gordon
4/9/2010

No wrong ever goes unpunished. Now's the time for present and future artistes to clean up their act. Similar lyrics might exist in the US but they are perhaps exercising their right not to "import" crass behaviour. Artistes, stay home and do some good here. People are living in boats, on the streets, suffering, etc., use your time, energy and creativity to try to help your countrymen.
I'm certain you have some idea why your visas have been revoked...look within.

Brooklyn Jamaican
4/9/2010

Mr Observer what was wrong with my post sir?

Paul Lewis
4/9/2010

@ Jah Selassi, you are 100% correct.

John John
4/9/2010

All current so-called artist need to sit their behind down and listen to the likes of JOSEPH HILL - culture.
Long long long time ago he sang songs like, "stop the fussing and fighting brothers, stop the fussing and fighting sisters, its a shame to see the people fighting on the street, children can't go to school.....
Instead of bruce inviting movado and kartel and bigging them up by doing so, he should embrace Jamaica's dearly departed heroes like JOSEPH HILL and Bob Marley.
Since everybody knows about Bob Marley, I will shout out over due praise for JOSEPH HILL.
These men are modern day prophets.
These younger generation so called artist can learn from listening to Joseph Hill.
Google his name, Joseph Hill, and see the response he gets worldwide - especially in Africa.
Some street or building in Jamaica should be named for JOSEPH HILL.
Jamaica is better because of JOSEPH HILL

mike willy
4/9/2010

These guys now has the chance of staying home and re-organise and re-structure themself and try and bounce back with music that can be played 40 years from now.
That is no gun lyrics, no ganja lyrics, no gay lyrics and no under woman lyrics.

Denny Martin
4/9/2010

How ironic that it takes the U.S. to finally do what Jamaica could not - clean up dancehall music. Reggae has been hijacked by these thugs pretending to be artists. America has never had any problems with the Jimmy Cliffs and Burning Spears of reggae. I say cancel and revoke the visas of all these thungs until they clean up their act. Jamaica will benefit greatly when the young people are no longer saturated with this crap.

Jah Selassi
4/9/2010

Dancehall music is not reggae. Period! This hate filled genre is a total waste of time and the CD it's dubbed on.
I have watched this vuglar violent crap pushed the beautifull melody of reggae music out the way of Jamaica's music. The worlds academia in the past would try to figure out, how a small country with a minute population could produce such cultural lyrics like reggae. Now the entire world feel nothing but disgust and pity for our people and culture.
We have no one to blame but ourselves. Not even our olympians can hide the naked truth about our savage ways.
They hail Usain Bolt, but in the next breath they say Jamaica is a poverty stricken, violent country with successive corrupted governments.
We might not want to face this, but until we do...nothing gets change.

John John
4/9/2010

I am not surprised.
As a proud Jamaican I have always wondered what has become of my country.
Fellow Jamaicans greeting Jamaicans with, "what's up rude boy" and this is suppose to be a mark of respect?
Unfortunately for Jamaica. whatever we put our mind to we do quite well. This reaps great benefits in the education, sports, music & food arenas. etc..etc....
The flipside is when we decide to do bad, we are pretty good at that too. Creating the posses, murders, mayhem in NYC.....etc... From back in the early 80's, it was well known that when Jamaican gangs were feuding in NYC, the police parked blocks away and waited for the shooting to subside.
Jamaican badmen were use to fighting soldiers back home with machine guns because the soldiers had machine guns..
When they came to America they did not switch back to the .38 special. They embraced the UZI and other machine guns.
They quickly gained a reputation for being ruthless and not even the baddest of Americans criminals could test.
The artists are an extention of this madness.
Thank God that our Jamaican royalty, the Marleys, were smart enough to walk far from the nonsense.
But what did our great leader bruce do? Invite for a peace meeting.
Time for change now.
Change from the top down.

KDN Mazerati
4/9/2010

I fail to see where the kind of or content of the music has anything to do with visa. Music is a personal expression, which appeals to those who can relate. Therefore, whether artists sings about guns, girls or anything else it should not be considered as detrimental to the mainating of their visas. Many commenters on here that are bashing the music must realIze the music has found a new audience ( may be a younger one) that may not include you...so you are unable to apprevite it. It is likely that if a survey is done, you will find that the content of music has not changed, except the new terminologies/slangs. The U.S. is not at liberty to choose the content or type of music ppl listen to (there are few exceptions). It's called free speech, so the artist should continiue to express themselves freely.

james wood
4/9/2010

Jay Brown, i agree that some of the dancehall songs are crap.But America is not cancelling visas to clean up jamaica's music when they have artist who singing the same crap or worst.On the other hand there are Jamaican artist who do clean cultural music but dont get the amount of publicity like the crap artists because of the payola system.Everyday i read the papers about the negative things that Bounty Killa and Kartel are doing, but never see anything printed about Junior Kelly and Warrior King who are still in making albums and currently touring and spreading the good vibes of reggae music.

4/9/2010

A lot of things are happening to these Dancehall Artiss because they are not united,everyone is for themselves its who driving what and who has the most money to throw away,these artist treat this music bussiness like a "hustle" instead of a profession,Rap musi in the U.S used to go through alot of struggle back in the days and it wasn't until they came together that they became a force to be reckon,these rappers can make or brake any product on the market,so i say to these Dancehall Artists put aside your differences and hold some confrence and froums,make better music,Lt.Stichie,Papa San,Tiger,Admiral Bailey,Yellowman are all Dance hall Atrist and never got caught up in these things because they treated the music like a proffesion,they make good music and kept their image clean

Paul Lewis
4/9/2010

Why are they worried about losing their visas, if they believe their contribution to the world of entertainment is so critical, then they need not worry. The most successful artistes produced by Jamaica never had to preach hate or violence, thus ensuring that their legacy would not only be lasting but financially beneficial to their children. The lesser so called " talent " have only the equivalence of a fast-food meal, it fills you up temporarily but has no nutritional value and does irreparable damage to your body. So have these idiots done to our society, so the worry by these promoters should be discounted, since feed this garbage to the public is tantamount to giving crack to an addict.

Jay Brown
4/9/2010

Time to clean up the carp currently being touted as dancehall music.
Jamaica is really a country where rule of the law is not recognized and hence these guys and gals produces all kind of crap and pass off as music while depraved minds hail it as " wicked chune".
We have a rotten society which seems beyond redemption .

james wood
4/9/2010

Dont worry about it too much, we are very creative people we will overcome it. Reggae is jah music dem caan stop it.The cancellation of a few visa is not enough to stop our great music, this is not the first time artists have their visas cancelled we will bounce back.

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Visa woes taint music industry