Bounty Killa... '..Profanity is a part of one's expression...'

A group of popular deejays, led by Bounty Killer, is calling for a meeting with Prime Minister Pj Patterson and the police high command to discuss the implications of the recent legal measures implemented to clamp down on the use of profane language on-stage. The police have been recording the concert performances of deejays on video and taking legal action against those who indulge in lewd on-stage conduct.

Mutabaruka... '...Backward thinking to penalise for use of mere words'

But at a heated, expletive-punctuated press conference at the Hilton Kingston Hotel on Wednesday, the move by the authorities was heavily criticised and branded as censorship on artistic expression. Persons in academia as well as several key players in the music industry voiced strong opposition to the actions of the police and threatened further action if their demands are not met.

Dr Caroline Cooper... '...Six weeks of work unreasonable'

University of the West Indies (UWI) lecturer, Cecil Gutzmore, likened the recent assault on deejays to the days of the slave trade, when colonial masters sought to suppress the culture and practices of their human chattels.

Gutzmore... '...Town and Community Act allows for censorship by police'

"This kind of thing comes from slavery days when they tried to ban the drumming and the cultural practices like obeah. It is part of the same process, and elements of it still exist in places like Trinidad and Guyana," he argued.

Gutzmore pointed out that the Town and Community Act, under which a number of dancehall acts have been indicted for the use of expletives, has been in existence since colonial times.

"That is how we were treated under the colonial masters. (The Town and Community Act) is not relevant today and should not be revived now," he charged.

Popular deejay Bounty Killer, real name Rodney Pryce, who has been convicted for the use of expletives during his recent Champions in Action performance, threatened public protest in the streets. Killer is to face the Montego Bay RM Court next Thursday to answer to a second charge for his alleged calumnious behaviour at the Reggae Sumfest music festival last month.

The deejay promised a possible mass protest on the day. "We have been holding back the entertainers and their fans from protesting in the streets. No politician can pull people like entertainers (can) ... Ah different thing ah Montego Bay; Montego Bay ah go mash up. Government should not play with artistes. It is not a good idea," Killer said.

Wednesday's press conference was the initiative of Killer, who has been sentenced to serve 240 hours of community service in the Champions in Action case. He did not turn up at the Spanish Town Probation Office to finalise the arrangements to serve, he said, on the instruction of his attorney.

"I was on my way and my lawyer called me and told me not to show up," he disclosed.

Killer's attorney has reportedly appealed the conviction as well as the sentence, which is seen as excessive and not commensurate with the offence.

"Six weeks of work is unreasonable for the offence," said UWI lecturer, Dr Carolyn Cooper.

Bounty Killer concurred: "Fifteen minutes of my time is money. I got $600,000 for 45 minutes on Sumfest. When I use up 240 hours of my time, then what?"

Several entertainers at the press conference made allegations that the action of the police was being motivated by politics.

"The police is taking political sides," said deejay Wickerman.

"Artistes not into politics ... artistes not fighting politics," he declared, arguing that entertainers should at least be forewarned before action is taken.

Killer expressed similar sentiments. He said in countries where on-stage expletives are prohibited, there usually is a three-strikes rule whereby entertainers are usually warned on the first two occasions.

Popular dub poet, Mutabaruka, said it is backward for a country to legally penalise its citizens for the mere use of words.

"What kind of society can lock up people for words?" he questioned.

Gutzmore noted that the action of the police could be challenged, as expletives are unlawful only in public, and it is debatable as to whether a dancehall venue could be classified as a public place.

"A place where you have to pay your money to get in ... I doubt that it could be said to be a public place," he stated.

He also voiced the opinion that the action seems to be politically motivated.

"They are taking on the culture for political reasons. If we took dancehall more seriously, we would not allow a few stupid politicians and policemen (to suppress it). They cannot stop the crime and violence, but they can find time to stand on stage so that Bounty Killer and Lady Saw will not say b.... c..... and r.... c....," he said.

"The Town and Community Act was not drafted with the populace in mind. Ordinary working-class people are not supposed to freely enjoy themselves and have fun. It is censorship by the police," he contended.

Bounty Killer argued that there is a bias against dancehall because of its potential to elevate persons from the inner city.

"Dancehall music is the entity that makes ghetto people into superstars and role models. We should nurture it; we should not attack it."

He suggested that concerts be rated in a similar manner as movies, a move, he said, that would restrict dancehall to adults and those who choose to participate.

Noting that after over 10 years of performing in Jamaica he has been unaware that he could face legal penalties for his lyrical content, Killer cited inconsistencies between the treatment meted out to dancehall as against soca and carnival.

"People come out in their underwear in the streets for carnival. Women dance with women and men dance with men. Them even have kiddies carnival; we don't have kiddies dancehall," he said.

"I speak the language of the streets. Bounty will express himself the way the streets make me. Profanity is a part of one's expression. If a (fine) artist paints a nude picture it is not because he is slack; it is an (artistic) expression."

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