The wide publicity on the Gully-Gaza feud is nothing short of overwhelming, and so TEENagers are constantly being bombarded with a the reminder of this ongoing scenario.

There are some TEENagers who follow every move made by the members Mavado on the Gully side and Vybz Kartel on the Gaza side, but it must be known that we are not all caught up in this phenomenon. And even though this goes to show how passionate of-a-set we are, not every Jamaican youth is taking sides in this Gully/Gaza issue, which has sought to divide our people. We have so much to more to offer than just that.

There have always been feuds in the musical arena, but these recent occurrences have been unprecedented. This is indeed one the worst feuds between two local artistes in the information age, and with it comes even greater woes.

Gone are the days when a person would have to go to an actual dance to hear hardcore dancehall music. Tapping into this genre is as easy as picking up a phone and turning on its Bluetooth.

This is probably a big reason that so many people have been lured into it, as it is so easily accessible. Even those who had no intention of choosing a side have become ensnared, unaware of the reason they are doing so. Another reason why this feud has probably gripped such a wide audience is perhaps that we are already a society inclined to violence, therefore it seems only natural that we would gravitate to violence being portrayed in the lyrics of some of these songs.

It is, however, very disturbing to observe the effects of this particular feud. The ages of people following this feud is quite alarming. To hear young children in primary and preparatory school singing about the violent acts which they will commit as they emulate these so-called role models is troublesome.

Today’s music obviously has more to offer than simply Gully or Gaza. The musical fraternity is not short of talented, intelligent and lyrically-poised young artistes who do make good role models for today’s youths. Performers like Etana, Konshens, Assassin, Sean Paul and Queen Ifrica topping the charts on a regular basis show that there is a wide range of messages and we do appreciate their music.

That said, it has become imperative to declare that we are more than The Gully-Gaza Generation. It is unfair to place an ‘absolute’ label on the entire youth culture solely based on what is happening in one cross-section. We are the future teachers, doctors, lawyers, artistes and heads of government of this great nation. We are indeed a generation of dynamic thinkers who will shape and mould the future of this country.

TEENage would like to reinforce that it is also very important for each individual to first find thimself. We all need to be aware of who we are and what we stand for and not allow ourselves to become so vulnerable to everything that is thrust upon us. Even though we listen to and enjoy their music, it is not what we are.