FOR over 20 years, show promoter Worrell King has used his Western Consciousness event as a platform for positive expression in reggae. He says next year’s show will be no different.

The 23rd staging of Western Consciousness is scheduled for April 14 at Paradise Park in Smithfield, Westmoreland. Its banner, ‘Impacting Reggae’s New Generation’, not only reflects the line-up but is a call for a return to civility in homegrown music.

“At a time when it seems reggae is going nowhere, there’s a new, vibrant set of artistes who are actually doing something positive,” King told the Observer.

“Most of them are at school learning the rudiments of the music and I have to help give them exposure,” he added.

King has not yet confirmed the acts for his show, but hopes to snare the signatures of some of these ‘positive’ artistes. They include singers Prophecy, Iba Mahr and Cali P.

St Thomas-born Prophecy recently launched his debut album, Break Loose.

Iba Mahr, another roots performer from Linstead, has created a stir with his unique delivery, while Cali P, who hails from Guadeloupe, has recorded dancehall and roots albums in Jamaica.

King believes the careers of many contemporary dancehall artistes faltered because they stopped focusing on producing quality music and concentrated on making tabloid headlines.

“I’m not totally blaming them because they were not being taught,” King said. “People were telling them they are the greatest and they were not growing properly.”

Dancehall’s elite have had multiple brushes with the law in the last five years. Bounty Killer, Vybz Kartel and Mavado have been the biggest offenders. They have been arrested for a variety of charges including assault, possession of illegal weapons and murder.

Kartel is currently in police custody on multiple homicide charges.

The dancehall was in a similar situation two decades ago when a cultural revolution led by Yasus Afari, Tony Rebel and Garnet Silk transformed the genre from slack and gun lyrics to an embrace of consciousness.

King has made positive themes the focus of Western Consciousness since it was first staged at the Llandilo Cultural Centre in 1988. Three years ago, the show moved to the larger Paradise Park.

While Western Consciousness has featured the top names in reggae and dancehall, King says it is important for fans to experience fresh faces at local events.

“People are complaining that they are seeing the same artistes over and over which means they (artistes) are over-exposed,” he pointed out. “So, it’s good to see new performers coming up.”