ROOTS singer Prophecy says more cultural shows are needed for conscious artistes to have any impact on Jamaican youth. He also believes corporate support is imperative.

“If we get a major company like LIME sponsoring a show each month, the people can hear the positive messages we are portraying,” said Prophecy.

On Saturday, Prophecy is one of several emerging acts on the Western Consciousness show at Paradise Park in Smithfield, Westmoreland. The 23rd staging of the event is dubbed ‘Impacting Reggae’s New Generation’.

Western Consciousness is among the handful of culturebased shows on the local calendar, but its promoter Worrell King recently claimed he has been unable to attract major sponsorship. Another longrunning roots show, Rebel Salute, has fared better. It has received financial support from large entities like Tru-Juice, a large producer of beverage in Jamaica.

In contrast, hardcore dancehall events and artistes have little trouble finding corporate backing.

Cellphone rivals LIME and Digicel are just two of the big companies that help fund these shows, or use dancehall performers, to promote their products.

Prophecy is calling for a level playing field which he believes would give artistes like him more exposure.

“Roots music is Jamaica’s original music an’ it still has its place. If we get the corporate people with us, we can have as much impact as the dancehall artistes,” he said.

Interestingly, Western Consciousness and Rebel Salute were launched during a renaissance of roots-reggae led by singer Garnet Silk, dub poet Yasus Afari and deejay Tony Rebel, the man behind Rebel Salute.

Their Rastafarian message inspired a flood of cultural events across the country reminiscent of the 1970s when roots-reggae was the rage.

Prophecy, who released his debut album Break Loose in late 2011, is one of the performers on Irie FM’s Inna Yuh Area Road Tour, which also features Beenie Man, I Octane and Tarrus Riley.