I have dedicated a number of articles to the issue of definitions in our music. Based on reactions to the recent publication of the ‘Observer Top 10 Dancehall Lists’ (to which I was a contributor), I feel compelled to clarify what I consider prevalent misunderstandings among some aficionados of Jamaican music.

First of all, if we are going to make comparisons we must have a common point of reference. The cliched admonition that we should not compare apples to oranges is most valid when we seek to weigh the relative merits of ideas or entities.

In other words, our first task when we engage in comparisons is to define or know what we are talking about. It has become clear to me that a number of persons (some of whom pride themselves as authorities on Jamaican music) are unable to make the distinction between ‘deejaying’ and dancehall. This has resulted in a bit of unnecessary name-calling (since the publication of the lists) as there are those who believe that Big Youth and U Roy should be among the top 10 deejays in dancehall.

The fact is that Big Youth and U Roy would have to be included in any list of the top 10 ‘greatest deejays of all time’. This is almost irrefutable. The question, though, is whether they should be included on a list of ‘the greatest dancehall deejays’ of all time? My answer is no.

Neither U Roy nor Big Youth are dancehall deejays. When one makes the case that Yellow Man should be included on any list of the greatest dancehall deejays such a position cannot rationally be countered. Yellowman definitely qualifies.

The fact that there is such a creature as a dancehall deejay suggests that dancehall and deejaying are separate concepts though the two often overlap. Many dancehall stars are deejays but not all deejay music can be classified as dancehall.

I should also add that not all dancehall music represents deejaying. Singers like Sugar Minott, Frankie Paul and Barrington Levy would be classified as dancehall singers because of their vocal styling. Sugar Minott’s Gi Dem Inna Dancehall Style, Frankie Paul’s Aleesha and Barrington Levy’s Murderer are some of the finest examples of dancehall singing.This is different from the more melodic works of Ken Boothe, Alton Ellis, Delroy Wilson or Freddie McGregor which would never be classified as dancehall.

Deejaying as epitomised by U Roy, Big Youth, King Stitt and Count Machukie predates the sonic and stylistic phenomenon we call dancehall.

In a previous article, I sought to define dancehall as a bass privileged styling which is characterised by a syncopated form of vocalisation, very closely tied to the rhythm of the composition. Dancehall by its very essence is ‘riddim driven’ as the VP Records compilation suggests.

Producers

Another definitional issue which emerged from the discussions is who exactly is a producer? It is clear to me that there is quite a bit of confusion surrounding this matter. I believe that a producer should be simply defined as an individual or entity which has the original rights to license a recording.

There are those who would want to make a distinction between ‘Coxson’ Dodd, who most reasonable persons would classify as the greatest producer of Jamaican music and a Stephen McGregor or Dave Kelly. Some would want to describe ‘Coxson’ as an executive producer while classifying Kelly and McGregor as producers. What really has led to the confusion is that both Kelly and McGregor would have played various roles (arranger, composer, instrumentalist, songwriter and engineer) in production of the master tapes which have all been incorrectly classified as those of a producer.

Kelly and McGregor are producers because they own the ‘masters’, so too is Coxson. Great Jamaican musicians such as Jackie Mittoo, Jackie Jackson , Ernie Ranglin, Leroy Sibbles, Sly Dunbar and Allah Lloyd have all technically ‘produced’ songs for other persons who have the rights to the works.

I would humbly suggest that only for the works on which these gentlemen had the original claim to the master rights can they be technically called producer. Contractually, a producer receives a share of the artiste’s royalties from each recording. If you are not entitled to a share of the artiste’s royalty in a recording, legally you are not a producer. You may be an arranger in which case you might get some of the publishing if you are deemed to have played an important role in the creation of

the song.

It is important to note, though, that there is a difference between a recording and a song. The former is ‘owned’ by the producer while the latter belongs to a songwriter or publisher. If we follow the money we will see the distinctive roles of the various individuals and entities.

So what of the

executive producer?

This is a role played by record companies and label executives. Record companies and labels engage in the business of distribution and financing. Those entities which engage in distribution but not financing cannot strictly be classified as record companies or labels.

The executive producer is really a representative of a record label or company. In instances where the producer also owns or represents a record label, he can be also an executive producer.

Let me cite an example for clarity. Patrick Roberts and I are listed as executive producers of the Grammy Award-winning album Art and Life by Beenie Man. We represented the record labels Virgin Records and Shocking Vibes, which were doing the financing and distribution

of the album. On it are

tracks produced by Patrick Roberts/Shocking Vibes and there are other recordings created by a host of different producers.

Roberts is both a producer and an executive producer on this album.

Shocking Vibes, incidentally, is one of the leading Jamaican record labels and management companies. Patrick Roberts/Shocking Vibes would also be considered among the leading producers of all time.

If we look at most credits on the VP Records label, one will see Chris Chin as executive producer. He represents the label and is different from the producers who have licensed their songs to him. There are many producers who also operate labels: Penthouse, Anchor, Shocking Vibes, Spec Shang, Big Yard, Jammy’s, Mad House, Klicious and Downsound are all labels whose principals will sometimes assume the role

of producer.

What is confusing is that in Jamaica we do not have a proper division of labour so the functions are blurred. In the Jamaican scenario the same person is often the engineer, composer, artiste, producer, arranger, artiste manager, publisher and record company/executive producer.

Who would not be confused in such a scenario? Yet, just in case we might want to dismiss the foregoing as an academic exercise, I believe that it is important to cite the case of Apple Corp (The Beatles) vs Apple Computer. This case saw the company headed by Steve Jobs being sued by the Fab Four. Lawyers for the Beatles claimed that Jobs’ company breached an agreement which allowed the computer giant to use the the bitten apple as a logo provided it did not become a record label.

The Beatles claimed that with the ownership of ITunes, Apple Computer had become a record company/label. Jobs and his team contended that ITunes was not a record company/ label or music producer but an online record store and therefore was not in breach of the agreement it had with the Beatles.

Jobs and his team prevailed in this case and a lot of lawyers got richer as a result of the suit.