LOVER’S rock veteran Barrington Levy has hit out at against the rise of “pornographic material” in locally produced music.

Levy, whose career started in the late 1970s, believes the explicit content is hurting reggae’s image.

“I see where the music business is taking a turn for the worst. It’s going in a direction where we are losing it,” said Levy in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

Recently, some dancehall artistes — including Demarco, Konshens and Alkaline — have produced sexually-charged songs and videos.

“These people have no morals anymore. Are we going to do anything for money? Levy asked, adding: “I never came into the music business just to sell records. I thought I would just sing for the love of it.”

X-rated content has been part of Jamaican popular music since the 1960s. It gathered even more steam in the 1970s when Levy’s career was taking off.

Levy has one of the strongest catalogues in dancehall/reggae. His numerous hits include Under Mi Sensi, Black Roses, My Woman, Looking My Love, On The Telephone and Work.

He is currently recording an acoustic album containing some of his biggest hits as well as promoting a new single, Rosie.