US-BASED, Jamaican-born singjay Shalkal cites inappreciativeness as the source for domestic violence and inter-personal conflicts in society. To this end, he has penned the humorous ditty Ungrateful Maga Dog .

“Ungrateful Maga Dog is about the scenario of people helping people in need, only for them to become ungrateful. That is a source of constant violence in our society. My song is a humorous commentary but it is a serious thing in our society where once help is granted, and there is a double-cross of some sort, and that is the source of conflict in many domestic relationships,” he said.

“Ungratefulness is like a disease in Jamaica. Check it, it happens in the music business between artistes and other artistes, and other artistes and their managers. A lot of people come from poverty, ask for help, and often, that help is granted, especially in male-female relationships, and when things sour, it ends in tragedy. Check the newspaper headlines. People are just grateful once they become independent, then they show their true colours, and that leads to violence which is a large part of our culture, it happens over and over again,” he added.

The song will be released today on Spotify, and other downloadable platforms. It is self-produced on the Shalkal Music Productions imprint.

There have been a number of high-profile cases of domestic violence in Jamaica, including a murder/suicide involving a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) corporal and his common-law wife. The soldier, Doran McKenzie, is believed to have chopped his 34-year-old common-law wife, Suianne Easy, to death, then turned a gun on himself.

Jamaica has the second-highest rate of femicides in the world, according to United Nations data from last year. The Jamaica Constabulary Force reports an average murder rate for women as 13 per 100,000 females — higher than the 10 murders per 100,000 threshold, according to the World Health Organization.

Shalkal’s given name is Shalkal Carty. He grew up in Runaway Bay, St Ann, and attended York Castle High. He migrated to the States in 2008.

He is known for songs including Envious So, Come Money Come, Fi You Money, and Money Dance.