Dancehall artistes Movado and Masicka have come out on the defensive against Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, who is once again lambasting dancehall music for its contribution to Jamaica’s crime rate.

In parliament on Tuesday, Holness chided dancehall artistes for being irresponsible with the lyrics in their songs.

“In our music and our culture, in as much as you are free to reflect what is happening in the society, you also have a duty to place it in context,” he said to many cheers from other parliamentarians. “Dat yuh tek up the AK-47 and tun it inna a man head … That is not right. And though you have the protection of the constitution to sing about it, you also have a duty to the children who are listening to you.”

He added; “As I speak, tomorrow I’m expecting the headlines, ‘leave this one alone, talk bout something else’.”

And Mavado, whose songs are often laced with violent lyrics was quick on the response. Sharing an article with a headline that Holness was “expecting”, he blasted the Prime Minister for using dancehall music as a scapegoat.

“Why is this man blaming crime on music every prime minister that the ppl vote in when dem get them Bl**dcl*tt seat to work Dem fail and come point fingers,” he said in the lengthy post on Instagram.

Related story: Mavado’s son sentenced to life imprisonment

He insists that Holness is using dancehall music as a deflection from the government who he says is not doing its job.

“What about all the grants dat you and your parliamentarians get to take care of crime billions.. that has nothing to do with entertainment no one voted for us to lead that’s your job! what u need to do is clean up your corrupted Goverment and stop intimidate the people! Tyad a you.”

‘Bro Gad’

Meanwhile, Masicka found the situation quite amusing. In a since-deleted post, the Drug Lawd artiste mocked Holness for taking on the moniker ‘Bro Gad’.

The name was made popular by dancehall artiste Daddy 1, who released a song by the same name.

In the song he sings; “My bro gad dem nah go sell out/ weh know bout war, bottle bum, tump out.”

“Bro gad. Jamaica mi sorry fi uno. Once gun man song stop the crime stop fi true. Educate uno self ghetto utes, mek some money. Protect uno self and family. Educate dem too. Illiteracy a the reason wi just follow everything. Never vote, never will,” Masicka wrote.