US-based record producer Michael “Skuffla” Johnson is pleading with his colleagues to give young artistes another option other than gun lyrics to get their break on the music scene.

“For the sake of our country please, don’t put in the heads of any artiste to find a good gun lyrics and come back so I can record you. We producers are like the teachers in the classroom. So we got [to] be careful. Better to tell them [artiste] to go home and work on a positive lyrics. Point out their weaknesses as a producer and help them. Music must be clean. No derogatory lyrics; let consciousness reign as this is good for society,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“This country is grappling with enough violence already and words are very powerful. Despite what the so-called experts say, gun lyrics impact the way people think and act. Artistes must try not to place themselves in the position where the probability is high for them to caught up with the law,” he continued.

In April 2021, Prime Minister Andrew Holness urged dancehall artistes to desist from glorifying violence.

According to the prime minister, “While I am the biggest supporter of our music – and I don’t apologise for it – I have always formed the view that the music could be much more if it were less glorifying of violence.”

Skuffla Johnson and Vernon “DJ Snow” Snow are co-producers of the 13-track album What’s Going On, released November 5, 2021 on the S and S Signed and Sealed records label.

Some of the tracks include DJ Snow’s What’s Going On, featuring Tally, Shae, and Jah Thunder; Take What is Not Yours ft Capleton; and Skuffla Johnson on Heart Is Black.

Johnson grew up in Papine community of Kingston and was influenced by music at an early age.

“I was performing on stage, having a nice time when, out of nowhere, mom came through the crowd and pulled me off the stage,” he recalled.

His enrolment at the College of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST) – now the University of Technology, Jamaica – from 1987 to 1990 led to his performance at Culture Splash 88 and Winter Splash 89.

A track and field scholarship to the New York Institute of Technology to pursue administration and marketing from 1990 to 1994 had him glued to the books. However, he was soon back at the studio and in 1997 he recorded his first song, Sing Out, on Maxwell productions.

He took a 17-year break, shifting course to real estate and mortgage banking.

“I felt something was missing from my life, which was music. Three songs came under my production. These were Africa, Fighting For My Life, and She’s Gone, all on the Firewall music label in 2020.

Skuffla Johnson said he lives by the mantra:”To help and merge some of the younger artistes with the older foundation artistes so as to bring awareness of making good quality music that will last for years.”