IN July the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) reported that the country recorded a two per cent increase in murders compared to January to July last year. The crime epidemic is what encouraged Apostle Annakay Israel to pen No More Killing.

“Music is a language that every culture, tribe and ethnicity can relate to. Musical artistes can use this platform to stimulate positivity, peace, joy, encouragement and hope — which can alter the mindset of the evildoers and shift or engage them in [a] new [and] positive paradigm,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Produced by Zyon Paton Ghana, No More Killing was released on August 26.

For years there has been an ongoing debate about the relationship between the crime rate and music. On multiple occasions secular artistes have debunked the notion that their lyrics wield any influence on wrongdoers. However, Apostle Israel disagrees.

“There is a connection between our music and crime rates in Jamaica. The selection of some of the lyrics in some of our dancehall music is promoting guns, knives, killing, violence, and nakedness,” she said.

“However, with the rapid breakdown of morality, high inflation prices and occultic practices on the rise, these kinds of breakdown increase the alteration of mindset of notorious robbers, gunmen, occult practioners and their practices. Gunmen are not the only evil targeting our nation but also the occult, human sacrifice etcetera,” she added.

Born in St Andrew, she relocated to Clarendon; Apostle Annakay Israel is now based in Florida. She is the founder of the Lion of Judah Prophetic Worship Centre INC and the Lion of Judah Network (TV). She uses her platform to reach people through her sermons, streamed on her YouTube page.

Israel’s journey with music started in 2005 with the release of The Lord Is My Light featuring Algebra. The song was promoted on Dudley Thompson’s ‘What’s The Verdict’ gospel artiste competition.

“We won the competition and were featured on a few radio and television networks. My musical experiences have taken on a whole new level, giving me the opportunity to travel to Asia, Ghana, Nigeria, Honduras and a few other nations of the world, singing and ministering the word of God,” she said.

She reiterated the call for a cease in murders.

“My final statement to us is that bloodshed brings about serious implications to any nation or individuals, and when the blood of the innocent cries out we are yoked with curses, hexes and poverty. I decree that our nation’s people will fall on their knees and return to Abba Father before there is no grace,” Israel added.