IT was 2009 when the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica issued a ban on Vybz Kartel and Spice’s raunchy single Ramping Shop. Fast forward to 2022, the commission once again issued a series of restrictions, but this time on music promoting lottery scamming (known as chopping), use of the illicit drug Molly, and illegal guns.

Popular dancehall producer Ainsley “Notnice” Morris, who worked alongside Vybz Kartel to produce Ramping Shop, said that song is arguably his most controversial to date. He believes the new measures will have little effect on entertainers.

“Mi nah go tell ah man fi stop sing ‘bad man’ song—ah dat bring in di dub plate dem. Some a dem ah sing song an’ not even a think ’bout radio. Dem have some songs fi di streets weh dem can put pon YouTube an’ some fit fi radio…but dem [the commission] cyaa stop di yutes dem,” Morris told the Jamaica Observer’s Splash.

On Tuesday, the Broadcasting Commission issued a directive to operators of electronic media to ban, with immediate effect:

“any audio or video recording, live song, or speech which promotes and/or glorifies scamming, illegal use or abuse of drugs (eg Molly), illegal or harmful use of guns or other offensive weapons, ‘jungle justice’, or any other form of illegal or criminal activity;

“any edited song which directly or indirectly promotes scamming, illegal drugs, illegal or harmful use of guns or other offensive weapons, jungle justice, or any form of illegal or criminal activity. This includes live editing and original edits (eg edits by producer/label) as well as the use of near-sounding words as substitutes for offensive lyrics, expletives, or profanities.”

According to Morris, the banning of Ramping Shop was probably the best thing that happened for the song.

“Kartel build di song so I never know what type of thought process him did a have. Wi never expect seh it a guh get ban because him sing slacker song dan dat an’ it neva ban… After it get ban an’ all ah di newspaper dem put it out seh it ban, everybody get more curious an’ ah wonder ah wah suh ’bout it mek it ban. Everybody gone research di song,” he recalled.

“Any party weh ah keep even now, once it reach a certain stage inna di juggling, Ramping Shop haffi play,” Morris continued.

Ramping Shop peaked at number 76 on the Billboard Top 100 Chart. The track stirred even more controversy after EMI Publishing ordered it remixed, saying it infringed on the copyright licence of Ne-Yo’s Miss Independent.

Morris noted that if the commission’s mandate is to curtail the effect of negative dancehall lyrics on society, this method is ineffective.

“If that is di aim, dat nah go work. People listen to their music through social media …TikTok, iTunes, so banning dem on di radio will only affect a few an’ those people will just stop listening to di radio an’ find another way,” he explained.

Hailing from Waterford in Portmore, St Catherine, Morris attended St Catherine High School in Spanish Town. He emerged on the dancehall circuit in 2007 and instantly became a household name as the producer behind Vybz Kartel’s Last Man Standing, Cake Soap, Mama, and Get Wild. He also has production credits on Jah Vinci’s Watch Yuh Friends, Popcaan’s Gangster City and Dream, and Shawn Storm’s My Life.

Vybz Kartel, given name Adidja Palmer, is currently serving a life sentence for murder. Morris said he severed ties with Vybz Kartel in 2011 and went solo the following year.

Established in 1986, the Broadcasting Commission is an independent statutory agency mandated to monitor and regulate free-to-air television, broadcast radio and subscriber television (cable) services. The organisation, which is headed by attorney-at-law and former broadcaster Cordel Green, ensures the media houses operate at appropriate levels in relation to technical, programme, and service standards.