Dear Editor,

Popular YouTube vlogger Sir P recently released a video about Sizzla Kalonji’s most impactful album titled Black Woman & Child.

According to Sir P, the album was significant in creating a cultural shift in 1997, to the point that it caused a reduction in crime rates in the years that followed (1998-2000). The year 1997 was a very important one in Jamaica’s history as it was the first time the island’s crime rate had passed the 1,000 mark.

I found myself listening to the album and doing some thinking about the recent ban implemented by the Broadcasting Commission on music with themes of scamming and drug usage. When the ban was first introduced many individuals, especially the youth and other critics, were against the move, citing control on creativity.

However, has there been any statistical data presented that traces the impact of contemporary Jamaican music on the current crime wave? It would be very intriguing to see data on this, but I digress.

According to most musicians and audiences alike, the music being offered by the younger generation is only a reflection of what is either being presented or their experiences. However, let us be realistic for a moment. If one invites dark frequencies through the chanting “choppa” choruses as a means to numb his or her energy, then what do you think the result will be regarding the impact on the modern world. It is quite simple.

When Black Woman & Child first came on to the scene it was laden with various deep themes and concepts that were not so commonly explored in the mainstream at the time. Themes such as but not limited to ambition, righteousness, biblical passages, pan-Africanism, and, most importantly, Rastafarianism were the core of not only the album but the man himself. The album showed the precision and focus to spread the message of the most high. One can then understand why many young men and women gravitated to the message, thus causing a cultural shift in wanting to know the truth.

Fast-forward and Jamaica like the rest of the world is thrust into the information era, when absolute morality is limited. The country has been trapped by hedonisistic values — pleasure of all kinds under the sun. These values are being blasted through speakers 24/7, so don’t think that with enough push they won’t cause a person’s thoughts or beliefs to alter. If one is to further assess the reason for the constant drug and scamming references, one would be more careful with the songs he or she sings.

Most youth these days are suffering mentally and it is also being represented in the music of the time. There are cases that range from depression and anxiety to suicidal tendencies, among others. The youth are crying out for help, to the point of becoming reclusive as a means of seeking solace. The ideas being presented in the music feed further into this narrative, especially when they don’t provide a solution or any reassurance of hope.

The youth are lost. They are not connected to the most high and instead rely on other human beings for fulfilment. Are they giving voice to this pain simply for the sake of art and money? I doubt it.

Be mindful of the music and the art that you cling to or ingest as it can be the difference between maintaining your morality and bending the knee. Do not be so quick or willing to give over yourself without first knowing who you are and the foundation that governs your life.

The words we speak and sing have power. Whatever we present can significantly impact the course which our lives take.

Dujan Crossfield

crossfieldd876@gmail.com