Lamenting that Jamaica’s once-vibrant clash culture is slowly becoming defunct, music pundits dished out key advice they believe could usher in its renaissance.

The discussion, which took place at Island Music Conference (IMC)2025 on at Courtleigh Auditorium on Wednesday, struck several nerves as panellists outlined that the culture, birthed in Jamaica, is now more alive in other parts of the world.

“The global space has been influenced by clash culture. How many of us have been paying attention to the war of words between Drake and Kendrick and how we have also inspired others?… People like David Rodigan, who is globally known as a clash deejay…” said Professor Sonjah Stanley-Niaah as she directed the discussion. “If you look at Jamaica today, there aren’t many clashes, and even when you think about Sting, in 2024, it was cancelled. We don’t have many shows that display this kind of clash culture any more.”

Stanley-Niaah shared that there are still many music enthusiasts today who want to witness the clash culture and even add to its rich history but do not have the platforms to do so.

“Clashes are happening all over the place. Red Bull Culture Clash is happening at the highest commercial level. So how do we revive that in Jamaica,” she questioned. “There are selectors, potential artistes who would want to be a part of that aesthetic or that mode of performance but there is no training ground to experience that apart from saying, ‘Let me go back and watch a video of Sting online.’ Some valuable things came out of clashing. The talent and the ability to hone that talent. Being able to answer with lyrics on the spot as an entertainer was a skill; one that made you a better performer.”

Chairman of the IMC Orville “Shaggy” Burrell, who was also a panellist, shared similar views. He expressed that having gained popularity through the underground clash culture in New York City, he knows all too well the importance of clashes in cementing one’s career.

“I think what clash does in any genre, or any culture where there is competition, is that it pushes you to rise to the occasion and be at your best. It does well to move forward in your career if there is competition. You are going to be at your highest potential,” he said. “Clash culture as an artiste, and as a people, makes us strive to be at our best.”

Veteran music selector Ricky Trooper shared that has travelled the world and had his come up through the tradition of sound system clashes. He believes more needs to be done to preserve the culture locally.

“The clash industry, even inna di sound system culture, it a one a di biggest phenomenon out there. In places over Europe, in Japan, England, and it a go right chu; it never stops. The only place clashing nah gwaan a Jamaica,” he lamented, outlining that today’s crop of artistes have shunned the practice.

“The artistes and the sound systems in Jamaica are cowards. Dem need fi know say any time our music have clashed a gwaan it more vibrant on the international stage. But most of the artistes nowadays are cowards. Dem nuh brave like a Ninja Man or a Super Cat who, inna dem days deh, just nuh care dem ago go pan a stage and just bring it,” the selector charged.

Heavy D, one of the promoters for Sting, agreed. He added that, while many of the new artistes may embrace a cowardice attitude, the music is also missing instigators, who are necessary to stir up the artistes.

“A lot of these young artistes don’t want to clash, but you have to bring it to them sometimes. You have to instigate it and encourage them to do songs against each other, because that’s how clashes start,” he said. “We have to go to the younger ones and put it to them. I have Malie Don and I have Pablo YG, and in 2022 I go to each a dem and say you sing a song against the other. Dem never have no beef, but we just started it and it work. There has to be some form of instigation because that is a part of the music and the culture.”

Dubbing clash culture a global phenomenon, Heavy D said many international artistes are fascinated by the history and shared that it continues to be an integral part of the country’s musical development.

“P Diddy came to Jamaica because he wanted to see this whole clash thing live. Most of the international artistes, Nicki Minaj, all a dem, they will tell you dat dem watch Sting clashes all the time. It is important to our development and our music,” he said.