KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican media personality and cultural expert Fae Ellington is condemning several dancehall artistes for what she described as the defacing of Jamaican culture through “slack” and “vulgar” lyrics featured on the revived Hill & Gully Riddim produced by Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor.

“When I hear persons changing the lyrics of Hill an’ Gully Rider to vulgarity, it pains me, it hits me in a place I cannot explain, I get numb,” the specialist broadcaster for national events shared in a video uploaded to her YouTube channel on Sunday.

Hill an’ Gully Rider is a traditional 19th-century Jamaican folk and mento song. It was revived as a dancehall “riddim” in late April 2026 by McGregor. The project, fronted by Masicka’s trending track Slip & Slide, has since attracted features from major names in dancehall, including Elephant Man, Valiant, Govana, Ganggoolie, and Skippa.

Ellington, who is known for her decades of work in theatre, radio and television, said she has been struggling for days with how to address the issue.

“Mi angry, mi angry. Unuh supposed to know better. It cannot be because you want to get some likes and you want to make some money and you want it go wide, yes it going to go wide and far and I wonder how you will be viewed. All of you who have decided to get down into the gutter, all of you who have decided to get slack and nasty. Hill an’ Gully Rider, Emmanuel Road? Unuh understand unuh heritage?” she questioned.

Drawing comparisons to the national anthem, Ellington argued that Jamaica’s cultural heritage should be treated with greater respect.

“It is like treating your anthem, hearing the instrumental version of your anthem and start sing all kind of nastiness on top of it. We have gone totally over the cliff, we not on the brink anymore,” she said.

Despite her criticism of some of the songs, Ellington praised McGregor for reviving the folk classic and introducing it to a new generation. However, she maintained that the country’s folk traditions and cultural identity should not be compromised for popularity or profit.

“Congrats Stephen but a number of people have decided to put certain kinds of lyrics to this thing, not understanding that they are defacing our culture, that they are putting us in a place that we will have to explain to our children,” she said, adding that Jamaican artistes should know better.

She further called on Culture Minister Olivia Grange to issue a public statement in relation to the matter.

Expressing disappointment with one unnamed female artiste featured on the “riddim”, Ellington warned, “Our heritage is not to be trifled with, and if you think it’s ok to go to that level, you know something is wrong.”