In the reggae/dancehall business, there are a handful of female promoters, and Christine Jackson is indeed quite a handful. Her foray into this male-dominated world took place close to two decades ago and while she has no regrets, today she has a lot of concerns.

Always a young-artiste friendly promoter, Jackson takes pride in being the first promoter to carry many of the now mega-successful dancehall artistes to her adopted homeland, Canada.

“I was the first promoter to carry Beenie Man to Canada,” she stated and Shocking Vibes CEO, Patrick Roberts concurs.

“That time Beenie Man never had a name… he was just on the verge of becoming popular. He surely wasn’t in demand then,” Roberts recalled.

But Jackson, through her Who Duz That Entertainment outfit, secured the paperwork for Beenie Man to go to Canada and play at small venues, befitting of his status then.

“And that’s how it has been for me throughout the years. I have access to the small venues and over the years I have grown to know my audience and the trends. My niche is upcoming acts who don’t charge ‘a bag of money’ and who patrons will pay approximately Can$15 to see and are guaranteed a good time. My audience still likes the authentic reggae/dancehall people out of Jamaica — whether they are artistes, selectors or dancers. With dancers getting a lot of props in the dancehall now, there is a demand for such persons,” Christine explained.

However, she now has one main grouse — the powers that be don’t appear to be very accommodating to young acts. “It’s quite frustrating securing work permits for young artistes these days,” she said. “You wouldn’t like to know the amount of money that has gone down the drain for promoters — not just me — because work permits have been denied,” she lamented.

But Jackson is not deterred. She continues to do what she does best, show promotions, with the focus on young talent. And, the bundle of energy that she is, she is also working on a project that’s dear to her heart.

“It’s a Stop the Violence Campaign,” she explained. “This is targeted at young people in Canada… those who are slipping through the cracks and seem to be heading on a path of destruction. Too many of them are involved in ‘badness’ and see it as the only way out. We have to change that mindset. They are the future and sad to say the future is looking lost.”

Her concern is devising a programme to reach and empower those youngsters in the tough Jane and Finch and similar areas of Toronto. In order to get her project off the ground she has already met with police personnel in Toronto and have their blessings.

“Strange as it may sound, we all agree that there is only one artiste who can make a difference if he would agree to come and talk to these kids. He would be an excellent motivational speaker because of the power he wields through his lyrics and also the fact that he promotes safe sex through his condom,” Christine said.

The artiste she is speaking about is none other than Adidja ‘Vybz Kartel’ Palmer.

“If Kartel would agree to be a part of this campaign, that would be a plus for him, for the music and most of all, for these impressionable kids who need to hear from his lips how important it is to stop the violence. This already has the blessings of the police and the university. I have tried on several occasions to get a sit-down with Kartel, but to no avail.

“The ball,” she declared, “is now in Kartel’s court.”