Reggae singer Queen Ifrica has called on dancehall artist Jahshii not to produce gun songs as she encourages him to stick to producing great music that does not promote crime and violence.
While speaking at the two-day Security Summit of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce in St James on Wednesday, Queen Ifrica singled out upcoming dancehall deejay Jahshii whom she says has the potential to be a superstar outside of Jamaica.
Ifrica told Jahshii to not dilute his style of music to promote violence and scamming on the island.
Jahshii is known for songs like “Born Fighter” and “Cream of the Crop”, which catapulted him to fame for the strong lyrical content promoting working hard and helping his family and friends get up in life.
Queen Ifrica appeared disappointed in one of the artiste’s latest songs- “When we step”, featuring dancehall legend Bounty Killer.
“Now Jashii, I love him very much, Jashii is one of our budding potential superstar out of this country…now the song that Bounty Killer did with Jahshii is a serious gun song. And while we’re just talking about the right of freedom of speech, the right to express through music, the right to be who you are as an artistic person. I was bothered by it as a fellow artist myself. Bad as the song is, the song nice, it catchy and everything,” she began.
Queen Ifrica seems to hint that Jahshii could be led astray by older influences who failed to guide him.
“We are here today because of the level of violence that we’re seeing play out amongst our young people particularly, and if Jashii is coming as a likkle yute who for the most part did not come into the business with gun lyrics, let me put that out there plain and clear, it’s a likkle yute that was talking about elevating himself, coming out of the inner city, making his mommy rich, making his family rich not just doing crime and doing that,” she said.
Queen Ifrica is the daughter of reggae legend Derrick Morgan and is an advocate known for her song, the highly impactful “Daddy”, which has been sponsored for extensive government campaigns to stop sexual violence against children.
She went on to say that she registered her disapproval with Bounty Killer for the content of “When We Step”, as he is regarded now as a grandfather to many of the younger artists.
“I said to Bounty Killer as much I love you and the fact that you have introduced so many great artists into the space, we cannot name them all, now you are getting like a grandfather role now, these are great-grandchildren that you have now dealing with. We’re saying change the strategy a little. Do a little not even necessarily a culture song but do a song that is saying to the youths like Jashii… let’s change how how we speak to each other in music.”
Queen Ifrica singled out Jahshii, whom she spoke to directly.
“As an elder in the industry Jashii, as much as you have the right to be lyrical and do all you want to do, let’s try to do some of these songs that will elevate your peer’s minds, so they don’t feel that chopping is the only way out or guard rings or that kind of a mindset.
She added that experienced artistes needed to step up to mentor and take responsibility to mentor and guide the younger ones.
She added that she is making efforts to meet with the younger artists to help them and offer perspectives on the important role they are taking on, even if they don’t see it that way.
“I’m trying now to set up a meeting now with them so that I can help them to understand that see Vybz dem deh, see Tommy Lee dem deh, they are in jail. And we don’t know the real reasons why they are there but they are still very influential even though they are in there. So let’s look at what we are doing wrong in the industry and really try to get to these youths who really look up to us the way they do and that’s the only way out,” she ended.
Jahshii has not reacted to Queen Ifrica, nor has Bounty Killer responded.
