Dancehall music has been widely blamed for upsurge in violence across the Caribbean. The island of Antigua is the latest Caribbean island to single out dancehall music as the root cause of a recent rise in violent behavior among youths.
Over the last two weeks there has been two stabbing incidents at two local high schools and a massive fight at another. This prompt local authority to start taking steps to address the issue.
Antiguan national, Mary John, has taken it a step further, by penning a letter to the Antigua Observer editor, placing the blame squarely at the feet of dancehall artistes, and calling for the security minister to issue a ban on dancehall music.
“There is no doubt in my mind that dancehall music is a huge contributing factor to the violent and aggressive behaviour of our youth in Antigua,” Mary John said. “Dancehall is not our cultural music. Why is it most predominant? Why is the government allowing another country’s cultural music, which is such a terrible influence on society to totally take over?”
Mary John also called for the government to regulate the use iPods and cellphones in schools to limit students listening to dancehall music.
“How can the students prepare their minds for learning, listening to this noise which promotes violence and is filled with such lewd and nasty lyrics?” she asked.
Do you think that dancehall music is to be blame for violence in Antigua?
Writer: Duhaney Grant
I totally diagree with such an analysis.In Zimbabwe the ghetto youth listen to dancehall 24 7 but I bet that its very rare to hear a gun shot in our neighborhoods not even to mention seeing a dead body lying in the streets.That’s a farce.
what this Mary John fails to understand is that dancehall is just as relevant to Jamaica as it is to the rest of the caribbean islands. it’s not just “another country’s cultural music,” it’s an expression of the social tensions in the current context of weak, corrupt governments alongside social inequalities influenced by the historical legacies of colonialism involving ideas of inferiority based on color!
How in the hell is she going to write “Why is the government allowing another country’s cultural music, which is such a terrible influence on society” I am happy as hell people like her is not in political power.
when someone pointing the index finger to place blame….remember the thumb is pointing back at you.
everyone has control over there behaviour….dancehall music is not what is doing violence its these persons so blame the persons or instituitions…tired of this blame game….how about solutions.
I totally disagree….It has a lot to do with your up bringing at home…Not because Kartel is locked up they want to blame every thing on dance hall..Take your garbage some where else…
Violence in society exist long before dancehall. So don’t blame dancehall, blame social issues and weak government.