Ce’Cile Says Dancehall Artists Shouldn’t Be Hypocrites About Their Influence
Dancehall singer Ce’Cile says the onus is now on us to make a drastic change to combat violent crimes and other societal ills that are pervading across the nation. The discussion gained legs after the Jamaican Prime Minister stoked fires with comments, made in a parliamentary address, that pointed fingers at the lyrical content of the country’s popular music and its influence.
“Let the most influential of us take a minute to speak calmly and firmly encouraging a less violent way of life because…we have played a role in encouraging violence in the way we speak, the way we argue, the way we treat our fellow colleagues,” the singer highlighted. She said entertainers have to “fight the evil,” that is being wielded across Jamaica and not focus on which entertainer should shoulder the most blame within the fraternity.
A somber Ce’Cile shared that Jamaica is way past bickering and pointing fingers because “people ah ded, rape, lick dung, bax dung” are the order of the day across the entire country and that these widespread scourges need to be addressed “collectively fi di people weh care bout dah country yah, an weh have kids, an weh haffi life inna dah country yah.”
The entertainer said that she “might not be the most qualified person to say this…but it need fi start somewhere,” and this why she is lending support to other artists who have chimed in to support Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ claim that violent content in Dancehall music can have a negative influence on the people and society at large.
“It almost coming like seh, we are so desensitized, like our humanity is gone…this is where it’s at, it bad, it bad, it bad, it bad, it bad, it bad, and the conversation I want to have is, how can we not start a new fight,” the I’m Still Waiting deejay asked.
She explained that the responsibility is to reclaim the youth through better more positive parental guidance. “My thoughts probably come out in random order because dis no plan but, what I would love to see is some of the most influential of us start to talk to fathers about raising better sons. Talk to mothers about teaching their girls to respect not just themselves, but the men.”
“Let the most influential of us start to speak to vulnerable boys encouraging them that the goal is not to “buss guns” and f–k a bag a gyal but to respect your mother, your sister, yourself, your home, your country.”
Much like her two industry peers, Dancehall producer Skatta Burrell and artist Mr. Vegas, stated before her, Ce’Cile explained that, to some extent, entertainers should accept that they have influence and that effectively some blame for the current state of the nation, specifically when it comes to violence, lies on their shoulders.
“Let us be honest. The hypocrisy is going to plunge us in a darkened place. We have played a role in enslaving the minds of some of the most vulnerable in society and if we genuinely care we admit that and start the real fight,” the singer said.
She declared that uplifting Dancehall lyrics have motivated people to do positive things; therefore it is only logical that violent lyrics may influence criminality.
“Is it that far fetched?” she asked. “That somebody that may not be as educated as we like fi seh..people are uneducated, people inna poverty. Isn’t it fair to say that a man cyan totally feel like him ah guh live by sumthin wah yuh [Dancehall artists] seh that could be deemed negative.”
“No, We fi get up and bun them out.”
She said Dancehall artists need to make it clear to anyone participating in criminality, especially homicide, that “wi nah walk wid oonu, wi nuh waah hear bout oonu, an wi naah shield oonu, an yuh cyaan walk among us.”
Mavado, Cham, Bounty Killer, and other Dancehall artists have largely disagreed with Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who has since doubled down on his remarks.
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