Dancehall Star Cham Back In Jamaica, Talks Ghetto Origins And Growth
Jamaican Dancehall prodigy Cham, formerly Baby Cham, is inspiring change in his hometown with a little help from a big educational platform.
The Ghetto Story deejay was recently seen giving EYL (Earn Your Leisure) University creators Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings a tour of his original Sherlock Crescent community as part of their recent trip to the island.
EYL University is an online investing course, interactive community, and podcast aimed at transforming financial literacy and entrepreneurship. The educational platform is also recognized for its high-level business conversations with legends like Rick Ross and Shaquille O’Neal on how they amassed their fortunes and sound financial advice.
The hosts’ itinerary in Jamaica also included link-ups with former Olympian Usain Bolt and Dancehall’s Warlord, Bounty Killer, all of which they called “legendary moments with living legends” on their Instagram page.
It seems Cham’s recent Lock Down lament paid off; his bouncy new single was recently added to both MTV and BET Jams, and after chiding the Jamaican government on the track, they’ve since eased islandwide curfews. No sooner had lockdown been lifted, than the Kid was uploading pics out and about in JA.
Aside from partying with Ding Dong, jet skiing and ziplining, the Grammy nominee was up to serious business, and clips of him touring his old stomping grounds with the American business moguls began making the rounds on social media. In the clip, Cham is heard speaking on the Prime Minister’s recent revival of the decades-old debate of whether dancehall causes crime.
“[They were] saying that the crime stems from the music, which it’s not. Crime stems from inequality, poverty, lack of education and parenting. And a lot of parents here, it’s not like they don’t want to parent their kids, it’s that they don’t have that resources or time…” Cham said as fans followed along in the background.
The Joyride deejay was very critical of the PM’s remarks back in April, uploading a short video condemning leaders for failing the nation. “An artist is a mirror of society, whatever society reflects, we tend to reflect it back with music, melodies and words.. Mr. Prime Minister, did your conclusion arrive from studies done, or did it arrive from guilt of mismanagement over the years? Not because the conclusion is an easy way out means we should use it to mask the real issue at hand which is poverty, poor leadership from government and parents, illiteracy, and a lack of communication and opportunity for the youths” Cham had said.
The EYL founders were glad to be part of the momentous occasion, summing it up in their caption while thanking Cham for his work. “In the trap going places that most can’t go. @thecham took us on a tour of Sherlock Crescent today, EYL is not your average podcast. S/O to Cham he’s a real man of the people. We appreciate the hospitality, love is love! 🇯🇲🇯🇲#EYLUniversity 🎓”
Cham was also invited to co-host EYL’s Marketing Mondays Podcast with Usain Bolt at Bolt’s St Andrew Tracks and Records outlet, where the Boom deejay blew them away with his flawless recital of a popular motivational quote.
“The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called failure, loops called confusion, speed bumps called friends, red lights called enemies, caution signs called family and flat tires called jobs. But if you have a spare called determination, and a engine called perseverance, with insurance called faith, and the drive to make it, you will reach the place called success,” Cham said.