Pamputtae On Lady Saw Vs Spice: ‘Just Another 9-Day Talk’

Dancehall artist Pamputtae says the imbroglio between Marion Hall and Queen of Dancehall Spice, will be nothing more than the proverbial Jamaican “nine-day wonder”.

Speaking with veteran journalist Dionne Jackson Miller on Radio Jamaica’s Beyond the Headlines programme earlier this week, the Single Mother artist, after being asked whether she thought “this is going to die down or you think exchanges will go on fi a little while and bad blood carrying on for a little while”, said the uprising would die a natural death.

“It goin die dung caw nuttn nuh stay; only salvation last forever.  Nine day talk and it done.  It have to die down.  It have to die down,” she stressed.

Miller, during the interview, pointed out to Pamputtae that there appeared to be much acrimony coming towards Hall from her Dancehall compatriots, following her controversial sermon two Sundays ago, among them Jada Kingdom, who on Monday morning, challenged the Minister to a fight.

“There seems to be a whole heap a bitterness man. Even Jada Kingdom referring to her as Lady Bitters and there just seem to be a lot of people, (including) Khago she who shi do dem suppm,” Miller stated.

When Miller asked whether she believes the “bitterness” between Lady Saw and her adversaries, who have responded since she made her contentious sermon (Spice, Jada Kingdom, Khago, and Macka Diamond), would die down, the Fletchers Land native responded in the affirmative.

“Yes, because hear wha now: di way how Mumma come out, some people have some tings long time inside a dem we dem waan talk, but dem couldn’t get a chance fi talk it.  But through Mumma guh come out inna da way deh now, yuh a guh see everyting dig up back and these things from when.  But it haffi die dung,” Pamputtae explained.

Miller also asked Pamputtae whether she would have reacted differently, or “felt any stronger”, if Hall had mentioned her name along with the others during her sermon.

“Honestly if she did call mi name, mi would have react to it.  And just like how mi said it right now, a suh mi woulda say it.  Mi woulda seh: ‘Mumma a nuh suh yuh deal wid tings’.   Mi wouldn’t say ‘come fight mi’ or whateva but mi woulda say ‘yuh coulda deal wid it betta; yu coulda notify mi pon di gram’”, Pamputtae said.

“A you name Lady Saw.   You can get anybody numba weh yuh waan.    Worse yuh a woman a God… Everybody entitled to their own opinion, but as a woman of God mi neva like di way Mumma come out – and rememba me listen to har gospel songs.  You know mi listen to har sermon and stuff like that.  She and Spice maybe have a beef from long time but to hoiw it sound, to how shi comde out is like shi nuh get ova dat, you know,” she said.

Pamputtae said that the references Hall made to some of the other female artists’ physical appearance was also uncalled for.

“As a woman of God, yuh come out; it is not about who look good because God nuh pick and choose who fi bless.  And he said rend your heart and not your garment and that is what matters.  So she come out  with dat aggressive suppm deh, dat is like yuh just have up suppm an yuh jus want let guh,” she said.

She said the confrontational approach of the Room in My House artist, also left a lot to be desired and the Grammy-winning artist would have attracted a different response had she chosen a more subtle approach, based on her standing in the music industry.

“Becaw you know people love Saw.  Nobody can ever be Saw.  Nobody can take Saw place.  But as a woman of God yuh shoulda deal wid it in a betta Mumma.   How yuh come out, it sound like yuh a fight.  It sound like yuh cone fi war.  It sound like yuh a seh ‘yow oonu buh badda dan mi inna Dancehall.  Mi a come back fi mi space’.  A suh it soun…  Mi jus a pray dat if shi a guh through any likkle ting, Faada God can fix it.  Becaw Lady Saw should a deh here right now a try fi win Pamputtae soul, win Spice soul; win Shenseea soul.  A dat me did a look fah,” she said.

“To me, it come like she shi deh oneside a watch everything same way in which it shouldn’t be like dat becaw you are a woman a God.  But me jus feel like Mumma a guh through a little depression too…  everybody have dem own likkle demon a fight enuh,” she added.

Media and entertainment specialist, Clyde McKenzie, who was also a guest on Beyond The Headlines, in his ruminations, pointed out that Jamaican modern music has had a longstanding history of rivalry.  He said the issue with Hall was nothing new, but that she should have anticipated a backlash.

“It don’t think it is anything particularly new.  Rivalry is a feature of the dancehall.  She has made her pronouncements and it has not found favour with some of the people.. this is not novel in Dancehall.  Has been a feature since the dawn of modern Jamaican music,” he said.

“So I think this is just a different iteration of that. I suppose there might be some underlying efforts by different artistes to, maybe, to capitalize on this kind of impasse.  It is very possible,” he stated.

He alluded to both sides of the divide where on one hand, some commenters have been arguing that Marion ought not to have been “as emphatic in her denunciation” or made a public remonstration, as she behaved in similar fashion”, while others contend that she is “someone who has seen the errors” of her ways.

“It might be a matter of style and how you frame the issue…. Some might say it is inappropriate, but some might say that might not get the attention of the others.  Saw should not be surprised should be aware that there could be a brutal response to her commentary,” he added.

Marion’s “kiss out mi bible” comment which she posted on her Instagram page on Saturday, was also a matter for discussion during the programme.

McKenzie chuckled when Jackson Miller broached the topic, and said that to her, “it sound like you a cuss mi off”.

“This is a very funny way to say to somebody read the bible using the vernacular… I find that statement about the kissing out of the bible so funny, because when you look a Hall’s approach… it speaks of a wittiness as to how her mind works, that you can’t help but laugh,” Clyde said.

However, in contrast to the former Shocking Vibes executive, Pamputtae begged to differ.

“I don’t like it.  It just sound horrible… mi neva hear nobaddy she dat before.  A Lady Saw alone mi hear seh dat,” Pamputtae said.

“Meck mi tell yuh suppm Dionne, yuh si when you are a woman of God; a child of God, di place weh yuh usually walk, yuh nuh walk deh again.  Di place weh yuh usually guh, yuh nuh guh deh again, unless yuh deh guh deh wid di word a God in a right, proper manner. Das why mi naw meck nobaddy force mi fi guh inna church, because when mi guh mi not looking back,” the deejay added.