Donovan Watkis Explores Turning ‘Cultural Capital To Financial Capital’ In New Book

Music writer, TV host and cultural insider Donovan “JR” Watkis is shedding new light on the discourse around turning culture into wealth, with his latest publication, Cultural Capital to Financial Capital.

This is the author’s third book and will be made available today, Wednesday, April 20, in hard-cover, paperback on the book’s own website CULCAP.com, as well as for Kindle on Amazon.com.

Watkis’ last book Coloring Culture explored how culture that serves the interest of few drives a wedge between humanity.

His latest work, however, features interviews with a number of Jamaican musical artists and sports personalities including Shaggy, Sean Paul, Usain Bolt, Hotelier Jon Baker and more who all share their personal journeys and anecdotes on how they have successfully maneuvered international markets.

They explain how climbing to the top requires capitalizing on these cultural strengths rather than downplaying. The book also offers strategies on how to use culture to one’s competitive advantage, especially in the music, food and hospitality industries.

“For too long our culture has been devalued. It hasn’t been seen as being valuable and having the ability to take us forward and help us rise above our circumstances. Our culture is that edgy sway that we see in Usain Bolt, and that intangible element that is ever present in our reggae and dancehall music. It has been here forever but we have not been taught how to appreciate it and present it in a way that it yields maximum benefits for the individual as well as the country,” Watkis explained.

Watkis has spent much of the last five years developing advertisements and producing his music chart show World Music Views where he gets an up-close look at those who are making the right moves in the industry and what works.

He twinned gold selling reggae singer Tarrus Riley, Denyque and other reggae bands and singers with Bank Of Jamaica’s Inflation Targeting ad meant for local audiences but is now an internationally known campaign due to the power of reggae music.

The TV host and podcaster conducted 43 interviews as part of research data for the new book, and noted that among the lessons he learned was how much many people do not understand the potency of Jamaica’s culture. The book is described as “a conversation book” focused on the value of Jamaica’s contemporary culture. Donovan Watkis presents an insider’s view of how the universal powers of Jamaican culture can reinvigorate and revitalize Reggae and Dancehall’s status in the world.

“So many of our artistes want to ‘buss’ and reach the mainstream. Many of them believe the quickest route is to shed their culture and adopt the more popular culture of the market they intend to enter. This book is here to show them that our culture is popular and in demand. All these artists need to do is be their authentic selves. Sean Paul is a prime example of always being his authentic self,” he lamented.

“Sean Paul does not go to pop music. In fact, the opposite happens — pop music comes to him. They come to him so that he can add some of that Jamaican culture to their music. So the lesson is: We don’t have to shed our culture in order for our art to be seen as valid. We need to use who and what we are to reach the world. If we are in doubt, we have clear examples in international acts such as Justin Bieber, Rihanna and Drake who have all sought out and utilized Jamaican culture to boost their output,” Watkis continued.

Watkis is concerned about the fact that many local reggae and dancehall artistes do not own their music rights such as masters and publishing as such have no control over their career and ultimately where their music can go.

“So many of our artistes are in this position. They cannot dictate how much they make as they are not the owners of the culture — even Sean Paul doesn’t own the masters to some of his big hits,” he noted.

For Watkis, our artistes need to strike a balance when negotiating record and production deals, and even when collaborating with hip hop acts in order to dominate locally and make an impact internationally with their music — and hence turn that cultural capital into financial capital.

“Having decided to collaborate with a Jamaican act, the last thing an American act, for example, wants is a Jamaican trying to sound American. Hip hop acts have the handle on gun lyrics and sexual and salacious lyrics. What we (Jamaican artists) must do is bring that edge and do what we do best. Just listen to Shabba Ranks and Johnny Gill with Slow and Sexy. Johnny Gill did what he does best and so did Shabba. Same thing for Sean Paul and Beyonce on Baby Boy.”

He says none of the contemporary artists are making the right moves to leverage cultural capital into financial capital in a major way. “Koffee perhaps has the edge, but the thing with Koffee is that she needs a real hit. She has had turntable hits with tracks such as Toast, which has been endorsed by the likes of Barack Obama, and Kyle Jenner but she needs a real smash hit to help her move into the direction where real money can be made. More seasoned acts such as Shaggy and Sean Paul are making those moves and of course we have the example of Bob Marley,” Watkis shared.