Dancehall superstar Beenie Man ah ‘dweet again’. The Doctor has turned a political rebuke into musical ammunition, with his forthcoming ‘Weh Di Money De’ helping propel him to the top of Jamaica’s Google trending searches, according to World Music Views.
The outlet reported that the phrase “beenie man we di money deh” reached No. 1 following his preview of the track. That ranking captures a surge in search interest at a particular moment, rather than the highest overall search volume or a confirmed current position.
The song is the latest broadside against the bow of the government in a debate sparked by Beenie Man’s interview with Britain’s ITV News reporter Cree-Summer Haughton ahead of Hurricane Melissa’s first anniversary. Asked about recovery efforts, the Grammy-winning entertainer questioned whether relief funds were reaching those who needed them.
“This is nothing new that the government get the money, the government distribute the money the wrong way. The people who supposed to get the money haven’t been getting any. These things, it’s a regular thing that happens. The money comes in and you nuh see where it go,” Beenie Man said.
Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness responded during last Wednesday’s reopening of Black River Hospital in St Elizabeth, pointing to $300 million spent on rebuilding the facility.
“The Minister [of Health] neglected to invite Beenie Man, because then he would see first-hand how the Government has been spending on the recovery,” Holness quipped.
The prime minister also made the assertion that someone who benefits from Brand Jamaica, specifically entertainers, should not promote Jamaica internationally while doing irreparable harm to the country’s reputation.
The exchange created a stir on social media, with a flurry of memes and divergent opinions over the deejay’s criticism split along party lines. Beenie Man, however, has cut through all the noise and has constantly maintained that his concern is for residents still struggling to recover.
He told The Gleaner that he had “received encouragement from people who understand why I spoke up, including Jamaicans at home and people overseas who love Jamaica”.
The song was officially released on the Beenie Man Music label – operated by his spouse Camille Lee and Beenie Man himself – on all major platforms. The song was co-written by Lee and Beenie Man.
He said that he has received positive encouragement from “people who understand why I spoke up” at home and in the diaspora. He said he was merely asking “transparency”
“Asking for transparency is part of wanting the best for your country. What matters most to me is that the attention leads to meaningful help for the people affected. Their recovery must remain the priority,” he added.
For Beenie Man, speaking critically about recovery efforts is consistent with his role as a musical ambassador.
“Reggae and dancehall have always given a voice to the people, especially those who feel unheard. For more than three decades, I’ve helped carry Jamaica’s name around the world through my music, and that love for Jamaica also means speaking up when our people are hurting,” he said.
Beenie Man’s publicist, Claude Mills, believes Holness’s intervention amplified the controversy and handed the entertainer an opportunity.
“I was surprised that the Prime Minister would have made this story even bigger by responding in the manner he did but he provided the perfect opportunity for Beenie Man to ‘seize the moment’ and chef up a major hit out of this controversy. And the Prime Minister actually stirred up a hornet’s nest on social media and in every rum bar and every street corner,” Mills told The Gleaner.
Whether ‘Weh Di Money De’ converts that attention into a commercial hit remains to be seen. Before its full release, though, the Doctor has already given the debate a hook.
