Musical Bumps!

- by Deana Myers -

I need to address a couple of topical issues within dancehall. As a promoter and part of the music industry, I represent it, as well as artists who also contribute to the genre.

Foota Hype & Ishawna saga

I can recall congratulating Foota Hype and Ishawna a few months back, when they were dancehall’s newly betrothed couple. I am now saddened to hear that ‘dem lef’ and the pair have since engaged (pardon the pun) in a verbal brawl via social media, stage-shows, radio interviews etc.

Apparently, Ishawna took advantage of this split and voiced a few tunes about it all. However, what is disturbing to me is the fact that Foota Hype, who is also her baby father, made some serious allegations in a recent interview which went viral. He claimed that Ishawna, Joe Bogdanovich (the CEO of Downsound records – where Ishawna is signed and formerly Foota Hype too) and Skatta Burrell are intimately involved! This lowered the public image of his child’s mother and his former co-workers. My take is this: before you come into the public, ‘shub’ your dirty clothes under your bed, instead of hanging it out for all to see. Foota should have thought of the consequences of casting these aspersions, especially for his child. In this interview, Foota also mentioned that the reason behind his and Ishawna’s break-up was due to her wanting him to do ‘freaky’ things such as oral sex and threesomes. He and Ishawna have been together from “Wappy kill Fillup” (meaning: a long time), you’ve known of her sexual preferences for nine years and it’s only recently that you decided that you didn’t like it? Who are you trying to fool?

Foota also brought D’Angel’s name in to the equation by saying “Ishawna is worse than Angel”. That was unnecessary – shame on him! I understand that he is only human and experiences emotions, like everybody else, but he is a responsible adult. Big people – organize yourselves! Dancehall is evolving and many of you, who are lashing out over personal matters, are affecting the collective moment. Me done talk.

 

Dung Inna Yuh Throat

Finally, there is a “dung inna yuh throat” trend, which is currently going around within the dancehalls, whereby women push bottles down their throat in a supposedly seductive manner. It’s sort of coming in like a new dance move or something – these women should get some self-worth! To them, I ask: do you really look at yourself the next day?! It disgusts me, to see these women’s self-esteem gone to the dogs.

It is a similar issue that led to two videos circulating on social media in the Jamaica recently; two (allegedly four, but only two can be seen in the available footage) Jamaican females exposed themselves to brutal, sexual acts…for the sake of money and that same ‘thing’ down in their throat. They allowed themselves to be filmed and treated like pigs, no…worse than pigs! Now, one of the most disturbing things about this matter is that the video was orchestrated and shot by domineering, scornful white tourists. I am not being racist but the videos speak for themselves; not only do the men physically abuse these girls but they also antagonize, racially and verbally abuse them.

Mothers, parents, guardians and neighbours – let’s grow our children the right way and lend a nurturing hand to each other’s child, when we see that they are straying because they can easily end up with wrong crowd and go off the rails. I say what I have to!