"An we a tek it to dem wikkid of lately"

Boy that man Baby Cham always a come good afta him tek a break. Advocates of R&R have found their spokesman.

I first heard the song on 'ONSTAGE' when Baby Cham was being interviewed by Winston Wilks. Fair enough interview discussing what had happened over the past two years when he was off the charts.... not registering a hit. They then played the video of the flagship song "Ghetto story" for the new album. I thought the song was interesting and looked forward to hearing more of it.

Over the Christmas holidays it gained popularity until the dreaded moment when it came under scrutiny by the public self-appointed moralists (yeah people like myself whose consciences bother them once in a while over their public impotence so we decide who is right and wrong instead of putting ourselves out too much to make a change; words are afterall easy to drop). The age old argument arose, 'which came first the lyrics or the behaviour?'

Not feeling particularly guilty over anything I didn't join them atop Shadowfax but sat back to be entertained. It helped that I really didn't understand much of what he was saying (come now folks I can't split my attention to include deciphering dancehall songs; of what benefit is that anyway?). But then this afternoon after I had eaten my lovely Sunday dinner, my mom and bro decide to drag me into the moralising of pork eating vs healthy living. This suddenly turned into a "people go out and re-enact what they see in movies" and then BAM into a lyrics issue as an example. I tried to run away. The niggeritis said "SLEEEEEEP my child" and I wanted to obey for a I am an avid follower of the rules of engagement (having conquerred my enemy the chicken well roasted, I must rest in honour of his existence - it is honourable).

I was stopped mid-tracks and made to suffer. I tried to argue on the side of freedom of choice and then it occured to me that I didn't even know what the man was saying so why am I arguing in his favour. Did it matter what he was saying? The fact of the matter is that it doesn't matter to me what he is saying.

I'm not going out there to rob di chiney shop dung di road. I may question whether I live in the ghetto since for years I had a goat pen in my back yard.... well almost my back yard. There is so much weed smoking around me with wild abandon that I have a strong case for saying I live in the ghetto (property value say otherwise for now). But I have never been motivated to live the life of any character from a dancehall song. The fact of the matter is that I've only wanted to be like James Bond, Remington Steele, Shaft, characters of that ilk because that is what appealed to me.

The lyrics act as a blue print only for those interested in that sort of life. Take it a step further, if that song didn't come out they would still be interested in living that sort of life. If we look deep whithin ourselves we know that when we use external justification it's only to diffuse the guilt away from ourselves.

There are people in the ghetto who never turn out that way despite being faced with the same conditions. Why is it that some don't use the DJ as their role model? Vybz Kartel has said he is in the business to make money not to be anybody's role model and parents should raise their children right and stop look to DJ to be role model for their children.

The problem is not the DJs it's the destruction of the family and our apparent inability to put humpty together again. So vulnerable youths will look to those who have clout and emulate them. If those same bad men show weakness, they lose stripes in their eyes (hence why Zeeks don't have di place lock no more).

So since we can't fix the family situation what do we do? Censor the DJs so that they only sing uplifting messages? I would love that but it is as unrealistic as fixing the family. You'd only accomplish driving dancehall back underground. Radio only allows uptown to hear what those in the ghetto hear blasting in their ears day and night on every corner. What about wiping everybody out and starting over? Well now that Adams has been reinstated........

Till I find a solution I guess whenever feelings of ineptness arise I'll preach from my blogpit! Who wants to be my proselyte?