Cleaning up our Jamaica

Excerpt from the Jamaica Observer column published on Monday, October 17, 2022

By Jean Lowrie-Chin

There have been unremitting complaints about uncollected garbage and thankfully 50 new trucks have arrived to tackle those longstanding piles of waste. Now, Executive Director of the Broadcasting Commission Cordel Green has announced the ban of dangerous garbage not fit for airplay. This includes:

“● any audio or video recording, live song, or speech which promotes and/or glorifies scamming, illegal use or abuse of drugs (e.g., Molly), illegal or harmful use of guns or other offensive weapons, “jungle justice”, or any other form of illegal or criminal activity;”

● any edited song which directly or indirectly promotes scamming, illegal drugs, illegal or harmful use of guns or other offensive weapons, jungle justice, or any form of illegal or criminal activity. This includes live editing and original edits (e.g., edits by producer/label) as well as the use of near-sounding words as substitutes for offensive lyrics, expletives, or profanities.”

For over 30 years WMW Jamaica (formerly Women’s Media Watch) has presented studies on the damaging effects of such productions on our young people. These dangerous and dirty lyrics will normalise anti-social behaviour in the impressionable minds of our children. I remember one outreach worker saying that after she witnessed a ‘concert’ in an inner-city location in which children under ten were doing vulgar movements to sexually explicit lyrics, “I had to go home and take a long shower. There was so much filth on that stage.”

We applaud DJ NikkyZ who posted on social media, “I have no argument with the Broadcast Commission ban … none of that is in my rotation anyway … any DJ who complains they have nothing to play now SHOULD NOT BE IN RADIO…”  She shared some of her favourites who are “not just old school …  Protoje, Sevana, Mortimer, Kranium, the dancing music, Kabaka, Jesse, Jada, Shenseea, Sean Paul, new Shaggy, new Beenie Man.”

Many of us have memories of the music our parents played; our favourites were the ‘Queenie’s Daughter’ and Broadway soundtracks, Nat King Cole and Gospel. Today’s parents can make a difference in their children’s outlook with their choice of play. Those earbuds are convenient but take them out and share some good music and moves with your little ones; you will be influencing the choices that will help them navigate this challenging world.

For the sake of our children, let us clean up our country, our streets and our airwaves.  Let the fresh air fill their lungs and sweet music soothe their minds.