Abstract

 

This paper shows the views on dancehall music and society.  Many people believe that dancehall negatively impacts society, while others feel that society impacts dancehall or that dancehall has no effect on the society.  Dancehall has been a defining part of Jamaican culture since it was first introduced. Even though it has shifted and changed over the years, the main idea still stands. It is a way for inner city artists to let their voices be heard. Violence and sexual immorality has become a major problem in Jamaica and many people believe that dancehall music is to blame. Others feel that dancehall music is mirroring what is already happening in the country, and sheds light on the situations that exist.

 

 

 

Introduction

In Jamaica, dancehall music is heard in all walks of life, whether it is on a bus, at a party, on the radio or even incorporated into the cheers of school cheerleaders. Children grow up hearing Dancehall all around them and persons have been debating if this is leading to a “dancehall culture”, in which the culture of Jamaica is becoming morally corrupt due to the violent and sexual nature of the songs. Many songs encourage violent acts and “bad-manism” where they especially encourage young males to disregard rules in order to be considered cool. Male and female dancehall artists alike, sing songs about female sexuality, but not in a way to celebrate the female form. Instead, the songs speak about the women in degrading ways while using vivid language about sexual acts. These songs, called “gyal tune” are used for dancing. Women dance on men in a sexual way, called “daggering”. Many people believe that this music influences the day-to-day behavior of those listening to it. Children are sometimes seen participating in the adult dances, while the older people encourage them and find it cute. People believe that young men are becoming more violent because of the music they listen to and the behavior it encourages, while young women are becoming more promiscuous. However, some people believe that the music is influenced by society and the artists are simply singing what they see around them.

The questions that will be answered in this paper are:

• What is dancehall music and when did it become popular?

• Who listens to dancehall music?

• Are they influenced by it? And if yes, how so?

• Is it a societal problem and if so, how can it be fixed?

 

What is dancehall music and when did it become popular?

 

            Dancehall music originated in the 1970s and is very different from reggae, for which Jamaica is known. While reggae is more melodic and involves singing, dancehall is where an artist almost rapping over a “riddim”. A “riddim” is an instrumental version of a song, where almost no melodic instruments are used. Instead, the bass and the drum are most heavily heard. Dancehall got its name because it was played in large halls or street spaces where dances and parties were held. Sound systems would be set up and a riddim would be played. Instead of pre-recorded songs, many artists would come and perform live. As time went on, some of these artists became household names and started recording the music so more people could hear it. Artists such as Yellowman, Shabba Ranks and King Jammy were some of the most popular artists and credited with helping to make dancehall more popular.

            Although there are many different genres of dancehall music, the most popular songs have “slack” lyrics. These songs are R-X rated and involve violent, homophobic, sexual or misogynistic lyrics. There have even been instances where artists have been banned from performing in countries because their songs are considered too immoral. One such case was Buju Banton, who has a very famous song called “Boom Bye Bye” where he is encouraging people to kill gay men.  He was banned in 2006 from performing in England and again in 2009 from performing in the United States. Songs like these help push the idea that Jamaica is a homophobic country. When combined with the numerous acts of violence against gay men, many persons say that the influences of the songs are causing Jamaicans to be homophobic and don’t want that in their country. However, the gay culture is getting stronger in Jamaica, with New Kingston being a zone for gay male prostitutes. While some of these prostitutes can face danger, they are usually in no more danger than the female prostitutes and even make more money. So people are refuting the idea that the songs are causing people to be violent.  Whereas reggae was a movement of consciousness and embracing a pathway of peace, dancehall embodies violence, sex and a fast paced “bling bling” lifestyle. In reggae, women are encouraged to be ladylike, dressing modestly and being quiet and humble. In dancehall, women are told to show their bodies off, wear skimpy clothing, dance sexually and speak about their sexual prowess and their ability to keep a man sexually satisfied.

            Dancehall has had a widely global reach, with people as far as Japan embracing the culture, the dances and the music. In 2008, after Usain Bolt’s historic world record breaking Olympic Games, he brought it even further by doing dancehall dances on the track and exposing something unknown by many people to the entire world. Children and adults from all over the world were now doing the dance called “to the world”. While it was popular in Jamaica, this was the first time that a dance became worldwide. Bolt showcasing the Jamaican dance opened an avenue to bring dancehall out of a niche market and make it more global, even if it was just for a short while.

 

Who listens to dancehall music?

 

            At first, dancehall was just played in the dances, as a way for the artists to get their music heard.  Now, dancehall music is heard throughout Jamaica in all walks of life. It is heard on the bus, in parties and in stores.  It is used in advertisements because of its popularity so it is familiar to the people and because of its catchy beats. Even students use it in their cheerleading routines when sports day comes around. However, only a certain demographic of people actively seeks out dancehall to listen to. In inner city areas, it is heard more than in the upper/middle class areas. Persons of all ages in the inner city listen and participate in the dancehall culture, while in the upper/middle class areas; it is usually teenagers who find it appealing. People in the inner city are more drawn towards it because it reflects the life that they are accustomed to. They find the artists to be their voice and support them. Many Jamaican artists are indeed from the inner city so the persons still living there feel a bond with them. Teenagers are more likely to be drawn to the music because of its catchy beats and the lyrical content, even though some lyrics are sexually and violently explicit.  A survey done in 2012 shows that the majority of Jamaican teenagers, 65% to be exact, list dancehall music as their preferred music to listen to (Johnson, 2012). This seems to be the music that they find more fun. Teenagers of both genders are able to sing lyrics to even the most sexually explicit, degrading and violent songs as soon as they hear them. Also, the parties where the music is played are more frequented by teenagers and young adults, regardless of where they come from. Many parties have a mix of people, from both the inner city and the uptown areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This chart shows that the majority of persons that actively listen to dancehall come from the inner city areas, as well as that teenagers are more likely to listen to dancehall. (Dancehall Demographic Survey, 2015).

 

Are they influenced by it? And if yes, how so?

 

            Many young people are influenced by the music. For example, when Vybz Kartel made a song about Clarks (the shoes), the sale of Clarks almost doubled (Forbes, 2011), and every young man and even some females were going out of their way to own a pair of Clarks. Some persons even resorted to stealing them. They felt like they had to own a pair of Clarks to be considered cool. Many songs give instructions to the listeners, especially in dancing. Some songs tell women to “bend over”, “dash out” or “spread out”. These are sexual dances that are considered normal in the society now. Some of the most popular songs have dances to match, such as “One Drop”,  “Broad Out” and “Jump”. All these songs are meant for women to gyrate on men and are very sexual in nature. Some females have said that they feel the need to do these dances in order to fit in and be considered fun. Men also say that if a female does not do these dances and participate in the sexual dancing, named “daggering”, she is boring.  A song by a young artist, QQ, named “Ghetto Gyal” explained that females from the ghetto and inner city areas were better dancers and by extension, betters sexual partners than uptown females. After this, many females from uptown areas felt the need to behave more like the women in the ghetto.

            Many young men believe that in order to be accepted and to not be bullied, they have to embrace the lifestyle that many artists sing about. This lifestyle glorifies being a gangster. Many young men feel the need to acquire guns, money and lots of women. Being a “gyallis” means having a lot of women and a lot of young men place their self worth in that. Having more women means that you are more of a man, something that is taught in many songs such as Movado’s “World of Girls”. Violence is something that is taught as well.  Watson (2008) states, “Some dancehall artistes promote violence. This can lead to an increase in criminal activities in Jamaica. Some of these lyrics make it seem acceptable to just hurt or kill someone without showing any remorse”. With lyrics like “we laugh and shot them” by Vybz Kartel and Aidonia, people are taught to devalue human life. A lot of songs speak about killing people who report others wrong doings. Many young men now follow this rule, saying “informer fi dead”. In high schools and in inner city areas, many males get hurt because they have reported wrong doings. When confronted by figures of authority, they feel justified because of the mentality that people who report others should be hurt or killed.

 

Is it a social problem? If yes, how can it be fixed?

 

            Others have said that dancehall is merely imitating the reality of the society already. That is, people are not influenced by dancehall music; the people influence dancehall music.  Since many dancehall artists hail from inner city areas where violence and sexual explicitness is a norm, they say they write what they know and what they have experienced. Also, they give the world an idea of what the inner city is really like and the struggle that they have to go through to get out of the ghetto. Even though some people say that the artists write uplifting lyrics that inspire them to want to leave the ghetto, they agree that they are not influenced by the music because they know that the artists are writing about situations that already exist (Dancehall Demographic Survey, 2015).

            A huge debate is whether or not dancehall music leads to societal problems. Many people say that dancehall has corrupted Jamaica’s youth and there is no helping them. They will grow up accepting the ideas of violence and sexual immorality and teach that to their children and so on. It leads some to wonder if these portrayals confine the culture to an ‘x-rated’ status and limit our perceptions of ourselves (Forbes, 2011). Others believe that dancehall poses no threats to society and is just an art form. Those that believe that dancehall is a problem encourage banning of explicit lyrics and the artists that sing them. Only songs that are free from violent and sexual lyrics should be allowed to be played on the radio and in public spaces so as not to influence the people who would not normally be exposed to the music. Since the incarceration of Vybz Kartel, many people have said that dancehall would not be the same because he was known as the forerunner for the most explicit lyrics. However, he is still able to release music and others have risen up in his place. In order to fully erase the effects of dancehall, more spiritual music needs to take the place of the dancehall. This will help society to become more morally sound and raise standards. Teenagers especially need to be taught the importance of moral values and to resist peer pressure. A lot of persons believe that the church and Christianity can play a major role in erasing dancehall music. By living as children of God, persons will reject the ideas that dancehall gives; therefore the society as a whole will be uplifted. However, some people believe that the effect that dancehall has is uplifting because it encourages people to want to get out of the ghetto. It also raises the consciousness of others to the plight of the inner city people.  This will allow people to understand why the inner city is the way it is and lead to more accepting views of the people instead of shunning them as lesser and low class. If people are made aware of the issues in the ghetto, they are more likely to want to help, and that can assist the society in becoming more unified as a people.

 

Conclusion

 

            Dancehall music is the cause of many debates regarding society. Nobody is able to agree definitely on the effect, if any, that dancehall has. In any case, it has become a defining part of Jamaican culture, with many Jamaicans feeling that it has surpassed reggae music as the major music of the country. Some persons believe that dancehall has a negative effect on the culture and should be banned, while others feel that it provides enlightenment about the inner city and uplifts the people.

 

References

 

Anonymous. (2009, March 2). The origin and culture of dancehall. Retrieved March 16, 2015,         from http://blackmystory.net/the-origin-and-culture-of-dancehall/

 

Evans, C. (2015, January 9). How Dance Hall Music Influences Our Social Culture.

Retrieved  April 4, 2015, from http://jablogz.com/2015/01/how-dance-hall-music-influences-our-social-culture/

 

Forbes, M. (2011, September 20). The Social Impact of Jamaican Popular Music. Retrieved         March 3, 2015, from http://www.marciaforbes.com/content/social-impact-jamaican-        popular-music-0

 

Johnson, P. (2012, March 15). Negative effects dancehall music has on Jamaican youths. Retrieved March 3, 2015, from https://ojaynella.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/negative-          effects-dancehall-music-has-on-jamaican-youths/

 

Martin, N. (2012, February 5). The impact of reggae/dancehall music on Jamaican youths.            Retrieved March 3, 2015, from http://thecaribbeancurrent.com/education-youth/the-            impact-of-reggaedancehall-music-on-jamaican-youths/

 

Romer, M. (n.d.). Dancehall Music 101. Retrieved March 16, 2015, from      http://worldmusic.about.com/od/genres/p/dancehall.htm

 

Watson, J. (2008, April 2). Dance Hall Music and Jamaican Society. Retrieved March 3, 2015,     from http://www.yardflex.com/archives/002444.html