Post by kaya on Sept 14, 2005 1:04:28 GMT -5
Assassin trashes clashes
By Basil Walters Observer staff reporter
Monday, February 26, 2007
One of dancehall's leading voices at this time, Assassin, has hit out against the ongoing trend of feuding among dancehall artistes.
Interestingly enough, the high-riding lyrics master, who earned his moniker from his ability to lyrically assassinate (defeat) competitors during his rise to stardom, feels that as it is today, clashes does not advance the artiste and are having a negative effect on the music overall.
Dancehall deejay Assassin says clashes have become too crude and violent.
"Clash, as it relates to nowadays' (trend), is a negative thing,"
Assassin said. "Because the bredren dem start talk bout dem mother and mi really cyaan balance dat."
Assassin was the latest guest speaker at the Reggae Studies Unit lecture series at the New Education Lecture Theatre (NELT) at the UWI Mona on Friday.
Admitting that there is a place in music for friendly rivalry, the former Camperdown student, born Jeffery Campbell, explained: "I'm saying if it was just about the music, fine. I don't have no argument with what me call constructive competition. But when it's going to be about bringing down a next man and going to start involve all manner of things and people mother and family, that's not music.
That is nothing but tripe dem de pon. When I was in high school, music was about music. And it was innocent enough for you to be able to beat the desk and know sey you and you bredren a goh at it lyrically and when it dun, you and him a goh tek di bus go home and oonu a goh hol' a vibes same way and everything criss. Tomorrow mawnin'', you nah goh try do him nutten and none ah him bredren dem nah goh try do you nutten. It was just about music."
Added he, "But now, too much tings involved. Everyday you see it inna de paper, gun dis and gun dat. I don't see how that can help to perpetuate any growth for the industry. As a matter of fact, we are taking a step backward when we go at each other like dat."
However, he does not support the argument that it is the music of dancehall that is responsible for the problem of crime and violence.
"This is an age-old debate, yuh nuh. I remember in high school, the biggest thing when the man dem decide sey dem a goh ban couple Bounty Killa tune because dis an dat. I think it's irresponsible for society to try point the finger on sup'm like music. a joke ting dat. Music is an art, and artforms are reflections of what is happening. If you live in a society of a violent nature, then music a goh reflect dat.
"Let mi explain it from this angle. When you putting a song together, you have a better chance at a successful song if people can relate to the song. if you sing bout gun dis, gun dat an ray, and people cannot identify with it, then nobody will respond to it. And the fact that you can have songs of this nature give you the type of response, is because it is not the reason for the problem, it is just highlighting the fact that it is there. And as I say, it is irresponsible for us to think that music is the cause of these problems."
After a question-and-answer session during which he stoutly defended dancehall music against the charge that it was precipitating violence in the society, Assassin put the lid on the discussion with a lively performance of some of his hits, like Bad Mind People, Good Over Evil and Anywhere We Go.
His second album on the VP label, titled Gully Sitten, is due to drop later this year. He just finished a three-month tour with the Gargamel, Buju Banton, as well as a European tour as the headliner.
Taken from the Jamaica Observer
www.jamaicaobserver.com
By Basil Walters Observer staff reporter
Monday, February 26, 2007
One of dancehall's leading voices at this time, Assassin, has hit out against the ongoing trend of feuding among dancehall artistes.
Interestingly enough, the high-riding lyrics master, who earned his moniker from his ability to lyrically assassinate (defeat) competitors during his rise to stardom, feels that as it is today, clashes does not advance the artiste and are having a negative effect on the music overall.
Dancehall deejay Assassin says clashes have become too crude and violent.
"Clash, as it relates to nowadays' (trend), is a negative thing,"
Assassin said. "Because the bredren dem start talk bout dem mother and mi really cyaan balance dat."
Assassin was the latest guest speaker at the Reggae Studies Unit lecture series at the New Education Lecture Theatre (NELT) at the UWI Mona on Friday.
Admitting that there is a place in music for friendly rivalry, the former Camperdown student, born Jeffery Campbell, explained: "I'm saying if it was just about the music, fine. I don't have no argument with what me call constructive competition. But when it's going to be about bringing down a next man and going to start involve all manner of things and people mother and family, that's not music.
That is nothing but tripe dem de pon. When I was in high school, music was about music. And it was innocent enough for you to be able to beat the desk and know sey you and you bredren a goh at it lyrically and when it dun, you and him a goh tek di bus go home and oonu a goh hol' a vibes same way and everything criss. Tomorrow mawnin'', you nah goh try do him nutten and none ah him bredren dem nah goh try do you nutten. It was just about music."
Added he, "But now, too much tings involved. Everyday you see it inna de paper, gun dis and gun dat. I don't see how that can help to perpetuate any growth for the industry. As a matter of fact, we are taking a step backward when we go at each other like dat."
However, he does not support the argument that it is the music of dancehall that is responsible for the problem of crime and violence.
"This is an age-old debate, yuh nuh. I remember in high school, the biggest thing when the man dem decide sey dem a goh ban couple Bounty Killa tune because dis an dat. I think it's irresponsible for society to try point the finger on sup'm like music. a joke ting dat. Music is an art, and artforms are reflections of what is happening. If you live in a society of a violent nature, then music a goh reflect dat.
"Let mi explain it from this angle. When you putting a song together, you have a better chance at a successful song if people can relate to the song. if you sing bout gun dis, gun dat an ray, and people cannot identify with it, then nobody will respond to it. And the fact that you can have songs of this nature give you the type of response, is because it is not the reason for the problem, it is just highlighting the fact that it is there. And as I say, it is irresponsible for us to think that music is the cause of these problems."
After a question-and-answer session during which he stoutly defended dancehall music against the charge that it was precipitating violence in the society, Assassin put the lid on the discussion with a lively performance of some of his hits, like Bad Mind People, Good Over Evil and Anywhere We Go.
His second album on the VP label, titled Gully Sitten, is due to drop later this year. He just finished a three-month tour with the Gargamel, Buju Banton, as well as a European tour as the headliner.
Taken from the Jamaica Observer
www.jamaicaobserver.com