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(The following is part of Jamaica's Safer Sex Week Blogathon)
The Jamaican entertainment fraternity is now abuzz with discussions on whether the Jamaica Broadcasting Commission's decision to ban all sexually explicit songs from the airwaves, was prudent or just plain discriminatory. These sexually explicit songs, more commonly known in the Jamaican Dancehall sphere as " Daggering Songs", were banned from the airwaves on Friday, February 6, 2009, with official sanctions to be imposed on any media house that refuse to conform to the dictates of the Commision's pronouncements. Daggering songs essentially feature expresssions with highly potent sexual content and accompanying dance moves that entail a male and a female dancing in various positions fit for any Karma Sutra manual. While some persons view this move as an attack on Dancehall Music (a popular genre of music in Jamaica), it is evident that such songs have evoked the ire of many concerned citizens who view these songs as a major influence on young people's decision to partake in risky sexual behaviour.
This week is Safer Sex Week in Jamaica and as various youth led and youth serving organisations proceed to promote safer sexual practices among young people, we are happy to acknowledge this small victory awarded to us by the Broadcasting Commission, given our struggle to counter the myriad of elements contributing to young persons' acute inclination to partake in risky sexual behaviour. In Jamaica, music happens to be the most potent medium of disseminating a message across a wide cross-section of persons. Over the years, lax regulation and monitoring of media output have seen songs being featured over our airwaves with such messages doing more damage than good to the lives of young persons. Artistes have been producing this calibre of music with the belief that they are responding to a demand for what young persons really want to hear. But what they fail to realise is just how potent an influence they have on the minds of young people. In Jamaica, anything frequently featured in popular songs become dictums that people start to live by. Jamaicans are highly homophobic and they consign the number two to homosexual behaviour, soon songs started to hint a refusal to even say the word two and eventually we hear young people bashing anyone who says the word two. Another case in point feature songs glorfying the mentality that "man fi have nuff gyal"...men should have multiple sex partners. Today you rarely find men, especially young men, having one sexual partner and a refusal to endorse this lifestyle will easily result in that young man being ostracised by friends for being a "one burner".
With this great an influence on the minds of young people, i think artistes should capitalise on the opportunity to inject messages promoting safer sexual practices into their music especially in light of the proliferation of HIV/AIDS and other STIs among young people. With their voice added to the existent efforts to expunge this plague from humanity, their messages are sure to not land on the proverbial stony ground. One student at my university even suggested that while airing their views on sex and the particulars thereof, that they add messages about condom usage and the importance of proceeding safely where sex is concerned. I think this is an excellent idea.
I would love to hear more songs that talked about safe, consentual sex. That would be awesome. Maybe we can get Nobles to hooks us up with that sometime in the future. I would also like to hear more feminist music out and around, cause lets not lie, it's a big deal.
Censorship is never, ever the answer.
You forget to mention that sometimes, men who refuse to subscribe to the multiple sex partner mentality are often ostracised and even considered gay.
I agree with Brad, censorship is never the answer. I believe that for us to blame music, particularly dancehall music in our Jamaican space as the cause for rampant sex - even worse risky sexual behaviours is not warranted.
I continue to say music is an artform in which we are allowed to express ourselves freely. As I shared with someone yesterday: There are lots of ARTISTS who paint naked people, why do we ban their paintings? Why dont we destroy the statute at emancipation park?
Jamaica continues to be a hypocritical society, where the blame for social ills is always pointed on marginalised people.
If the Government and the advocates for banning of these songs would be so passionate and champion the cause for comprehensive sex education - we would see a turn around in our society.
Most youth leaders I know listen to these daggering songs. I happen to love them! They are just beautifully constructed, especially the ramping shop! :) And I am no different from those who thinks this music is affecting our society negatively.
If we are going to ban this music, and continue to hide our young people from reality we will continue to cruise in the opposite direction of development. Let us expose our young people to the harsh realities of the world, and empower them to think critically about what is good and bad!
I think that your idea that musicians should promote HIV/AIDS awareness and STI prevention is a great one. If they would do that is another matter...let's hope for it!