Dear Editor,
I refer to Leon Suseran’s Letter to the Editor `Radio should revert to the types of music they used to play’ in SN, October 10th, 2014.
Firstly, I beg to differ that the chaotic situation that has befallen our young people today must be blamed on the types of music they listen to. I would also like to make it clear that the TV & Radio Stations should not even be blamed for the type of music young people listen to. With the technology that is readily available on our handsets today, people can download music of all genres and listen to them anytime they so desire. They also have the option of buying CDs or uploading music to the various media devices available worldwide.
Dancehall music is aired on radio stations internationally and songs like “Tight Up Skirt” amongst others are played on stations in the USA, UK, Canada and other first world countries. Dancehall has become a global phenomenon and is major even in Japan, a country of a totally different background from the Caribbean. Why is it an issue if it’s being played in the Caribbean, where it originated?
While some songs might be explicit and lewd, it has no more influence on a person than visual entertainment and even at times, the attitudes of their parents. While Samantha J is singing “Tight Up Skirt” and Vybz Kartel is singing “Gun Session”, movies and videos on the internet are showing them the different styles of tight skirts and even how to rob a bank or hold a village under siege. And even with that articulated, I still do not hold any mode of entertainment solely responsible for the negative societal changes today, especially with the young people. Some parents are very explicit when communicating in front of their children and when this attitude is adapted, they want to blame Rick Ross because of his hit song “… Problems”.
I remember whilst going to school, there was a hit song by the artiste Mad Cobra called “Flex” when he sang “flex… time to have sex…” but I still didn’t go to school and put a girl on the school’s floor and have sex with her neither did anyone of my friends at that time, although that song was loved by us all. With that said Mr. Suseran, I assure you that music has nothing to do with the recent “sex tape” at St. Rose’s.
Whilst growing up, I refrained from any negative activity because I knew if I was involved in anything of that manner, I would’ve received an unforgettable “thrashing” by my parents. The problem now, if you ask me, is the fact that parents today cannot raise their kids the way they were raised. I was raised on a good “ole’ fashion ass whipping” and I’m thankful for that for it has moulded me into the person I am today. Music has been my joy from childhood and today I made a career out of it. It has never influenced me to do something I was taught not to do. When I was advised not to ever smoke by my father, an icon of mine, Bob Marley could not have influenced me to smoke marijuana when he sang about “logwood burning through the night” in his hit song “No Woman, No Cry”.
Underage children today are at all major sporting events, like the Car & Bike Shows you mentioned and they are there at all hours of the night. Really? Do you blame music for having them there? Where are their parents Mr. Suseran? Don’t they know that their children are not at home? I guess their mothers & fathers names are all “Music” because music is the reason they are out of their houses at those hours.
Mr. Suseran, I understand that you are in a state of confusion as to where our society is heading, but please do not put the blame on music or any radio station. I believe what is instilled in the younger generation by their parents is what matters and because children know that they can’t get a good “cutass” from their parents or teachers because the Police and twelve different Ministries will step in, they do as they please.
Yours faithfully,
Dauren Deonarine
(DJ Dauren)