Your Eyewitness is writing this on the anniversary of our prophet of emancipation, Walter Rodney’s assassination on June 13, 1980. The Jamaican Government had banned him 12 years before in 1968 ‘cause they feared his groundings with the poor and the Rastas of Jamaica might stir them up to rebellion. His ban did precipitate riots in the Kingston slums even as another prophet, Bob Marley was still in his “Rock-Steady” phase with the Wailers. But Brother Bob’s awakening of consciousness out of the Rasta epiphany did move him to Reggae and he’d release his “Get Up, Stand up” at the same time Rodney was assassinated.
But sadly, just as those who’ve betrayed Rodney’s political legacy arising out of his cultural awareness are prostituting his name here, in Jamaica’s music, the same abasement has taken place with Marley’s profound legacy. We were exposed to Skeng, the new star of Dancehall – which replaced Reggae – last week at the now infamous Badderation Concert. One can get an idea of the distance travelled – and the direction – by comparing Marley’s lyrics in “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery” with Skeng’s biggest hit, “Gvnman Shift”:
“Intellectual murda people edition/ Cock and fyah full a gun like Remington/ Fully charge up eager fi kill a man/ Ratty gang fimi gang p–sy run up if yuh bad/ Kryptonite caah mi nuh duh di muscle fight/ Inna di miggle a di night wi mek di place get noisy”!! Yup!!!
So, after Minister Benn effectively banned Skeng from Guyana after the shoot-up at the National Park – which sent even Skeng ducking for cover – your Eyewitness decided to suss out Skeng. Well, as a teenager named Kevon Douglas, he went through four high schools because of what he calls “circumstances”: “In third form, I became a little rebellious and wanting to do things my way, I landed myself in a lot of trouble”!! After finally graduating because of parental pressure, he thought of becoming a Journalist!! But thought it involved too much talking!! So voila!! Dancehall singing!!
He was so successful that in just three weeks “Gvnman Shift” amassed over 2,000,000 views on YouTube. In fact, two Jamaican Policewomen faced disciplinary action for a TikTok video that went viral with them lip-syncing to the hard-core tune in uniforms and rifles!! Said Skeng’s manager, “A just the natural love weh di two female dem have fi di song dem a display. But if the law set a certain rule for you to carry out as an officer, yuh haffi do that, worst dem inna dem uniform.”
So, the misogynic and violent lyrics are OK? Rodney and Marley must be spinning in their graves.
…with PNC and AFC?
Ramjattan pipped David Patterson for AFC leader. But wasn’t that post supposed to be swinging between an Indian and an African to signal AFC’s “multiracial” credentials that no one race “deh pan tap”?? Or was the logic of remaining in a coalition with a PNC that needs Indian votes to get a majority to take power the clinching argument?? In any case, it was decided (spinning a bottle?) that at least up to December, the AFC will remain yoked.
So, we can now expect the horse trading to begin. As so many PNCites have been demanding, Norton’s gonna have to ask, “Why should the AFC get 9 seats when they barely brought in a single seat??” And Ramjattan – who did go to law school – will simper, “Well, you gotta consider the value of that seat not just by the number of votes – but by what the KIND of votes we brought in – signify!!”
“Them there’s the hope of the winning votes!!”
…at New Thriving?
So, your Eyewitness wants to know what are the qualifications of the owners of his favourite Chinese restaurant, New Thriving, in the field of quarrying?
Picking out the stones from the “raw rice” to prepare Broomes’ Fried Rice??
