Parallel Universe: Vybz Kartel & Mavado in Daggering Wet Dream Court Drama!!!!!

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News out of Jamaica sees the unthinkable coming to pass. Mavado and Vybz Kartel are on the same side of an argument!!!! Following the unprecedented move by the Jamaican Broadcasting Commission to enforce a blanket ban on sexually or violent songs even if they they have been edited out! The ban inspired by the recent ‘Daggering’ dance craze, has seen Mavado release a song called ‘A So Dem Move’ and Vybz Kartel has released ‘My Music’. Normally, the conversation would have ended with the committing of these lyrics to tape, but not this time! Kartel, real name Adidja Palmer, has taken the fight to the courts to challenge the legality of this ruling. As many artists and indeed Media involved in Reggae/Dancehall have been equally incensed by this move it could turn into the kind of battle that would see the Reggae industry taking on the Broadcasting Commission in a legal wrangle.

As a music, Reggae has had it’s fair share of courtroom battles. There is a saying in Music publishing, “Where there’s a hit there’s a writ” that is more pertinent to Reggae than most other music forms due to the organic nature of its creation. I shan’t bore you with a list right now, but just suffice to say that almost without exception, every Reggae record that has hit the international charts has attracted some form of dispute. These disputes normally take the form of “Ah me write that song’, or ‘ah me buil’ dat riddim!” The closest Reggae has seen to the potential scale of this argument was actually not that long ago.

In 2005 there was an out-of-court settlement involving some 250 Reggae artists and musicians in France of all places. There is a Performance Society in France called ADAMI who are that country’s equivalent of Britain’s PPL. They are responsible for collecting royalties for everyone who plays on a piece of music i.e. session musicians, backing vocalists, etc. Anyway, it was found that ADAMI had not been dispersing royalties to Jamaican musicians. How did this come to light?

Because of a totally unrelated court case which involved a French label who were heavily involved in releasing Reggae compilations. The now Rasta elder, Max Romeo famed for anthems like ‘War Inna Babylon’ and the recently versioned ‘Chi Chi Bud’ was being interviewed whilst on tour in France and opined “that man is a tief”, the label owner took offence and promptly sued said journalist. In the midst of unravelling the case, the journalist’s lawyer realised that Max had never received remuneration from the aforementioned French society and to his amazement, neither had any other Jamaican artist - including wait for it..... The Marley estate!

It was particularly significant for Max because back in 1969, before he was a righteous Rastaman, he scored a massive pop hit with the risqué ‘Wet Dream’, which itself was subject to its own politics being banned by the BBC no less (but that is a whole ‘nother story).

And that my friends is how we find ourselves in a parallel universe that sees Mavado and Vybz Kartel on the same side of a Daggering Wet Dream court Drama.

On This Day.......

1990 – Sanchez was sitting pretty at the top of the UK charts with his rendition of the perennial Gospel classic, ‘Amazing Grace’.

This week’s number one’s around the Reggae world.

‘Bad Man Don’t Cry’ – Shaggy – RETV Reggae, JA

‘Calm Down Yuh Nerves – Bescenta – Jamaica Music Count Down (Reggae) (Pictured)

‘I Can Feel Your Pain’ – Gyptian - New York, USA

‘Love Is Automatic’ – Marcia Griffiths Ft: Busy Signal - Choice FM, London/BBC 1xtra

‘Million By A Mawning’ – Vybz Kartel - Outaroad.com, JA

‘Nah Drop Di Ting’ – Burro Banton – Germany

‘Romping Shop’ – Vybz Kartel & Spice – RETV Danchall, JA/France

‘Start Anew’ – Tarrus Riley – New Style, Birmingham, UK/South Florida, USA

‘Time To Shine’ – Laden - Jamaica Music Count Down (Dancehall)

In De Charts

‘Flying Dagger (100 Stab)’ – Aidonia – Jamaica Music Count Down (Dancehall)

‘Know Yourself’ Lloyd Brown & Peter Spence – New York

‘Mountain Top’ Gappy Ranks – BBC 1xtra, UK

‘Pull Up Your Trousers’ Vivian Jones & Nereus Joseph – New Style, Birmingham

On Air

Fridays – 10pm -12 Midnight – Aston FM 89.1/www.astonfm.com with Chicken George

Saturdays – 7pm – 9pm – www.playvybz.com

Mondays – 6pm – 9pm – Elayne Smith’s Music Industry Show on www.colourfulradio.com (Monthly)

Live:

March

Mar 4^th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s,

London, England

Mar 6^th - Aidonia in Jouy Aux Arches, France

– Bongo Chilli @ West Indian Centre, Leeds, England

Mar 7^th - Aidonia in Mannheim, Germany

Mar 12^th - Aidonia in Berlin, Germmany

Mar 13^th - Aidonia in Milan, Italy

Mar 15^th - Aidonia in Copenhagen, Denmark

– Dennis Bovell/Lloyd Brown/Prezedent @ Jean Adebambo Benefit Concert @ Hackney Empire, London, England (SOLD OUT!!!!)

Mar 21^st - Aidonia in Toulouse, France

Mar 22nd –Prezedent @ In Celebration of my Sisters with Playvybz family @ Hackney Empire

Mar 27^th – Prezedent @ Labadi Nights with P’nP Family, DJ Abrantee, Cheese ‘n’ Bread &

More @ Manjaro Bar, Holloway Rd, London, England

April

Apr 1^st – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s,

London, England

Apr 2^nd Prezedent & DJ Ice @ Funky, @ The Prince Albert, Wolverhampton, England

Apr 11^th – Ding Dong @ Stratford Rex, London, England

Apr 12^th – Prezedent @ The Studio Club, Bedford, England

May

May 2^nd – Lloyd Brown @ Deighton Centre, Huddersfield with Mike Anthony & Kofi

Nereus Joseph & Prezedent @ African Language Fundraiser, Spotty Dog Football Club, Forest Gate, Upton Lane, London, England

May 6^th – Prezedent @ Lovers Rock Lounge with Carroll Thompson & Guests @ Ruby Lo’s,

London, England

September

Sep 19^th – Lloyd Brown, Dennis ‘Matumbi’ Bovell, Sylvia Tella & Prezedent @ The Giants Of

Lovers Rock @ The O2 Indigo2, London, England