Much has been said about the controversial, former, Gaza Head, Vybz Kartel, good or bad and though incarcerated, this artiste is still the most influential among young Dancehall fans in Jamaica which make up a large percentage of young adults, teens and kids. Kartel is loved not only for his antics, crazy stuff and controversial publicity stunts but also for his creativity and keen sense of presenting to his fans not just what they want but also what he thinks they will like, thus far he has not failed. But giving fans what they like does not stop with his lyrics, style and topics. Now behind bars, we have been witnessing the emergence of some of his Gaza students, taking center stage in Dancehall.
Already a few Gaza artistes have stamped their names in the industry, but since Kartel has been in lock up, all eyes turned to his young protege Popcaan who quickly rose to stardom. Interestingly, Tammy Lee since recently is hot on the heels of Pappy, some believe he’s about to claim his fame. We also see Doza Medicine launch out to get a piece of the pie and have heard of a few others that are poised for stardom. These artistes are different. They sound different, rap different and represent the evolution that Vybz Kartel is to Dancehall. This writer’s argument is not meant to disrespect any other Dancehall superstar. Dancehall icons like Bounty Killer, Shabba Ranks, Beenie Man to name a few did it in their time and gets kudos for remaining relevant to the industry now. Sean Paul, Beenie Man, Mavado I believe are different because they would be classified as Singjays and not, Deejay or Rapper and therefore would not (in my view) fall in this category. Importantly to note is the fact that as singjays, they have crossed over to audiences Vybz Kartel has not. History will remember Bounty Killer for maintaining his image throughout his career; he continues to command and get, musical respect throughout the industry. Some might not agree with the stance he takes but if you stand for nothing you fall for anything, Bounty Killa is Bounty Killa.
Among young adults and teenagers in Jamaica, the uniqueness, style and attitude of the now rising Gaza artistes are exciting. They continue to upheld that difference that Vybz Kartel brought to the industry. Slangs are known to be one of the most effective tools a Dancehall star has, blended with image, attitude and creativity. Vybz Kartel’s ability to effectively wrap his lyrics around any riddim is un-matched. Dancehall requires that, its trendy, hype or swag and this is what these artistes brings.
Doza Medicine has now come out, he said the Teacha, labeled him as his “A Student.” Doza’s Pretty Lil Thing music video and song enjoys airtime locally on both tv/cable and radio channels. Doza Medicine, Popcaan and Tammy Lee are known to be ‘good friends’ on the Gaza. Popcaan and Tammy Lee have made their mark, let’s see what Doza’s got. The clock is ticking, with Kartel away for so long it will be drought for many artistes if he returns soon enough. Dancehall is once again exciting, major events such as Fullyloaded, Reggae Sumfest and STING are expected to settle all concerns. Jamaica celebrates 50 years of independence, Reggae is the music people world over listens, Reggae and its offspring Dancehall is Trending Now!
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