TIDES ARE CHANGING

BY STARAPPLE

Over the years when an artiste needed a forward in the Jamaican dancehall sphere all they had to do was bawl out JAH and the crowd would shout RASTAFARI or they would utter some lyrics about ALL WHO NUH LIKE B***YMAN mek mi see you gun hand or ALL WHO NUH LIKE LESBIAN mek mi see you hand or from you know say you nah BOW mek mi see you hand and the crowd who rail furiously. Nowadays it seems the tide is changing.

Now we have female artistes singing about nothing being wrong with engaging in fellatio. Once upon a time that was frowned upon, now you will see men who would otherwise not move in a dance pumping their hands like they just won a race. We even have male deejays, Fudgie Springer anyone, encouraging females to give a polish and shine and women in the dancehall rail up carry on bad like they just heard that they won the lotto. Interesting indeed. Yet when Cecile sang do it do me baby, she was chastised no end. I suppose she was a ‘HEAD' of her time or maybe it is that women don't value themselves that much or our males don't place any value on women except on their dagger ability. I wonder what would happen if Cecile were to sing that song in Jamaica now, check it out on the Coolie Dance Riddim. I could go down the road of hypocrisy regarding the attendees at the dancehall and the selectors since it is a well known fact that many of the male selectors have a grand appetite for the punnany not only for slicing but for biting. That is a whole 'nother topic. Many have been known to devour the 'rending meat' with juices still fresh on their palate before they carry on in the dance, conduct a survey if in doubt.

Many women cry about inequality yet Tanya Stephens must be the only one who from early out who sang about a man goggling. How is it that women jump up and endorse fellatio yet none are deejaying or singing about cunnilingus and the women who go to the dancehall are not requesting this kind of music. Maybe they have been brainwashed by the music.

Now moving happily along to the issue of gays, anyone who attends a dancehall session now will notice that the forwards for shooting up gays are getting less and less and gaining prominence are the number of plucked eyebrows, tight pants, shirt and brief men [even if their rotund paunches resemble a woman 4 months pregnant] who take up the dancing space. Surely, it cannot just be the external pressures from groups like GLAAD even though they would certainly be glad to see how the men who fight for the video light would rival any of their compatriots in a gay parade; actually they would out dress and out dance them any day.

As a matter fact, it could be argued that the music nowadays does not lend itself to bodily socialization of the opposites sexes instead it seems like it encourage men to run out together or women to dance and massage themselves. At least when daggering was in swing, the men would touch the women albeit outrageously so.

Lord, even Shebada's party is the big to do these days with Ragashanti, Milk & Lisa Hyper all making appearances. Maybe we will soon have Rupaul & Wendy Williams as guests on Sting now that would sting wouldn't it.