(Trinidad Express) Recent incidents of violence against Trinibad artistes have lowered morale in the industry and affected those using the art form as a way to better their lives.
This is according to several artistes and managers who spoke with the Sunday Express expressing concern over the spate of violence in the industry.
Trinibad is the name given to the local version of Jamaican dancehall music. It is widely considered to be “gunman music” as it often features lyrics and imagery of criminal and gang lifestyles.
From July 2020 to now, several Trinibad artistes have been killed and attempts made on the lives of others.
This includes N’Kosi “Fari Dan” Bovell, Carlton “CJ Dan” Campbell, “Daniel Mad Dog” Hamilton, Keenan “Craigman” Craig and Kyle “Rebel Sixx” George who were all killed in separate incidents between July 2020 and August of this year.
In 2021, Josiah “Siah Boss” McClatchie and Jaheim “Chucky Blanco” Joseph were killed by police in separate incidents.
Earlier this month, 25-year-old Bridget James was killed by bullets intended for her boyfriend, Trinibad artiste Kalonji Arthur, after gunmen opened fire on the couple in the parking lot of The BRIX hotel in Cascade.
And just last week gunmen opened fire on the Carenage home of Trinibad artiste Tyrell Swan, popularly known as Prince Swanny. Swan, who reportedly lives in United States, was not at the location at the time of the incident.
Delicia Patterson, owner of DiMedia, which manages the careers of several Trinibad artistes, said the incidents have shaken the industry.
“It has cast a very sombre mood throughout the Trinibad movement,” she noted, saying people are now fearful to work with Trinibad artistes, most of whom have no connection to the kind of lifestyle they sing about.
“It has a lot of promoters despondent. They want to support the youths, but they are afraid of what might take place if they decide to book certain artistes.
“The crime and criminal activity surrounding certain parts of the Trinibad movement just has everybody cautious and wary to do any kind of business at all,” she said.
Addressing criticism of the lyrics of the music, she said the music is not to be taken literally and is simply a form of expression.
“When someone comes from a certain environment and they want to express themselves through music, they may pull from those experiences in their environment,” she said.
She said music, to some, is a way to escape the same types of environments they are singing about. Other talented artistes may take the wrong route, she said.
“It takes a lot of income to advance in the music industry…some artistes might turn to persons who are willing to invest in them and those persons may not necessarily have their best interests at heart.
“It is no secret that some, not all, some of the artistes choose to align themselves with certain things because, in their minds, they may think that’s what they need to do to get fame.
“We need to have programmes for youth with musical talent to learn how to properly go about having a career in music and guide them accordingly.”
