From left: Professor Sonjah Stanley Niaah, panel chair; IMC co-founder Shaggy; Irie FM’s Nicholas Evans; artiste supervisor and promoter Heavy D; and selector Ricky Trooper take part in a dialogue on conflict tradition at Island Music Convention at Courtleigh Auditorium on Wednesday. (Photograph: Garfield Robinson)
Lamenting that Jamaica’s once-vibrant conflict tradition is slowly turning into defunct, music pundits dished out key recommendation they consider may usher in its renaissance.
The dialogue, which passed off at Island Music Convention (IMC)2025 on at Courtleigh Auditorium on Wednesday, struck a number of nerves as panellists outlined that the tradition, birthed in Jamaica, is now extra alive in different components of the world.
“The worldwide house has been influenced by conflict tradition. How many people have been being attentive to the disagreement between Drake and Kendrick and the way now we have additionally impressed others?… Individuals like David Rodigan, who’s globally generally known as a conflict deejay…” stated Professor Sonjah Stanley-Niaah as she directed the dialogue. “In case you take a look at Jamaica at the moment, there aren’t many clashes, and even when you consider Sting, in 2024, it was cancelled. We don’t have many exhibits that show this sort of conflict tradition any extra.”
Stanley-Niaah shared that there are nonetheless many music fans at the moment who wish to witness the conflict tradition and even add to its wealthy historical past however would not have the platforms to take action.
“Clashes are taking place far and wide. Purple Bull Tradition Conflict is occurring on the highest business degree. So how will we revive that in Jamaica,” she questioned. “There are selectors, potential artistes who would wish to be part of that aesthetic or that mode of efficiency however there is no such thing as a coaching floor to expertise that aside from saying, ‘Let me return and watch a video of Sting on-line.’ Some precious issues got here out of clashing. The expertise and the power to hone that expertise. With the ability to reply with lyrics on the spot as an entertainer was a talent; one which made you a greater performer.”
Chairman of the IMC Orville “Shaggy” Burrell, who was additionally a panellist, shared related views. He expressed that having gained reputation by way of the underground conflict tradition in New York Metropolis, he is aware of all too properly the significance of clashes in cementing one’s profession.
“I believe what conflict does in any style, or any tradition the place there may be competitors, is that it pushes you to rise to the event and be at your greatest. It does properly to maneuver ahead in your profession if there may be competitors. You’re going to be at your highest potential,” he stated. “Conflict tradition as an artiste, and as a folks, makes us attempt to be at our greatest.”
Veteran music selector Ricky Trooper shared that has travelled the world and had his come up by way of the custom of sound system clashes. He believes extra must be accomplished to protect the tradition regionally.
“The conflict business, even inna di sound system tradition, it a one a di largest phenomenon on the market. In locations over Europe, in Japan, England, and it a go proper chu; it by no means stops. The one place clashing nah gwaan a Jamaica,” he lamented, outlining that at the moment’s crop of artistes have shunned the observe.
“The artistes and the sound programs in Jamaica are cowards. Dem want fi know say any time our music have clashed a gwaan it extra vibrant on the worldwide stage. However a lot of the artistes these days are cowards. Dem nuh courageous like a Ninja Man or a Tremendous Cat who, inna dem days deh, simply nuh care dem in the past go pan a stage and simply deliver it,” the selector charged.
Heavy D, one of many promoters for Sting, agreed. He added that, whereas lots of the new artistes could embrace a cowardice angle, the music can also be lacking instigators, who’re essential to fire up the artistes.
“Loads of these younger artistes don’t wish to conflict, however you need to deliver it to them typically. You need to instigate it and encourage them to do songs towards one another, as a result of that’s how clashes begin,” he stated. “We have now to go to the youthful ones and put it to them. I’ve Malie Don and I’ve Pablo YG, and in 2022 I am going to every a dem and say you sing a tune towards the opposite. Dem by no means haven’t any beef, however we simply began it and it work. There needs to be some type of instigation as a result of that is part of the music and the tradition.”
Dubbing conflict tradition a world phenomenon, Heavy D stated many worldwide artistes are fascinated by the historical past and shared that it continues to be an integral a part of the nation’s musical improvement.
“P Diddy got here to Jamaica as a result of he wished to see this entire conflict factor dwell. A lot of the worldwide artistes, Nicki Minaj, all a dem, they may inform you dat dem watch Sting clashes on a regular basis. It is very important our improvement and our music,” he stated.
