Dancehall singer Sean Paul known for popular hit songs such as “Temperature” and “Gimme the Light”, a multi-platinum Grammy Award winner, is once again encouraging “Trinibad” musicians to balance their music rather than concentrating solely on the unpleasant aspects of it.
When questioned about the predicament of Trinibad artist Kashif “Kman 6ixx” Sankar—who has been barred from performing in Grenada, Guyana, and multiple regional territories—after escaping a fatal drive-by shooting on a highway while returning to Trinidad and Tobago from a performance in neighboring Barbados, he made the statement. Sankar was lately accused of having gang affiliations as well.
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During the COVID-19 epidemic, Sean Paul had counseled Trinibad actors to “balance their catalog with positive messages.”
He was questioned once more on the circumstances and any guidance he might provide to artists in that scenario after meeting with the co-founder of the conference and Jamaican publicist Judith Bodley one-on-one at the Island Music Conference on Saturday.
Says he: “People will do what dem want to do. You cyan lead the horse to the water, but you cyan make dem drink it, yuh see …
“Me cyan only tell yuh de truth wey me know. Writing and singing and speaking about violence brings it into your life more so, that’s all I can say. He must weigh him life and the people around him and his family and know there’s steps that he can take—where he has opportunities and doors open to him now—me na tell him fi sell out—he afi do what is true to him, but at the same point in time, well if we are gonna be artistes that reflect life, reflect some ah the light too cause everything that is dark is not the whole truth. There is always light as well and we should speak about that as well as artists.”
Sean Paul expressed gratitude and admiration for the people of Trinidad and Tobago for their support of dancehall and reggae music and culture, and he expressed his want to visit the nation again soon. He mentioned having delegates for the T&T Carnival 2024 lately.
“My wife came down for the Carnival just the other day, so I sent representatives, but ah doh reach yet and she bring back couple doubles fi me so I was satisfied ah lickle bit, but ah wan come thru. It’s always been a territory that has supported reggae and dancehall … and my music especially too, so big up Trinidad and we soon forward.”
Attendees of the second iteration of the five-day Island Music Conference, which was hosted by Grammy Award-winning and diamond-selling superstar Orville “Shaggy” Burrell along with co-founders Sharon Burke and Judith Bodley, gathered in Kingston, Jamaica, last week. The conference brought together a large number of celebrities from the Caribbean and even as far away as Zimbabwe.
In addition to a number of showcase and performance events each night, including the release of Teejay’s new EP, I Am Chippy, and an interesting concert with up-and-coming young acts alongside local and international stars like Wyclef Jean, Stonebwoy, Yohann Marley, and others, the seminar featured educational and engaging panel discussions every day.
