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Sizzla and Bounty KillerDeon P. Green, Freelance Writer
LONDON, ENGLAND:
Jamaicans in the predominantly black neighbourhood of Harlesden, London, have turned to entertainment as a way to address some of the social problems in the community.
Illegal drugs and guns have become a trigger for violence in this area of north west London which has a strong Jamaican presence. A month ago, an 11-year-old boy was placed in institutional care after his first court appearance. The child is alleged to have stabbed a 15-year-old Somali boy to death during an argument about a football game.
Residents, including a contingent of Jamaicans, have got together to provide a channel for the creativity and energy of neighbourhood youngsters.
On Good Friday, the community held its first youth talent show, and the neighbourhood turned out. Babies in strollers, old people in wheelchairs, their children and grandchildren packed the community hall in Bridge Park, Stonebridge, Harlesden.
On the stage, it was talent after talent of musical items, dancing, DJs, rapping and poetry, many focusing on positive themes, particularly dispelling the use of drugs and guns among teenage boys. Among the top performers was Pricilla, an 18-year-old, who took the stage chanting poetry, echoing, 'blam, blam, inna you head, you body full a lead, de boy drop dead...' you have a brother and a sister, Remember you use to cool out wid you family, what bout de side of you that was kind and God-fearing, At 23 you dead, you body full a lead, mi na cry because you should a dey yah '.
The showcase was organised by Brent Education and Recreation Services (B.E.A.R.S) under the theme, Widening Horizon for Young People - Youth Challenge. The chairman of the organisation, Kingston-born Patrick Lewis, said using entertainment was a deliberate strategy to point the young people in the right direction. "It is like this, if you want to catch fish you have to put bait in the water," he said. "A lot of these youngsters have talent and we have to provide the right bait, the entertainment is the bait."
He added that musical talent was abundant in the community and that young had participated in the initiative on the own accord. This, he said, had also allowed his organisation the opportunity to address other concerns such as employment, housing and education. "We are now in a better position to address the real cause of the problems associated with violence, we believe in international linkage, we are even focusing some attention in Jamaica," he said.
As it relates to the Jamaican connection, B.E.A.R.S is funding a project at Sommerton All Age school in Montego Bay, St. James. Mr. Lewis said the organisation has received 250,000 pounds from the British Government, allowing it to fund various projects -- setting up a computer laboratory at Sommerton School All Age and addressing the cultural problems in Harlesden.
The man directly in charge of last weekend's showcase, Gavin Williamson, another Jamaican, said the Good Friday show was only one aspect of the seven-week project in Harlesden.
The idea is to get the young people, 15 to 25, off the streets and guide them to a more positive future, by unearthing and exposing their talent.
Commercial-free reggae show
In earlier reports I mentioned that the plans to take the BBC's Chris Goldfinger commercial-free reggae show to Jamaica, which should have been aired live to an audience of more than two and a half million people who listen to the show in the United Kingdom. However, the show which linked up with Fame FM was not heard in the UK as expected two Saturday nights ago, due to programming changes at the BBC, due to the death of the Queen mother.
From his base in St. Catherine, Goldfinger said the show was a success and was recorded for broadcast. He also told The Sunday Gleaner that the BBC would be back in Jamaica, possibly for Independence celebrations in early August. Plans are also in place for live broadcast of 'Sting 2002' 0n December 26 to the UK audience.
Speaking more about the connection, the Jamaican born Goldfinger, only black disc jockey at the BBC, said "we played a lot of new tunes, which have been impacting positively here in Jamaica.
Top 10 on BBC chart
The top 10 on the BBC reggae chart here at the end of the week are:
1. Bombing
- Elephant Man
2. Karate - Sizzla
3. Living - Bling Dawg & Elephant Man
4. What Dat Fah - Baby Cham
5. Suffer - Bounty Killer
6. Ruffest - General Degree
7. Bad Man A Bad Man - Elephant Man
8. Bun Out Di Chi Chi - Capleton
9. Badness - Capleton
10. Over Come - Wayne Marshall
For your reaction as well as any happenings e-mail Deon Green at: greenyranks@yahoo.com
