- FileTanya Stevens.
Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter
ON THE hip-hop scene, spotting rappers with bodyguards is like sighting a fat man in a fast food joint - a rather regular occurrence. However, it does not seem to be that way on the local entertainment scene, which usually imitates our North American counterparts. Rappers have bodyguards to protect them, their 'bling bling' and expensive cars from the thugs that would 'hit 'em up' if given a half of a chance to do so. They also serve as buffers against those fans who live a few blocks away from 'Fanaticville'.
While Jamaica is not blessed or cursed with as many fanatics as North American and Europe, sadly, the land of wood and water is not the safest place on the planet be it night or day.
In light of this, some of Jamaica's top entertainers have seen the need to 'draw fi a bodyguard'. At the 2001 staging of Bling Dawg's 'Summer Jam', two of Jamaica's top-notch entertainers, who at the time had renewed their ongoing rivalry, were seen with their bodyguards.
One performer went for a physically imposing individual, who appeared to be 'strapped', while the other deejay went for two not so well-built persons who toted large weapons which proved troublesome to conceal. Both artistes came on-stage with their security detail leading the way.
However not every artiste sees the need to be protected from anti-social elements. Singer Jana Bent is numbered among the entertainers who do not see the need to be shielded by hired help. "I don't need one and I don't know any artistes who feel threatened to the point that they need one, but I don't know the reality of other artistes out there and what they face on a day-to-day basis," she said.
Ms. Bent added that she believes there is a fundamental difference in the behavioural patterns of North American and Jamaican fans. She said that for the average American fan, seeing an act face to face is a novelty. This, she said, is due largely to the size of the population and the reclusive lives that superstars live.
This viewpoint can be justified if a population comparison is to be drawn between Jamaica and the USA. Two million, six hundred thousand does seem a bit anorexic beside 260,000,000. "Jamaican fans are not in awe over artistes. It's not uncommon for Jamaican fans to buck up artistes on a daily basis, so the fanfare is limited," reasoned Jana, who does not see the need for a security detail of her own in the near future.
However, Jana's belief was rebutted by Damion 'Baby Cham' Beckett. He told The Sunday Gleaner that in this day and age having a bodyguard is a necessity. "I believe that every artiste, as long as they can afford it, should have bodyguards," he said. The cost factor was pointed out by most of the interviewees as the main reason why more Jamaican artistes do not utilise bodyguards.
The few entertainers that have bodyguards do not hang out an advertisement. Baby Cham said that it is not easy to identify the bodyguards when they are in public, because of the manner in which they conduct themselves. Nevertheless, he said that they are around and all of the top acts on the island have them in their personal entourages.
Cham noted that an artiste does not acquire a bodyguard because of fear; it is more a matter of wisdom. "When yuh inna crowd you cyaan see everything, so yuh affi have somebody a prips fi yuh," he said. It is an open secret that often local artistes get robbed and 'bad up' when they are overseas. Therefore, when artistes go on tour, next to their pay, bodyguards are usually the second most important aspect of their contracts, since they will not perform without both. When the artistes are doing spot dates, promoters of the shows usually supply the security detail. However that does not prohibit the artistes from bringing along their personal security. Employing one's own security detail nullifies the false sense of protection that a lot of people fall prey to, says Cham. Even the non-secular deejays believe that acquiring a bodyguard is a healthy move in this chess game called life. Gospel deejay Prodigal Son said that while he is in Jamaica, the need for armed security is not that great, since most of his performances are done in churches. On the other hand, he thinks that approaching shows abroad in with the same mindset might result in a checkmate because it is unfamiliar territory and the elements are unknown. "When I go abroad I have bodyguards. Sometimes I have two or four trained securities that come with the contract," he noted.
Dancehall's leading diva, Marion 'Lady Saw' Hall, told The Sunday Gleaner that in light of the present atmosphere she understands why an entertainer would resort to such measures, but she prefers not to take that route. "I for one don't think I need it, because it makes me feel uncomfortable and furthermore I don't have no enemies - unless people waan hurt me fi nutten," reasoned the versatile Saw.
The law keepers of the land do not have a problem with local artistes or even visitors to the island acquiring additional protection other than what is provided by the state. However, Superintendent James A. Forbes, director of the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), warns that anyone (entertainers are not exempt) who is held in the company of persons with illegal firearms as a form of added protection will not escape the full brunt of the law. While he is always with his clique made up of 'frenz from off the di endz', Baby Cham says he will never do time for promoting anything illegal. "Whenever me touch in the street me have the whole of Sherlock with me and dem a watch me headback, but me nah inveigle nuh illegal firearm bearing, so me have mi legal bodyguard," he said.
According to Cham, sometimes being an armed guard is not a 9 to 5 job as, at times the hours they are required to work are comparable to a doctor's job but that is expected if their services are as costly as is said. "Yuh affi follow the leading of the spirit, so you have a time when a 24 hours dem work; from you step out pon di road dem around, but majority of the time they are just at the shows," stated Cham. While bodyguards may be a plus on the safety side of things, they come with the risk of messing up the entertainer to fan relationship, with their hard-nosed defense tactics. To avoid such a scenario, Baby Cham pointed out that he briefs his security detail on how to interact with the fans, as at the end of the day the fans are of paramount importance.
"Ah nuh like dem a bar and shun none ah we fans, because we clear that up from the get-go, but they are there to ensure our safety," he said.
