Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter
THE DEEJAY gospel scene is akin to a post office - almost all 'male'. Danny Brownie, former secular producer who has accepted the Christian faith, says knows of only two female deejays Michelle Harrison-Timol better known as Shelly Thunder and Lady Junie. It is noteworthy that both were once secular acts.
"You can count the female deejays on one hand and the ones that are there are around for years," said Brownie, who was quick to highlight that this shortage is not exclusive to reggae gospel, but is reflected in its secular predecessor.
Mr. Brownie pointed out that he did spot a few fresh female acts showcasing their talent at the gospel night-club, Prayz House.
Goddy Goddy, one of the pioneers of 'Operation Acceptance of Reggae Gospel', said the female troops are present, but because of the naysayers that presence is not being felt.
"Bonify, me feel that they are there but I feel that the intimidation of the traditional people kind of drive a fear in them, because even we as male gospel deejays if we don't stand up strong we would get intimidated," Goddy Goddy said emphatically.
Goddy Goddy added that he does not believe that the more sensitive gender can handle that sort of pressure.
Deejay Gallimore, who was making the 'trod' with Goddy Goddy, concurred. However, he sees a better day by and by, but the female deejay harvest is just not ripe as yet.
"It takes time, cause right now we ah get a lot of persecution, so for a female to come now and survive she affi have a strong backbone. I have seen female deejays, but them nuh bus weh yet but it's coming, it is going to happen," said Gallimore confidently.
Still, Brownie kept his counsel: "I can't make that prediction. You see the deejaying style is so aggressive and very hard in their language and women tend to be more modest in their approach, which is probably one of the reasons why there are not a lot of females involved," he said.
Brownie said that it is the same reason why rap music, much like the dancehall genre, does not have much female output.
"Deejays tell you as it is, saying it plainly without fear of condemnation and because of the double standard that exists, some people might find it offensive and see them (females) in a different way. It's just like the song says, 'girls can't do what the guys do and still be a lady'," he said.
The ladies had their say through Shelly Thunder. She opened with a 'kuff', as she made it crystal clear that the ladies are not being paid their due.
"It's the same story as in secular music. I don't know what it is, people don't take us as seriously as they would take a male deejay. I mean, doors that are being open for the males don't seem to be opening for us," said Shelly.
The lady that was once known to scathe men with her lyrical lashes stated that the males get billed for the shows and the females are not seeing much of the action.
WOES
However, this point was refuted by Brownie, who attributed Shelly's inability to book appearances to the fact that she resides in New York. Shelly conceded that her living so far away might be adding to the level of difficulty.
Brownie went a step further by stating that adding to Shelly's woes is the fact that she has not released a substantial amount of songs. This is coupled with the fact that the popularity she once enjoyed as a secular act is currently on Spring Break, as a lot of people still do not know that she has taken up the deejaying reins once again.
Shelly pointed out, though, that locally-based Lady Junie is not seeing the light of day. "... Even (Lady) Junie, I don't see her out there, she not getting shows either, she not doing records," Shelly said.
To say Shelly is perturbed at the current situation that is may very well be an understatement. This manifested itself in a few rhetorical questions. "I don't know what's the story. Is it that we are not being taken seriously? Is it that we not in people's faces enough?" she queried.
One of the root causes of the dearth in female gospel deejays, says Shelly, is the shortage in reggae gospel music producers.
Additionally, 'Sista' Thunder said that if the talent is indeed there as mentioned earlier by Gallimore, they are not making themselves visible or they are ignorant of the promotional paths they should take. On the other hand, these said avenues might only exist in the mind.
Still, Shelly firmly stated that the absence of the female deejays cannot be addressed if the ladies are not willing to step up to the plate and take their turn at bat.
"You have to want to do it. You have to have the talent to do it. And there is an anointing to it... you have to have that anointing and be in the word and giving a message," she said.
Shelly's first gospel album was due for release in January, but that date may not be feasible. "I doubt it is going to come out January; I am coming to Jamaica in November to try to work something out to finish it up. But it's like you just have to wait on people or wait on the perfect situation and it is just not there right now," she said.
She is not sitting down and bemoaning her hardships, though. Shelly says that she is trying to get a ministry together that will seek to stage shows and get youth groups together in order to get to young people and have seminars with them. She also said that she is working on another project that will aid her efforts; however, for the time being it is classified.
GALLANT WOMEN
Shelly believes it is only fair that females get a chance as, in addition to the men of valour in the Bible, there are also gallant women.
"There were strong women of God in the Bible, so it can't be one-sided. We have to have something to offer. We do have something to offer," she said.
One of the major tenets on which this dance-hall style delivery of the gospel was based is the fact that it has the potential to reach souls that the traditional methods could not. Shelly believes female deejays reach women more easily.
"Remember we not preaching to the choir, we are preaching to people who have not been saved so a person like me who used to go dance and who go through lots of things in the world I can relate to somebody who going through the same thing and they can relate to me," she said.
At the end of the day, Shelly says the gender of the 'vessel' is of no significance. "It's the same Word. It's not about what you as a female can offer versus a male, this is not about a style, it's about the Word of God. It don't matter if you have two head," she said.
However, the rise of female gospel deejays could still well be tied in to the gains of the males. Goddy Goddy says that getting more females in the deejaying 'ministry' goes hand in hand with the level of acceptance gained by the males.
Brownie, however, pointed to talent, as judging from the little that he has seen of the new breed of female gospel deejays, they are not ready for the 'videolight' yet.
"I have not heard that calibre talentwise that will make someone become known. I am not convinced that they are at that level yet," he said.
