Teino Evans
, Staff ReporterIT IS often thought that 'the Word', whether it be in the form of a sermon or song, ought to be free. However, in reality, this is not the case, as many gospel artistes say they too have to make a living.
Popular gospel deejay Papa San contends that anyone who says a gospel artiste should not charge is a selfish person. "We have bills to pay and families to feed like everyone else," he said.
According to Papa San, deejaying is his job, but says he doesn't allow the business aspect of it to become priority. "Ministry is my priority... I am more concerned about winning a soul for Jesus Christ more than the money," he says.
While Papa San declined to say how much he normally charges for his performances, the deejay said most of the times he would 'take off a money' off his charge, depending on the nature of the event. For example, "If a concert is in aid of a church building fund or they ask for a charity show, I will do it as I am so led," he said.
However, Papa San says it is not all the time that he will shave his cost, and this especially because of past experiences. "Sometimes yuh haffi stand up pon yuh feet and seh pay mi right now," he said, as he has been to shows where he is told 'good day' without the person even having any regards as to how he arrived at the venue or how he was going to reach home.
When gospel deejay Lt. Stitchie was asked about his fee to perform, he said he didn't touch that aspect of the business. "A nuh really me, management really deal wid dat," he said.
Checks by The Sunday Gleaner, however, revealed that some gospel artistes charge $60,000 or more for a half-hour performance.
Gospel singer and producer Gifton Smith says some artistes have based their worth on experience and fame. According to Smith, there is no association or organisation involved and so every gospel artiste will charge as they wish. "Some charge too much, some charge too little and some do it for free," he said.
Smith, who has also organised a few gospel shows himself, says he has booked some of gospel's top artistes in the business today and they have charged as much as $110,000 to do a one-hour performance. That, according to him, "was the co-worker's price."
Smith, however, doesn't see it as overcharging. According to him, "It's not what you as an artiste is worth, but it's what it costs." Smith says there are a number of factors that gospel artistes have to take into consideration, which may at times influence the high fees charged.
According to Smith, when he goes to perform he normally has three back-up singers ($3,000 each), a back-up band ($5,000 per musician), transportation cost varies (anywhere from $10 to $15,000) and for himself as an artist, the cost too can vary (starting at $20,000). In total, Smith says his charge can run anywhere to over $60,000.
Compared to what some of dancehall's current top-flight deejays charge, what gospel artistes perform for may only appear to be a drop in the bucket. Inquiries made by The Sunday Gleaner revealed that dancehall artistes usually ask for more than three times what top gospel artistes perform for. In one instance, one deejay's manager said his artiste would do a half-hour slot for $300,000.
Gospel artiste Patrick Coombs, however, has a slight grouse with some fellow gospel artistes, as he says some are misrepresenting Christ. According to Coombs, he had a bad experience recently, when he staged a gospel event at a church in the Half-Way Tree, St. Andrew area.
Coombs says he had contracted a particular individual to help with the music and the sound for the evening. "At the end of the event, they (the band) demanded more money than what was originally agreed on because they felt that they took on extra tasks like singing, in addition to providing back-up music." According to Coombs, the behaviour of these so-called Christian artistes/musicians was appalling and says "It seems as if some are in it for the money."
