PHOTO BY PETER GRAHAM -
Late popular dancer, Gerald 'Bogle' Levy (centre, in white tam) is seen here last Wednesday night with fellow patrons of 'Weddy Weddy Wednesdays' on Burlington Avenue, watching a cock fight just hours before he was fatally shot.
JUST BEFORE dancer Bogle's murder on Thursday morning, dancehall music was
seeing some changes it did not seem
prepared for.
Up to then, both well-known and popular dancers, John Hype and Bogle were international figures. They had tour dates in the United States, England and other countries which share Jamaica's dancehall culture. The two were originally good friends, but had been at odds for a few months now and they had stepped up their game to a higher level with recorded tunes.
This has not been a trend in Jamaican music. Dancers were known to dance and do nothing more, but Bogle reset the boundaries when he recorded at least two tracks which were released and were successful on local charts. These were the catchy Weddy Time, Weddy Time Part Two and, most recently All Dem Deh.
John Hype's venture into the studios came only recently, when he counteracted Bogle's All Dem Deh with subtle jabs.
SO CALLED FEUD
The so-called feud began towards the later months of 2004, but Bogle heated things up with All Dem Deh in the first week of January. In this track, Bogle asks "all dem deh, which part dem did deh?", which it is said was a slight stab at Hype's inexperience in the dance world in comparison to his.
The track made its début on a few local radio stations in the first week of January and on Saturday, January 8, at the 'Jagga B's Dancehall Giveaway' session in Portmore, at least two sound systems played the track to a thunderous response from patrons who were there. The stage was then set for the dancers to step into uncharted territory.
By the following Wednesday (January 12), Hype put on his headphones, went into the studio and came out with a direct counteraction to Bogle's tune. The tune was played at Stone Love's 'Weddy Weddy Wednesdays' and the response was just as passionate as the response to Bogle's, the previous Saturday night.
In John Hype's tune, even the title Roses We Did Deh is a less than subtle answer to Bogle's question in his song. He launches a scathing attack on Bogle's tune, counteracting it line for line. "Yu rule yesterday, but a we rule today," says one line.
This was a unique situation for dancehall music, as no one remembers dancers recording tunes, let alone recording counteractions.
When the tensions between the two had just begun, John Hype told The Sunday Gleaner that Bogle taught him how to dance and he respected him for that, but Bogle was not happy for his success, so he was poking fun in song at him. Despite this, Hype said, he had no animosity towards Bogle.
Just this week, Bogle told The Sunday Gleaner that he was heading full time into the studios and he had recorded four tracks which he hoped to release soon. He said he had no animosity towards John Hype or anyone, but that everybody needed to take things 'back to basics.'
In each interview, neither of the two had hostile words for each other. Bogle took friendly digs at John, who he called his son, while John only said Bogle was jealous
of him.
Now that one of Jamaica's most prominent dancehall icons is dead, one wonders when a dancer will again take up the mantle
and head back to the studio.
