Kesi Asher, Staff Reporter
Left: Beenie Man, in performance at Summer Sizzle.
Right: Fantan Mojah, in performance at Beenie Man's Summer Sizzle held on Saturday, August 27, 2005 at Jamalco Sports Club, Halse Hall, Clarendon. - PHOTOS BY CARLINGTON WILMOT/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
FIVE MONTHS after The Coalition of Corporate Sponsors placed a ban on artistes who they say 'incite violence' against certain groups, the ban has been lifted.
The ban resulted in the Coalition, which comprises Red Stripe, Digicel, J. Wray and Nephew, Courts Jamaica Limited, Supreme Ventures, Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited, and the Jamaica Tourist Board, withdrawing sponsorship from events which feature the offending artistes.
The ban was lifted following talks between the Coalition and several artistes in September 2005.
The Coalition's code cites "acts or events whose live performances endorse or incite violence; demean or discriminate against any person or group of persons; or include the use of indecent or profane language; events at which there is the use of indecent or profane language by featured acts, masters of ceremony or sound systems; and sound systems that play recordings which incite violence or promote discrimination."
Beenie Man and Bounty Killer were the first of two such artistes banned by the Coalition following their performance at the Jamaica Carnival Last Hurrah, held at the National Stadium on April 3, 2005.
Fantan Mojah and Sizzla were later added to the list for their performances at Western Consciousness and Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest respectively where both artistes reportedly breached the code.
CLEAN SLATE
Rodney Davis, President of Cable and Wireless Jamaica Limited, informed The Gleaner that discussions were held with artistes, whom he declined to mention, and an agreement was made that there would be a clean slate. However, Davis says the Coalition would not release the names of such artistes for "privacy's sake."
The Coalition, he said, also had discussions regarding the artistes and the decision to lift the ban. According to Davis, it was recognised that there needed to be more dialogue between the artistes and the Coalition. It was also decided that the code had not changed, but will be monitored and enforced as necessary.
Davis also explained that based on the type of audience, the Coalition would make provisions for such occurrences. "There were discussions about rating events. Conduct has to be relative to the audience. There was a recognition that different audiences have the ability to judge what they could do or see," he said.
He also commented that the law in Jamaica was at work and that the Coalition was not trying to play the part of the law enforcers.
Is the Coalition then saying that artistes can perform 'violent lyrics' at some shows and not at others?
"No," said Davis. "They are saying that as a body of sponsors they expect the artistes to behave in a manner befitting their standards when performing at shows that they sponsor. Coming out of the meetings, this was agreed between themselves and the artistes. For other shows, there are laws to deal with other kinds of conduct."
Read the artistes' response to the lifting of the ban, and what some of the sponsors have to say in The Gleaner tomorrow.
