Music manager and consultant at DiMedia TT, Delicia Patterson, believes young people who take Trinibad music literally are dealing with deeper issues.
“I would try to get into their brain because I believe it is a psychological problem, me being somebody who used to listen to these types of music before and never act on it, it is a mindset thing,” Patterson said yesterday.
She shared her view on the issue after Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly advised parents to take a look at the Trinibad content their children consume.
“That music is like an anthem and like a mantra,” the minister said.
Patterson, who has worked with artistes such as Akeibah “2K Zelle” Sheppard, Llano “Jahllano” Grant and Kern “Trinidad Killa” Joseph, said she would first try to understand the backgrounds and circumstances of the youths involved and advise them based on that information.
“I know if better opportunities and platforms are provided, these youths will be less inclined and they will have support and guidance to make better decisions,” she said.
Gospel artiste Jaron Nurse agreed with Gadsby-Dolly that some young people are consumed by the violence some Trinibad songs promote.
“I believe a lot of the youths are giving to these lyrics, to these songs and it’s very evident because even some of the artistes are not here with us today because again the message that they preaching, they also living it,” he said.
Nurse said one solution would be to penalise those who use the power of the microphone for negativity.
The singer said he’s friends with many of the Trinibad artistes who claim “they don’t make money singing positive music,” or that they’re just “giving the youths what they know”.
Trinibad artiste Rheon Elbourne said the violent lyrical content in the music will dissipate if artistes are given the right backing.
Elbourne, who is considered one of the positive singers in the genre, explained that he recognised the power of his music when Angostura partnered with him. With that partnership, he said he aimed to ensure that he and Angostura were presented in a light that allowed for more opportunities.
“I didn’t want to sing anything that was gang affiliated to jeopardise me working with this company,” he said.
Elbourne admitted some of the artistes get support from “community leaders”.
“If corporate Trinidad and the Government don’t really come in to play and make the platforms for these artistes, then we will take the platform wherever we get it because we need bread and butter and we’re still trying to express ourselves.”
Concerns have been increasing about the negative influence of Trinibad music, with the authorities in some Caribbean islands banning artistes from performing.
The Royal St Christopher (St Kitts) and Nevis Police Force recently banned 23-year-old Kashief “Kman Sixx’’ Sankar from entering that island based on a comprehensive security assessment. Sankar was also banned from performing at Grenada’s Our Fete on February 6. On February 5, Sankar was charged with two gang-related offences and is currently on $40,000 bail.
Meanwhile, producers Anjelo “Chady Beats” Noel and Asim Faltine admitted that the current Trinibad culture was hurting artistes financially. Apart from the gun violence not making sense, Noel said it is not making dollars either.
“Gunman music on streaming platforms does not make money. If you sing a reality song or a girl’s tune, that will make more money than the gunman song but these artistes following trends. If Sixx sings a gunman tune then Seven will sing one too, so them fellas just spinning top in mud. They just following each other,” he said.
Faltine said without the necessary support, young people will turn to what they see and know, which is crime and criminality, so the Government needs to create more avenues for the talented youth to showcase themselves.
“It have people who here in Trinidad who know about music who could direct the youths differently but they don’t. They don’t come down to ground, some get big and they don’t come down to ground. Don’t study the type of music they singing, it’s not them, it’s beyond them,” he said.
Genre’s death toll
Last December, Damian Kriss, 26, his brother, Levi Kriss, 31, and Jerry Hollingsworth, 31, all part of Sankar’s entourage were killed when gunmen opened fire on the car they were in on the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway. Police said Sankar was the killers’ target.
It was the second time Sankar was the victim of a gun attack that left those around him dead or injured. Last October, Kaveer “DJ Global” Nandram was killed when gunmen went after Sankar in Woodbrook.
Between July 2020 and August 2022, N’Kosi “Fari Dan” Bovell, Carlton “CJ Dan” Campbell, “Daniel Mad Dog” Hamilton, Keenan “Craigman” Craig and Kyle “Rebel Sixx” George were all killed in what police said were gang related murders.
Josiah “Siah Boss” McClatchie and Jaheim “Chucky Blanco” Joseph were killed by the police in separate incidents in 2021.
Gunmen attempted to kill Tyrell “Prince Swanny” Swan twice. He has since sought asylum in the US.
In 2022, 25-year-old Bridget James, the girlfriend of Trinibad singer Kalonji “Kalonji” Arthur, was killed when gunmen opened fire on the couple outside at The Brix Hotel in Cascade.
In May last year Antonio “Wacko Dan” Reyes, 22 was shot dead in St Ann’s after he sang a song “disrespecting” an alleged gangster.
