Calls for more support from Jamaican government and the Diaspora

International reggae-dancehall artiste Shaggy wants more professionalism in the island’s music for the benefit of all concerned.

The Grammy-winning singer and songwriter, born Orville Burrell, has appealed to the Jamaican Government and the Diaspora to do more to support and promote the music, noting that the powers that be need to do more to help educate artistes to become more business savvy. He is recommending that more seminars and workshops be held for artistes, which will guide them in how to manage their music operations both locally and internationally.

Speaking as a special guest on the third in the series of ‘Lets Connect with Ambassador Marks’, Shaggy highlighted that some years ago, he along with promoter, Sharon Burke of Synergy, had begun such a programme but it unfortunately had to be curtailed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Government being urged to join forces with Shaggy

The online diaspora town hall meeting hosted by Jamaica’s Ambassador to Washington, Audrey Marks saw Shaggy urging the government to join forces with him with a view to resuscitating this important programme.

According to Shaggy, “the artistes have to start handling themselves in a more professional manner. Because if you’re not gonna do it professionally and have a professional team… then you’re going to look like [a disorganised] ‘patty shop’ operation, and you’re gonna be treated like a poppy show.” 

Marks, for her part, supported the need for continuing education on business operation and marketing among artistes, noting that this will help them to navigate the difficult minefield of the international music business. Meanwhile, Shaggy claimed that many Jamaicans at home and across the Diaspora do not support local musicians in the same way they support other international artistes. 

He remarked that, “as influential as Jamaican music is on the global stage, there is an underwhelming lack of support for the music from Jamaicans… . The Jamaican diaspora needs to do more in this regard in order to support Jamaican music, and by extension, the Jamaican culture”. 

Getting Reggae-Dancehall to the table

Shaggy contended that, “at this point, reggae-dancehall has less than six per cent of the global market share,” which he lamented, “does not really give us a seat at the table. However, if local artistes “can do something as impactful as what we are doing with this record, entitled Go Down Deh, with the Jamaican label (VP Records) and with Jamaican artistes to promote dancehall… .”

Shaggy declared that such a move “certainly changes the cycle and certainly changes the tone and gives us a lot more leverage for us to have more in depth conversations with some of the powerhouses from Google, Live Nation, Apple, Spotify to Pandora etc”.

Marks agreed, emphasising that the diaspora’s strength is in their buying power. She went on to encourage members of the diaspora to become subscribers and stream more local music, which could change the trajectory of the genre.

The newly released single, Go Down Deh from dancehall artiste Spice, features Sean Paul and Shaggy, and is dominating the global reggae charts.