![]() ![]() ![]() Released in 2007, ‘Warn Them’ did not make its way onto this list purely because of its stomach-turning lyrics, but also because despite being as graphically violent as it is, it soared in popularity at the time, and is hailed by many as a classic from that era in Dancehall history. Mi a b********t killa and yuh know mi nuh stray…”įrom the killing of a new-born, to brazen in-church murders, to committing a murder at a funeral – all of which has coincidentally happened in Jamaica in recent times – Mavado’s ‘Warn Them’ feels less like a lyrical response to an industry beef, and more like a gory foretelling of a future that Jamaica would stumble into. Yuh body float like boat when di seed tek awayī*******e talk straight mek di war set a way Murder yuh likkle bredda pon di funeral dayĬut di newborn throat cause yuh know mi nuh. Kill dat inna Church when di pastor ah pray Inna middle day, him gang up wid di fish fi get pay Mumma bawl please, to how mi evil she cyaa believe “When this squeeze it leff Addi head at ease ![]() Warn Them projects nightmarish and violent imagery, and with this song being at Number 8, the list, most certainly, gets worse. What’s a list about the most violent Dancehall lyrics without Mavado on it? David Constantine Brooks earned his due as one of the godfathers of this sector of Dancehall music, and his song, Warn Them is as good – or bad, depending on your perspective, as any of the hits he churned out at the height of the world-famous Gully vs. Demus certainly gets points for being one of the pioneers in this element of ‘badman’ Dancehall music. In many ways, Demus’ song represents a kind of blueprint most modern dancehall artists in that category unwittingly use to appeal to their fan base. It has the reference of owning a gun ( mek mi get mi rifle), the self-touting ‘badness’ meant to intimidate targets ( Mi ah go show you dutty n-gga, how dem gon’ stifle), the popup confrontation with the unsuspecting foe ( Then mi mek another flex in unknown vehicle), and the self-justification of ‘bad’ they truly are ( Ah come mi come fi give di whole ah dem pure trouble/Man ah wicked don dat, mi ah go show dem sample). The above excerpt from Junior Demus’ song has all the elements that makeup what today can be considered ‘badman music’. So mi step from Rema, and then mi go ah Jungle.” Man ah wicked don dat, mi ah go show dem sample Then mi mek another flex in unknown vehicleĪnd some people dem ah move like some real barnacle, butĪh come mi come fi give di whole ah dem pure trouble” Mi ah go show you dutty n-gga, how dem gon’ stifle Mary native, Conrad McNish, more popularly known as Junior Demus, released Shot Mek Yuh Wiggle, one of his more popular songs, it proved another tick in the column of Dancehall’s progression towards more openly violent content. With the lines, “Yuh hear one shot, a two dat lick, outa bwoy head blood start drip.”, the song blatantly challenged the conservative tones of the day, and its catchy tune made it all the more impactful.Ĭoincidentally, Ninjaman, whose real name is Desmond Ballentyne, was sentenced to life in prison in 2017 for murder in one instance and shooting with intent in another. In contrast, just last year, for instance, Jamaica recorded 1,323 murders. While such songs are commonplace now, particularly given Jamaica’s world-leading crime statistics, they were near taboo back then, especially considering that at the time of its release, the nation’s crime rate was not nearly what it is now, with data from the Jamaica Constabulary Force indicating that in 1989, the year of the song’s release, Jamaica recorded just 439 murders. Doo label, the song details the artist’s fascination with a new gun in a way most would find shocking at the time. While this 1989-released track by the now incarcerated deejay, Ninjaman, pales in comparison to the others on this list in terms of violent imagery, the song’s brazenness, considering the time period in which it came out, sets it apart and easily makes it a candidate for placement on this list. So, let’s explore 10 of the more memorable times that has happened-as far as violent lyrics are concerned. ![]() Undeniably, while Dancehall has done well for itself by primarily ignoring its limits, there are a few times the genre’s lack of clearly defined boundaries made it hard to differentiate which songs were lyrical art, and which songs could double as violence-inciters and studio-recorded confessions.Įssentially, Dancehall music, as we’ve come to know it, largely thrives on going too far. ![]()
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