from desperate measures to shot a fire- dancehall a tell we everyting if we only listen

In Herbert Gayle’s study of coping strategies in an inner-city community, men are expected to ‘make life’ by fair means, juggling, or by foul mean, hustling. Juggle if you can, but hustle if you must. But you must do something. To do nothing is to be judged and branded “worthless”…For many men meeting the demands of a male identity is a far greater moral imperative than the virtues of honesty and respect for property and even life. We do well to remember that Anansi is male, and in one of the tales about him, he survives at the expense of his wife and children. Survival as a virtue has been part of the social and cultural lives of the African-Jamaicans from the earliest times and remains a fundamental part of the ethos the people. (the brilliant Barry Chevannes)

Now, listen to these two songs. They summed up on 3 minutes what it takes years of research to conclude. If we could just learn how to listen, everything is being said and has been said. More than 13 years apart the themes remain the same

Poverty, distrust of the elite, hopelessness, systemic violence, homophobia, and a masculinity that uses physical violence to survive it all.
big ups to BABY CHAM and Konshens

Big up to Barry Chevannes always. because di man never jus say ‘Jamaican people wicked” or “poor people dog heart” di man spen him time and look inna di ting so now when people try throw certain tings after we inna a academic setting we have summn can lick dem wid. him do di work fi mek di link to di history…all anansi….cus nuff time even we a do tings and nah tink bout WHY we dweet