Dubplate dilemma - Foota Hype says refusing to cut dub can be dangerous

International selector Foota Hype believes that the recent charges against dancehall artiste KipRich is an "attack on dancehall" that is driven by "politics".

Foota Hype told THE WEEKEND STAR that he refuses to believe that KipRich's charge was based only on his alleged "violent lyrics".

"This is actually brute force because KipRich guh addi PNP [People's National Party's] meeting den him duh dah song [dubplate] yah, das why dem a crucify him. This is not the first an artiste a duh a dubplate like dis but the difference with KipRich case is that, Andrew Holness and the Jamaica Labour Party [JLP] are losing traction - with [Vybz] Kartel coming out of prison with this orange handkerchief thing, to Chronic Law and Popcaan going to the PNP event. Suh true dem know seh di entertainment fraternity is the most powerful in any form of campaign... dem a use dis 'KipRich supporting 1 Daddy Badness' thing fi send a message," Foota Hype said. He also noted a similar occurrence in which dancehall artiste I-Octane's Lose A Friend dubplate was targeted as an alleged tribute to a popular don.

KipRich, whose given name is Marlon Plunkett, was charged on Monday under section 18A of the Offences Against the Person Act, which deals with the 'use of audio, visual or audiovisual communication to promote criminal activity'. The singer reportedly voiced a customised One Order dubplate for a foreign-based selector, following the death of Othniel Lobban, also known as 'Thickman' or '1 Daddy Badness.' KipRich insists that the original copy was 'spliced', therefore sending the wrong message to the security forces and the general public. He is scheduled for a court hearing on February 21.

However, Foota Hype shared that KipRich had no choice but to record the dubplate because he was caught "between a rock and a hard place". He argued that if the artiste had refused to record the dubplate, "he could've been dead". He noted that Spanish Town is KipRich's "homeground," therefore, he would've probably been placed in "more direct harm" if he had refused. Foota Hype suggested that while the charge will not hurt KipRich's career, a conviction could affect other areas of his life.

"It can damage his efforts in getting a licensed firearm or doing business as somebody who has never been convicted. As small as the charges might seem, if he gets a conviction, that makes your whole life different and that, for me, makes it a horrible thing," he said.

He opined that people sing dubplates to accommodate any situation, and "99.9 per cent a dubplates are violent".

"Suh yuh ago arrest di entire entertainment industry den?" he questioned, noting that the 2014 amended laws should've been fully enforced long ago if "violent lyrics" had such massive impact on criminal activities.

However, in section 18A under the Jamaica Criminal Justice Act, it speaks to criminalising music which "promotes the killing of or other serious act of violence against any person or category or group of persons; or seeks to promote, encourage or facilitate the criminal activity of a criminal organisation." Foota Hype said that law makes no sense.

"Crime happen inna Jamaica every day and artiste a sing 'bout art, reflecting life...so it's actually life influencing crime, and then dancehall becomes a product of the environment because a nuh only crime music dancehall duh. Yuh have [dancehall artistes] singing conscious music every day. Dancehall is a mixture of environmental behaviour put in words and music, suh it's actually the crime that's influencing the music," a passionate Foota Hype said.

He urged all artistes to "boycott" endorsing either of the major political parties with dubplates for this year's general election, which is constitutionally due in September.