Popular Bembe Squad selector Jigsy has taken a lone stance against deejay Vybz Kartel. The embattled selector has vowed never to play another of the deejay’s songs.
Jigsy, who publicly announced, his decision last week at ‘Bembe Thursday’ (a weekly event held at Weekenz on Constant Spring Road), says he is not going to change his stance. Jigsy has also broadened his boycott to include the entire ‘Portmore Empire”, which is headed by Kartel.
“Mi a live up to mi word, mi nah play no ‘Empire’, because even though a me buss Blak Ryno (a member of the Portmore Empire), dem a do mix tape an a call up mi name, suh dat jus mek me draw my line an sey mi nah play none a dem song. A nuh me an dem a war, a me an Kartel have a feud,” Jigsy said.
This is the latest in a public feud between the two after Jigsy claimed that Vybz Kartel and members of his entourage physically assaulted him at a Bembe party two weeks ago. Kartel, however, denied having anything to do with the incident.
According to Jigsy, “Mi nuh get no apology. Him (Kartel) jus a guh pon air an a talk bout him apologize on behalf of him fans, suh me guh pon air an sey mi nuh waan nuh apology.”
Lack of Support
However, according to Jigsy, while he is standing up for what he believes is right, he is not getting much support.
As far as his fellow Bembe Squad selectors go, he says, “dem a do fi dem ting, an mi nuh get dat support. Mi did expect sey di man dem would a support me like how me would a support dem, but mi nah get it. Dem still do dem ting (playing Kartel and Empire songs).”
He also added, “Di man dem nah stand together … cause memba sey Kartel dis di whole a dem already. But Kartel nuh big like not even Bob Marley right foot a shoes, Kartel is nobody to di music, no one man can mash up di music, a nuh suh wi know it.”
Efforts to reach Vybz Kartel for a comment on Jigsy’s decision were unsuccessful as he was said to be in studio up to press time.
When contacted, at least three selectors said they preferred to not comment on the issue. One selector, who wished not to have his identity revealed said, “fi tell yuh di truth, mi know why Jigsy a do wah him a do, an him haffi do it, cause a big disrespect that … but me personally a try stay out of all that controversy.”
The only Bembe Squad selector, who could be reached for comment, said he preferred to play it neutral.
Richie Feelings said, “In my perspective, I can’t blame him (Jigsy) for making his decision, but for other selectors supporting him and not playing any more Kartel songs, that can generate a problem, because is not everybody have a problem wid Kartel.
“I am not taking no side, I’m just saying, if some form of resolution can be made, because artistes need selectors and selectors need the artistes,” Richie Feelings said.
Foota Hype, one of the few selectors to speak openly about the situation, says although he is not a part of the Bembe squad of selectors, he has friends there and would support Jigsy’s decision.
“Definitely is sum’n wey even if dem an di selecta wey affected a nuh fren, wi need fi tek a stand an mek di artiste know sey dem do a wrong, regardless who di artiste is, because a physical disrespect dat. I am not taking any physical disrespect from no artiste – nobody wey have anything to do wid di music – is mus a bad man assault mi an mi nuh know wey fi find him, not somebody wey di whole a wi inna music an haffi inna di public setting,” Foota Hype said.
Foota Hype says problems with artistes stem from a lack of respect and disunity. “Sometimes why dem ting deh reach wi a because di artiste sometimes have more respect for di radio selectors, rather than we wey deh out a road,” he said.
“But honestly for me, I don’t think there is a unity among selectors. Even like wid di Bembe selectors, about four a dem get diss, an from di first one tek place, there should have been a boycott on the artiste, even if is not forever,” Foota added.
Source: JamaicaStar
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