Dr Donna Hope

Days after a stop order was placed on the Ne-Yo-influenced Rampin' Shop, the song has come under more fire with a debate as to whether the minds of the youth should be allowed to enter the 'rampin' shop.'

However, DJ Spice has come forward in defence of the song, saying that parents should take responsiblity for what their children are exposed to.

She said, "You know how Jamaicans stay, people gonna talk about it, every kid singing the song no matter the age, but I like the whole idea that Kartel came up with, which is the idea of the 'Rampin' Shop'. The word or idea 'Rampin' Shop' replaces the word sex and di whole bedroom vibes. People think it's still raunchy but I don't think it's misleading the kids, the song is just straight get to the point."

As a mother, for Spice, she can't stop her child from listening to Rampin' Shop, but encourages parents to teach their children about sex and that they should have safe sex when they are old enough to do so. "That's why we have di daggerin' condoms as well, yuh can't stop your children from having sex but yuh should teach them and teach about safe sex," Spice said.

An article written by Ardenne High School principal Esther Tyson, titled 'Rampin' Shop' - musical poison' and published in The Sunday Gleaner on February 1, described Rampin' Shop as being "lewd and disgusting." The article has since sparked the ever-revolving debate about the nature of dancehall music, its sexually explicit lyrics, its effects on the youth, and the song Rampin' Shopby deejays Vybz Kartel and Spice.

Slackness of songs

Tyson advocates that the Government should take a more active role in censoring the entertainment, or "filth", coming out of the dancehall. According to her, the slackness of songs such as Rampin' Shop is only damaging the youth and promoting "unbridled sexual expression, violence, the debasement of women and disrespect for authority". Tyson expressed, "We must work together to stop enriching people like Vybz Kartel who create filth and are then paid when they release it on the public ... Vybz Kartel needs to have his children listen to his songs and analyse them and give him their feedback."

In yesterday's Gleaner, the discussion was carried further in a Gleaner Editor's Forum which canvassed the views of several educators and analysts. Generally, the consensus from the panel suggested that the song was not much different from other sexually explicit dancehall songs, and that parents should be responsible for what their children are listening to.

In the article by from Tyson, deejay Spice also came under pressure for her part in the song, with comments that Spice was a "disgrace as a woman" and that she is not setting a good example for her child and for persons who look up to her.

Writer and lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Dr Donna Hope, explained that Rampin' Shop is no worse than other dancehall songs that have been released before, and the fact that it is sung by two controversial deejays, Vybz Kartel and Spice, only makes the song more popular.

Dr Hope said, "Rampin'Shop falls into the sub-genre of dancehall songs of a man and woman talking about sex. It's special because it's both a man and woman when a lot of dialogue like this is usually from the males and a few raunchy females."

For Dr Hope, the song should still be played on radio but at times more suitable for adult content. As for the impact on the youth, she told the STAR that there are lot more avenues, such as cable television, the Internet and cellular phones, that have a more negative impact on the youth.

She said, "The young people are exposed to a huge volume of information from everywhere, you don't have to listen to Rampin' Shop, you can go on the Internet and listen far worse ... it's a lot of ado about something insignificant in the larger spectrum of cultural products that are being consumed." The responsibility, said Hope, should fall in to the laps of the parents who should be monitoring their children.

Deejays Vybz Kartel and Spice performing 'Rampin' Shop' at Beach Sexy, held at Sugar Man's Beach Club in Hellshire recently. - File Photos