Just seven-years-old, Terika* knows almost all the lyrics to Spice and Kartel's controversial hit, Rampin' Shop. This includes all the expletives and sexually explicit lines.

The song, which has been a fixture on local charts for weeks and can be heard on almost all local radio stations, has come under heat recently from scholars and critics who believe that songs such as this only contribute to a further decay of values and morals in the society.

Very graphic

Most of the children with whom THE STAR spoke, and whose ages ranged from four to 10, admitted knowing the song. Some were also very willing to sing it and Terika was only one of them. Children as young as five knew the lyrics to a song that is very graphic in its references to the act of intercourse.

Terika, who lives in Waterhouse, told THE STAR that she heard the song on the radio and likes it very much. She, however, admitted that she did not know what the song was about. Another of her companions said she, too, knew the song but was afraid to sing it.

One 10-year-old from the Crescent Road, St Andrew, was a natural when she was prompted to sing the sexually charged song. The words rolled off the her tongue like a boulder down a steep hill. "Mi two phone a ring but mi nah ansa none, 'cause mi affi whine pon ... like this...., deal wid yuh breast like mi crushing Irish...," the youngster sang carefully omitting the foul language from the lyrics.

She ran through the song's introduction, verses and chorus without any reserve. "Mi like the song," she said. When asked if she knew what the song was talking about, the youngster said "no".

Lyrics

Three five-year-olds were only able to sing the chorus of the song. One said she, too, heard it on the radio, while another, who hails from St Catherine, said she heard a relative singing it. Alhough it seems most of the children did not fully understand the lyrics of the song, it seems some had an idea that it was a song they should not be singing. When THE STAR contacted one household, a five-year-old girl refused to sing the song because her mother was around. An eight-year-old who was nearby, however, was not as shy. He sang most of it for THE STAR.

One mother from August Town said whenever her four-year-old son sings the song and suddenly looks around and realises she is listening, he responds, "Mi nah sing the bad part mommy." "He will sing the song when he is by himself but he mostly does it if he hears it playing nearby," she said. Although the youngster mumbled through some parts and stopped at the expletive points, it was clear that he was very familiar with the song.

Impact on children

Popular psychiatrist Dr Leachim Semaj, while being happy about the discussion taking place about the song and its impact on children, said he could not place the blame on the artistes. He said entertainers were free to record whatever they wanted, but it is up to the various agents of socialisation to shield children from harmful material.

He told THE STAR, "There is a lack of regulation. Dancehall is an adult thing, so songs like these have their place and adults can consent to anything they wish. However, society has a responsibility to protect our children from these entities until they're old enough to make certain decisions."

He said the society was failing children and pointed fingers at the Broadcasting Commission and certain radio stations for not doing enough to regulate the music that is allowed to play on air. He also blamed the public-transport system which often forced lewd content on to passengers, including children, without concern.

He added, "A dance should be held in an area where those who do not wish to participate are not offended. In some communities, whether you are a quarter mile away, you are still subjected to the nastiness that is being played."

Dr Semaj also pointed out the important role parents should play in shielding and protecting their children and said parents need to monitor more closely the activities their children engage in. "The social agents are failing our children and young people are being socialised to have no regards for their body or sexuality. Some songs should not be played at all."

Attempts to contact a representative from the Broadcasting Commission were unsuccessful.

* Names changed on request.