Dancehall Music Blamed For Violent Upsurge In Antigua

Dancehall music has been widely blamed for upsurge in violence across the Caribbean. The island of Antigua is the latest Caribbean island to single out dancehall music as the root cause of a recent rise in violent behavior among youths.

Over the last two weeks there has been two stabbing incidents at two local high schools and a massive fight at another. This prompt local authority to start taking steps to address the issue.

Antiguan national, Mary John, has taken it a step further, by penning a letter to the Antigua Observer editor, placing the blame squarely at the feet of dancehall artistes, and calling for the security minister to issue a ban on dancehall music.

“There is no doubt in my mind that dancehall music is a huge contributing factor to the violent and aggressive behaviour of our youth in Antigua,” Mary John said. “Dancehall is not our cultural music. Why is it most predominant? Why is the government allowing another country’s cultural music, which is such a terrible influence on society to totally take over?”

Mary John also called for the government to regulate the use iPods and cellphones in schools to limit students listening to dancehall music.

“How can the students prepare their minds for learning, listening to this noise which promotes violence and is filled with such lewd and nasty lyrics?” she asked.