Dance Hall is Hurting

FAST-RISING singjay Gage says a spate of mediocre productions dominating dancehall music is hurting the genre.

According to Gage, the sound is slowly losing value. He says the quality that made it internationally appealing 20 years ago

is gone.

"Nowadays, fans can't just go to dances and parties and dance to a song. Some of the artistes are getting too graphic as it relates to songs they record about their personal lives. Some of them (artistes) are recording tunes that leave very little to the imagination about their sexual practices," he stated.

Gage added that although he has done his share of explicit songs, he strikes a balance because, "I want my songs to be fresh in the minds of others years after they were recorded."

In the 1990s, dancehall enjoyed a golden run with several major American record companies rushing to sign acts like Shabba Ranks, Patra and Super Cat.

That trend carried over into the 2000s with platinum-selling artistes such as Shaggy, Sean Paul and Damian 'Jnr Gong' Marley.

The 23-year-old Gage is managed by Dutty Fridaze Promotions, a company owned by West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle. Songs like In Deh, Burning Son, Kitty Kat, Hey Mama and Throat have made him one of dancehall's rising stars.

He also noted the importance of good management to an artiste's growth.

"My team and I have put in a lot of work and so far it is paying off. However, there is a lot more to go as I won't be satisfied until my name and music are known in the four corners of the earth," he said.

Among Gage's upcoming releases are City Rock, Hey Mama (Part 2), Candy Man and Destiny, a collaboration with Gyptian.