Music is often thought to be the lifeblood of a generation, with each one preferring a different form or artiste.
Among Barbados’ youth the most popular genre is dancehall and the most popular singers are revered as almost beyond human in their insight and verbal skill, although not all of them are musically inclined.
Street Beat took a trip this week to Water Hall Land in Eagle Hall, St Michael, to speak to youth about their favourite artistes and genre.
Matthew Corbin was specific in his likes and dislikes. He said his favourite local artiste was Bulletproof.
“Bulletproof sings t’ings like Guns Out and Death Before Dishonour but it not ’bout encouraging people to commit crime, it ’bout defending yourself if anyting. It ’bout life,” he said.
His colleague Jamal Lashley prefers Crimeson locally and Popcaan on the regional scene as he can identify with their songs.
“When I listen to these men music, it is reflecting on my life,” he explained.
One young woman, who declined identification, spoke on the matter of shutting down places where young people gathered to entertain themselves. She believes it is going to backfire on society in the long run.
“If people try to hold a fete and be cool but others looking to stop them, the young people gine be just on the street, idle, and temptation gine set in to do crime. The system design for established people, not for any person in the ghetto,” she said.
The young woman also wished to see some form of rehabilitation programme for former convicts put into place.
“They put boys age 16 to 24 in jail but when they come out, they can’t get jobs. When people see boys on the block, they think they looking to tief but they don’t know how many job interviews [the boys] went to,” she said.
Devon Best believed the shutting down of some fetes was not fair and it was usually about taking away fun from the youth.
“I don’t think it was fair to just shut it down; they shoulda talk with them first. It’s a lot of old people who don’t want to see the yout’ having fun,” said Devon Best.
But after all the talk about fun and enjoyment, the residents were still perturbed by the negligence of the area. There were few words of praise for politicians coming from them.
One man, who identified himself as P. Bailey, said Water Hall Land was in dire need of road paving, sidewalks and other work but Government had turned its back on them.
One ray of hope shone in Morin Small, a Guyanese national who immigrated to Barbados in 1998. He is a wheelchair user after an accident left him paralyzed, but he said Barbados was an accepting place.
“I have been paralyzed for 19 years after getting shot in Guyana. It was real terrible and stressful at first; my whole life made a 360-degree turn and changed the way I looked at life.
“To be truthful, people are very understanding here. I’m a Seventh-Day Adventist and my life is built around the church and my church friends. I wish things were easier moneywise, but I am getting by in Jesus’ name,” he said.
