I Love Dominica But...

I love Dominica. I love her beaches, her rivers, her sulphur springs, her verdant shades of green, her culture, her people, her seasons, her water, her verve, her spice, her life! I love being a patriot for my country. I am too excited to describe Dominica to anybody who will listen. Irrespective of how fervently some persons may bash my country or compare her to everywhere else and make her seem inferior, no matter how unpatriotic some Dominicans can be; I love Dominica and I’m convinced that God kissed her gently with the lips that spoke her out of nothing.

Reader, I love Dominica but I don’t have to like every Bouyon song.

Despite loving her culture desperately, I find myself conflicted by some of her children’s idea of music. I lived in Jamaica for a little while and I was persistent in blasting my old school Bouyon music everywhere I could. I used every opportunity to showcase our music to persons who were not familiar with the Nature Isle. To my surprise, many of them were confused at the end of the presentation and observations were made that the music overwhelmed the words and no lyrics could be heard or understood. I was startled to realise that it was true. Although I was disappointed that my audience didn’t immediately jump up and take a wyne, I disregarded their feedback because they simply 'didn’t get' Bouyon and that’s ok.

I played music from the First Serenade band, WCK, Ruff & Reddy among others that I felt made real music. I would have never, and still would not ever, play for foreigners the auditory waste that particular popular bands call music. 

Listen Reader, I’m not a musician and I don’t claim to be a talent scout but any idiot can beat on some tins and name it music and nobody has to care. Similarly, if your 5 year old hits a few notes on a musical instrument, you will ooh and aah and say, “Wow baby, that was so good!” but you will not sign him up for a talent show and expect respect.

My problem is that a large number of persons will pay money and gather in anticipation of the vomitus that will be hurled upon them from childish seven-word verses repeated often enough to be called a track.

What’s unfortunate is that bosses in the position to make a few dollars off those persons will brand them as international superstars and send them off to places where they might be the only representation of Dominica ever seen. I insist that I am humiliated when I hear that “I Malade For Your Salad” and other such drivel was performed-LIVE IN BELGIUM!

At this point, so many readers will dismiss this article complaining that I’m disloyal, call it what you wish. I will always disapprove, blast, criticise or bash that rubbish. I’m all for Bouyon. I like lyrics and I like originality like Seramix, Efex, RSB and Partners in Kryme and any other artist or band who strives to be innovative and creative. I liked a few up and coming artists and bands but before too long they each inevitably drank the Idiot Juice .

I don’t think it hurts to create some intelligent music. Reader, I’m sure you hate those songs that sound like an inside joke only for the band and close friends of the band- doesn’t anybody want to know what the lyrics are about before they throw their hands up and jump?

Unfortunately, there are new bands with such obvious potential and doing so well and then they start imitating and competing and then they’re left to mourn. Unfortunate for us who were fans…

I admire those local artists who are doing their thing, they have no outside funding and they are all on their own hustling their stuff around and being different because every song cannot be about sex and weed and we can appreciate that.

The problem with local artists that makes me hold-my-head-and-run-screaming crazy is that frigging Jamaican accent! Leave Jamaica’s accent for Jamaica. You’re from Dominica, aren’t you proud of that? Can’t you sell an album with your own accent? It has to bother me because people love our accent and here we are stealing theirs and doing a shameful job of it. It feels like our thing is never good enough for our own people. Stop being ashamed of yourself because that is exactly what it is! We want to support local but if it doesn’t sound local, that sort of defeats the purpose, right Reader?

Anyway, don’t misunderstand me, my rant is that I love this country despite its flaws and I want everybody to see it for what it is and love it for just that. But, Reader, just like we know good water and good food because we’re from here, we can know good music too. So many Caribbean countries have no culture, no originality and we have so much. I say we should demand more from our musical ambassadors. You can love Dominica and not like every Bouyon song, that will only show that you’re individual and intelligent, not brainless entities like they like to think we are.

What I Learned From A Hustler