2 months ago
37
Dancehall artiste, Jada Kingdom, was booked for a show on Easter Sunday, one of the holiest days on the Christian calendar, and she experienced nothing short of an epiphany. Following an uncomfortable experience at the St Mary Kite and Food Festival on Easter Sunday, the dancehall star, is considering diversifying her X-rated catalogue. However, she is also making it plain that she does not do songs for children.
Known for her eye-popping, barely there outfits, which stitch seamlessly with the sensuous adult content of her songs, Jada got a rude awakening when she took to the stage at the festival. Looking into the crowd, her eyes made contact with more children than one could find at Sunday school, or any school at all, for that matter.
“I just had a show last night and I performed for bare kids. It was wrong. Talk di truth, what mi fi do deso?” a bemused Jada asked her fans on social media the morning after.
She continued, “It just feel awkward as [expletive]. Ah mean the crowd was 98 per cent kids who shoulda a play Baby Shark, Bob the Builder and Dora songs. I was so uncomfortable ... couldn’t even twerk. I’m just like ... what do I do? I couldn’t sing half of my songs. There were so many kids. I was surprised too because it was so late and they were telling me to keep it clean. I was like ... what the hell? I don’t even make songs for children. It was so stupid, why would you book me for a kids’ event?”
HEADLINER
Also booked for the show at Buccaneers in Port Maria were Capleton, Jamal, Agent Sasco, Kevin Downswell, Skippa, Bellwetha, and TrapQween. Capleton, who was the headliner, did not perform because the show was running late and it was locked off at almost 4 a.m.
Jada explained further that since she was booked to perform at between 2 and 3 a.m., she was sure that by that time the children, who would have been at the event in the day, would have already been neatly tucked in bed.
“Nope! No adults ... bare pickney same way. I was even upset that I wore the shorts that I wear. You can imagine di likkle pickney have dem phone a video me. Every time mi start dance mi haffi stop,” a visibly concerned Jada said.
Among the songs that she attempted to perform were Top Tier, Feelings and Hypnotise.
“Mi just haffi seh ‘pull up’ ... and start another one .... same thing. No. I need to make better music. I don’t even know why people support me. I need to make better music ... my music is so dir-tee. Dirty. I know my music is fire ... it’s just that I don’t do songs for kids. I need to widen the catalogue,” Jada stated.
Sean ‘Contractor’ Edwards, publicist for St Mary Kite Festival, did not attempt to make any excuses.
ERROR
“The promoter made an error with having her as a headliner on a family Easter event knowing her adult content,” Edwards told The Gleaner.
However, he went on to applaud Jada for vocalising her desire to expand her catalogue.
“What is most interesting to me from Jada Kingdom is that she said she needs to expand her catalogue to have more family-oriented songs and I think more dancehall artistes should learn from her experience,” Edwards stated.
“Yes, artistes can have X-rated songs, however they should also have content which can be performed in front of children and distinguished guests. These X-rated songs also limit the artistes with getting streams because a lot of playlists will not add these explicit songs in the rotation, so that’s a really positive statement coming from Jada,” Edwards added.
The annual kite festival, Edwards said, “is all about community, family, and fun” and accommodates “from great-grandparents to toddlers”. The day’s activities included kite-flying for all ages, with special rides all day long for the children. The aim of the concert in the evening was to provide entertainment for the adults.
English (US) ·