Shyne Barrow urges Caribbean leaders to model Jamaica in building creative economies

Belizean poltician and hip hop icon The Honourable Dr. Moses “Shyne” Barrow has identified Jamaica as a regional blueprint for how culture and governance can work together to build sustainable industries, during his keynote address at last week’s Island Music Conference (IMC) in Kingston.

Speaking on the theme “From Stage to State,” Barrow urged Caribbean governments to move beyond symbolic support of the arts and toward structured public–private partnerships. “These conferences are so very important,” he told delegates, describing information exchange as critical in an evolving global music economy.

Responding to a question about cultural influence as an economic engine, Barrow said: “The work of great musicians such as Bob Marley and Shabba Ranks, as well as the development of Reggae and Dancehall music, has done more for the Jamaican tourism product than anything else.” He credited consistent policy implementation across political administrations for enabling private-sector investment in the music industry: “They were fighting each other, but giving the same implementation.”

“There is no one in the world who does not know about Jamaica — its music, its food and its culture,” he declared, framing his own political evolution as rooted in hip hop’s entrepreneurial DNA. Calling his transition from performer to legislator “quintessential hip-hop,” Barrow said, “We belong in Parliament. We belong in the Cabinet. We belong in the Prime Minister’s office and in the President’s office.”

On emerging challenges in the creative sector, he warned: “We need to protect our rights. We need to protect our work and that can only be legislated. If we don’t get involved in the legislative process, we’re going to wake up one day and find that our rights are gone.” He also stressed the importance of the human mind over technology, calling it “the greatest thing on planet Earth.”

Reflecting on his past, including a decade of incarceration, Barrow shared: “By then, my dreams had already come true. But when I looked around my country, I saw people still struggling. So I chose a life of service.”

Closing his address, he challenged Caribbean leaders to diversify the profiles of those shaping legislation: “The Caribbean’s creative class has already shaped global culture. Now we must shape policy.”

He also revealed plans to return to the stage with a world tour marking the 25th anniversary of his debut album, reaffirming his commitment to both music and public service.