Think Piece

Date: 25/09/15

Course: FOUN 1101 – Caribbean Civilisation

“You are asked to view the following video and critique it in terms of its applicability for contemporary social commentary on the Caribbean.”

Video: Lady Saw- I’ve Got Your Man

Marion Hall, better known as Lady Saw is an acclaimed Jamaican-born singer and songwriter. Marion Hall, also known as “The Queen of the Dancehall”, was born on the 12th of July, 1972 in Galina, Saint Mary. Her recognization came after the release of her first album titled "Lover Girl" in 1994. Lady Saw is the mother to three adopted children, two sons and one daughter. She is the first female deejay to win a Grammy Award, headline dancehall shows outside her native Jamaica and to be certified as a triple-platinum artist. The stage persona as Lady Saw is quite contrasting to the true Marion Hall. When Marion was younger, she sang in her church choir which contrasts to her explicit lyrics and videos as she addresses what she considers to be the real issues women face. Lady Saw is an artist who gave great inspiration and empowered female artists in the music industry but although she tried to tame her lyrics, her audiences expected and demanded slackness. In Lady Saw’s music video “I’ve got your man”, she successfully achieves the masking of issues that still currently hold a strong existence in contemporary Caribbean society through her lyrics and videos. This think piece would examine issues of gender and sexuality in the music industry, relationship issues and the influence of slavery in today’s society. Chiefly, in the music industry, it is really difficult for female musicians to be accepted as this occupation is heavily dominated by men. It is rare to find a female musician who keeps most of her clothing on as women are still objectified by male musicians and can rarely compete with their record sales. According to the article, “The music industry still embodies gender inequality” by sheknows, all of the top albums come...