March 1, 2016 The Fine Art of Daggering Dancehall is not just a music, it is a place. Such was the beginning of a sound that rose up out of the Garrisons and Ghettos of Jamaica. There is no way you can separate the music from the people, the music serves them. It is their voice, their fist raised upright seeking a national identity. Some years ago I sat in a symposium and listened to music scholars pit the Bob Marley brand of reggae music against Vybes Kartel the undisputed King of dancehall. Not to give it away, but a few years later I was having a conversation with Maxi Priest and he cautioned me about how I presented dancehall to the world in images, "its root and core it is still reggae music," he said. Recently I was watching he Grammys and noticed that both Kendrick Lamar and "Pitbull" used dancehall artists and rhythms in the background of their music, but I doubt if anyone noticed. I also realized that the music industry has refused to identify dancehall music by its proper name, referring to recent songs by Justin Bieber, "Sorry" and Rihanna's "Work" as "Tropical House" rhythms. This has sparked a debate across the island and across the globe, suggesting that once again, the powers that be are trying to suppress ghetto people's voice. For the next week I will showcase a project I have been photographing for sometime now, hoping to shed some light on a very powerful and controversial part of Jamaica's culture. #thefineartofdaggering #montegobayportrait #streetportrait #streetphotography #makeportrait #makeportraits #film (at Montego Bay, Jamaica)