Tanya Stephens lecture at UWI well received
April 1st, 2011 | By
Dancehall artiste Tanya Stephens delivered a well received lecture at the Assembly Hall of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Thursday night.
Stephens’ lectured on the topic, ‘Music, the Power to Shape Societies’, hosted by the Department of Literatures in English.
Her lecture challenged dancehall stereotypes. In Way Back, she reflects on her own best practice as a dancehall DJ, and critiques composers and artists who substitute dress or the lack thereof for verbal skill. Stephens’ is one of the songwriters who’s lyrics are studied in the department’s innovative course, ‘Reggae Poetry’.
Stephens’ lecture marked the revival of the brilliant public forum on ‘Women in Reggae’ that was hosted by the Reggae Studies Unite at UWI in the past to mark International Women’s Month. The first forum was held almost a decade ago in March 2002 and was organised by Ibo Cooper.
listen to one of Tanya’s latest tracks Shame on You here
