Browsing: UPLIFTMENT
WHEN Theodore Dalhouse set up his studio, the primary aim was to record himself. Though after some 10 years Dalhouse has not made a single record featuring Super Ninja, his stage name.
His Xpanda Muzik Productions is serving a noble cause by reaching out to the parish’s musically talented youths.
“I planned to build the studio to voice and produce myself, but all now I have not done that because when I realised the kind of talent out there, I just started to focus on them,” he said.
Co-owned by the internationally recognised reggae crooner Tarrus Riley, the Morant Bay-based recording studio and production house is being a good corporate citizen, but not at the expense of performing its substantive role of identifying, harnessing and developing the musical talent of the parish.
“Our aim is to provide an opportunity for young and upcoming artistes who the major producers would not have otherwise seen… you have a lot of talented youths around here and they don’t have anybody to turn to,” said Dalhouse.
Being an artiste himself and having faced the proverbial snub of producers, the former Yallahs High School student is very much in tune with the struggles of the young ‘craftsmen’.
“Because I’m an artiste myself, I know about having talent and the struggle to find an outlet to bring this out, and that’s why I’m trying to put these youngsters on the road,” noted Dalhouse, who is also the studio engineer and producer.
Xpanda Muzik Productions, he claimed, is also serving as a social intervention medium, providing a platform for young men, in particular, to channel their energies in a positive way.
With few opportunities for self-actualisation, St Thomas’s growing and worrying culture of urban-style crime and violence is a tempting alternative for idle young men, but the promise of a career in music is equally appealing.
“This is one of a few places in St Thomas where a young man can come and use his energy in a positive way… and it is the only thing like this for the youths,” said Dalhouse.
In trying to escape the tough streets, many aspiring artistes — believing they are the next ‘big thing’ on the local scene — have streamed into the tiny Xpanda studio looking for that elusive break.
A good percentage of them, Dalhouse told the Observer, are diamonds in the rough who require polish and grooming if they are to forge ahead.
“A lot of youths come here with lyrics, but they don’t know keys,” he explained. “They don’t even know how to go on a rhythm, so we sit down with them and show them the way. We even help them to rewrite lyrics, so what we’ve been doing is teaching them without any extra costs.”
Many producers, Dalhouse noted, would have slammed the door in the faces of some these youngsters, but instead, he embraces them. And for those who are hopeless from a musical competence standpoint, the truth is delivered gently.
“A lot of the youths like to work with me (rather) than some other producers and engineers in the parish because we show them love here,” he stated.
“I used to have a club where I kept a talent show named ‘Ghetto Splash’ every Thursday, and the number of talented artistes that I see on a weekly basis is unbelievable,” he said.
“In St Thomas you have the next Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Vybz Kartel, Mavado and even Bob Marley — that’s the extent and range of the talent we have waiting to explode,” beamed Dalhouse.
At the moment, Xpanda is taking credit for coaching the promising careers of Koolant, Patex, Iloo, Bad Dawg, Oneil Shines, Freddie Smalls and Singing D who are all enjoying regular rotation on local and foreign radio.
Other St Thomas-bred singers in Bushman and Natty King, along with Louie Culture, are established names that continue to work closely with the St Thomas-based company.
And Riley, a son of the soil as well, has a new single on the Xpanda label due to be released soon entitled Never Wanna See You Cry – one of many hits recorded at the studio located at Morant Bay Plaza.
“It’s Tarrus why the studio is here right now, he maintains the studio… He’s the man behind all this, but we don’t deal with the boss thing here; we are a team,” Dalhouse said, giving an insight into the relationship and partnership.
Dalhouse, who also operates a sound system named Xpanda, revealed that his next move is to establish a radio station to keep authentic reggae music alive as he thinks that it is being gobbled up by the invasive dancehall mutation.
“The reggae music is dying out because a lot of the younger youths are not listening to it; they (would) rather listen to some songs that are promoting some derogatory things, and that’s why I came with the sound system where I could play some songs that are not being played,” said Dalhouse, who recently returned from New York after two engagements with his sound system.
“And that’s why we need the radio station because all these songs that the youths are listening to now are played for two weeks and you don’t hear them again, but the authentic reggae music plays forever,” he declared.
To support Japan’s earthquake relief, Japanese sound system and ambassador of Reggae music Mighty Crown and their management team Irish and Chin, are calling on the Reggae community and all people for help.
Mighty Crown and Irish and Chin, with support from VP Records and media partner Irie Jam Radio, are staging “Reggae 4 Japan” on Thursday, April 21 at York College in Queens, New York.
The show is slated to feature top Reggae music acts, the benefit concert’s proceeds will go to the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake Relief.
Mighty Crown, who was in Japan at the time of the Earthquake, witnessed the impact of the disaster on their homeland.
The line up will be announced in the days to come, once appearances are finalized. Based on the artists who have already confirmed, “Reggae 4 Japan” will be a benefit concert of epic proportion and for a great cause.
IrieJam Radio also graciously stepped in to rally support from other radio outlets in the Tri-State area by coordinating advertising efforts, interviews and other support. IrieJam Radio is lending a hand to ensure that “Reggae 4 Japan” is widely promoted and well attended.
This year is Mighty Crown’s 20th Anniversary, but without question — the spirit for celebrating this year has changed since the disaster. Because of Japan’s crisis, even after “Reggae 4 Japan,” Mighty Crown will be dedicated to helping their homeland overcome. Specifically, Mighty Crown/Irish and Chin will donate a portion of proceeds from their anniversary billed events to support efforts in Japan. Mighty Crown encourages all people to come out to the “Reggae 4 Japan” benefit concert on April 21. More event details will follow.
By now you’ve probably heard that popular dancehall dancer, Ricardo “Mundo” Gordon, of the Ravers Clavers dance crew, is in desperate need of a kidney transplant.
According to Mundo, the surgery will cost US$250,000 (J$21 million), and so far just J$500,000 has been raised.
The South Florida (SoFlo) Dancehall & Reggae Music Awards has already agreed to donate partial proceeds from their upcoming event, which takes place on Sunday, March 20, 2010 inside the Hollywood Central Performing Arts Theater located at 1770 Monroe Street, Hollywood, FL
If you’d like to contribute to Mundo Raver’s kidney transplant fund, please send an email to mundoravers143@yahoo.com
The Opening Ceremony of the HELP Jamaica! Education Center Cassava Piece on 5 Cassava Piece Road, Kingston 8, will carry the theme “Rise up, Cassava Piece!” and will take place on Thursday, February 3, 2011, 11am. Everybody is welcome to celebrate this great achievement with us!The Ceremony will feature various speakers including the German Ambassador and representatives from the ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the singing sensation Romain Virgo.
The idea for the learning center which includes a computer lab (by which LIME has agreed to offer free internet access) and a library was one Mavado had plans for some time now. In July of last year when Drake shot his video in Cassava he linked with Mavado to contribute to the project.
Mavado said: “I was born and grow inna Cassava Piece so mi always a look to impact di community in a positive way. We recently helped create peace between rival communities dat is going good, so we want to do sumpten new. We have been planning it for a while, when Drake was here it came up an he wanted to do sumpten to help and we mek di arrangements.”
He added: “We’re grateful for his contribution, it’s a great gesture, he is not even a Jamaican, so for him to do dis and help build a foundation of knowledge and learning in our community is, yuh nuh, appreciated. Odda successful Jamaicans should tek a leaf out of Drake’s book and gi back to di communities from weh dem born and grow.”
Cassava Piece Education Center – Free access to Education
The aim of the Cassava Piece Education Center is to provide access to books, computers and educational programs free of cost to the citizens of the community and its surrounding. It shall strengthen and inspire individuals, and thus improve, uplift and unite the community. The Center is free of political association or any biases. The Center shall be a peaceful, violence-free, friendly and a welcoming place for all to learn, to engage in educational activities and to be creative. The Center is the community library that embraces the UNESCO public library manifesto “the local gateway to knowledge provides a basic condition for lifelong learning, independent decision-making and cultural development of the individual and social groups“. The community’s assembling space and ultimately a computer learning centre will be part of the Center’s offering to the community.
The Place
The site of the Center is the “Old Clinic” on 5 Cassava Piece Road, Kingston 8. The building was destroyed by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. HELP Jamaica! has renovated and refurbished it during the past months and the grounds were designed to facilitate outdoor activities. The plans in the long term involve doing additional construction so that space to house a multimedia centre and assembly area will be available. A wide range of educational and creative courses will provide an attractive programme.
Goals
The programs are designed to enhance self-esteem of youths, to support children and youths in their personal development, to help them discover and develop various talents, to develop practical skills useful for one’s personal life and in job search and shall provide meaningful opportunities. We will inspire children to learn and practice tolerance in social relationships and to develop interpersonal and social skills, empathy, and responsibility.
By offering access to education and uplifting programs, the Center aims to strengthen young people to develop positive perspectives for their own future and ideas how they can change their own circumstances of life and those of others. This, we believe, can help to break the circle of despair, frustration, violence and crime which is destabilizing the Jamaican society.
By involving the work of volunteers from the community, the university, other organizations and groups, we will foster civil engagement, increased partnership, participation and voluntary contributions. We will also create small earning opportunities for course facilitators.
We aim to establish a network of local activists interested in matters of education and positive change as well as an international network of supporters, sponsors and donors to realize the project.
Patrons
While the Center is open to all citizens living in its surroundings and not restricted to any particular age group, the main target groups are children and youths in the age between 5 and 15. Younger children will be allowed in company of adults or elder brothers or sisters.
The services to the adults will be designed based on the recommendations of the Community Advisory Committee; the community will be requesting what projects and programs are most needed.
The Collection
The Center will offer access to a comprehensible book collection with specialization in children books with Caribbean, African and African American background, educational books, books on Caribbean culture, on different countries and other cultures, on biographies of inspiring personalities and guidebooks on parenting, education and youth development.
Computer Center
The Center will in the long term create this facility to introduce computer training to the community to stem the digital divide and encourage the regular use of information technology applications in the day to day lives of the citizens of Cassava Piece. The library will have a few systems for reference services and research. However, introduction to applications and use of the computer on a large scale will not be a full programme offering until the creation of the Computer Center.
Conclusion
The HELP Jamaica! Education Center, Cassava Piece will be a developmental space for the community. Through our programmes we hope to facilitate the development of each member of the community to realize their full potential: Help yourself and HELP Jamaica!
For more information please visit :www.helpjamaica.org
