Veteran Broadcaster Bashes Hill and Gully Riddim

Veteran broadcaster Fae Ellington is calling out the growing trend of using Jamaican Folk songs to create explicit and sexually suggestive content online.

The now viral riddim by Stephen ‘Di Genius’McGregor, remaking the Hill and Gully beat, and sampling the song, is generating mixed reactions among some quarters.

Many see the use of the folk beat as an ode to Jamaican culture.

But Ellington says the use of lewd lyrics on such a beat is disrespectful to the country’s cultural heritage and could negatively influence young people who grew up learning the traditional songs.

She said, “I love my culture dearly, but sometimes I wonder if some of us Jamaicans understand what we do, and how it can affect our people, our children in particular and how we are viewed. Folk music is a very important part of our culture, it’s not just for entertainment.”

Ellington highlighted the tradition of storytelling and social commentary embedded in folk music. “When I hear persons changing the lyrics of Hill and Gully Ride to vulgarity, it pains. It hits me in a place that I cannot explain – I get numb.”

She lauded the work of McGregor on the riddim, but says use of it to amplify vulgar messaging  will have a negative impact on youth, as entertainers play a vital role in the evolution of culture. Her call for accountability included a call for the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports Babsy Grange to make a statement on the matter of how folk music is sampled.