In winding down his presentation (that was not a lecture) at the University of the West Indies on Thursday March 7 2011 Adidjah Palmer more popularly known as Vybz Kartel uttered the above quote. It was met with thunderous applause by the many who gathered to witness the human colouring book. It was praise well deserved; ‘di teacha’ should be lauded for mastering the art of deflection. At first glance it’s easy for one to “take it to the parents” and verbally scold them for failing at their job. Upon further evaluation a reasonable retort would be- is it unfair of a parent to expect Vybz Kartel to be a role model to their child? Yes. No. Well. Hmm? That’s an interesting question.
You can go a step further and ask is it fair for parents to expect anyone to be a role model to their child?
How dare the parents make such a bold request? What do Vybz Kartel’s actions have to do with their child’s life? Guh raise yuh pickney and lef’ Kartel alone! Not so fast. Vybz Kartel is a successful businessman/deejay in a society where more than 50% of the people are living from ‘hand to mouth’, more than 50% of the children are raised in single parent homes and almost all of them are frustrated with their lives. There are more budding deejays per square mile than babies being born. So what’s with the deejay boom? Enter Vybz Kartel yute from the ghetto now the leader of his an empire- from ‘di Gaza’ to Norbrook. Vybz Kartel is a rags to riches story with a dancehall soundtrack. Say goodbye to dumpling and butter and say hello to dumplings in a butter reduction. Kartel has risen above his circumstances and changed his life.
And then there is little Jimmy, being raised ‘pon di Gaza’, his mother is a secretary, she works and works and there is never enough money to go around. Her income is possibly supplemented by monthly visits to Western Union. It’s an unpredictable, frustrating and unforgiving life. All the need is for something to give and life will be beautiful. Little Jimmy goes outside and sees Vybz Kartel driving through the community in his ‘criss’ car, he looks across the street and sees his father walking from his minimum wage job. So who does Jimmy want to be? Jimmy wants to be free of a life where his meals are defined by what’s cheapest, where he can fall at school and not worry so much about ‘saving’ his khaki suit, he just wants it to be easier.
Thus the inevitable role model label is bestowed upon him not because of poor parenting but due to the existence of dreaming. When the roll of film is developed and Jimmy is presented with two pictures- his parent’s life and Vybz Kartel’s parenting just became harder.
Being a role model Kartel; isn’t about parenting Jamaica’s children. Parents aren’t expecting you to do their job they are hoping you won’t make it any harder than it already is. It’s the same request they make of teachers, peers, health care workers, filmmakers, radio announcers, the cashier at KFC, any and everyone who may come in contact with or impact their child. Role ‘modeldom’is the kind of thing that just happens and ‘it nuh partial’. Look around you Kartel, actually step outside your studio, how many men and women are hanging off your nutsack in hopes of recording a hit song of their own to achieve all that you have? My mother and father didn’t enter my psyche as role models until I became an adult, and they are amazing parents.
Stop twisting words, stop trying to make everyone else look dumber than you and please stop misquoting the honourable Robert Nesta Marley, its insulting. Most importantly stop degrading parents. Quit acting like you’re special, you’re held to the same standards as everyone else in society. You do something reprehensible, the society will reprimand you. You think its all about you, it really isn’t… I promise you… it only feels that way. It’s about a failing society where the ‘Jimmys’ are looking to the ‘Kartels’ for a glimmer of hope. And for that Kartel, you shouldn’t berate them you instead try to understand them and maybe, just maybe stop complaining about being a role model. It’s annoying.
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