Tweet

By Adlai Mudiwa

Nationals, and Residents of St.Kitts are using Social Media to express outrage over a recently released Video by Rap Superstar Rick Ross. The Video which was released on Wednesday features the larger than life Rapper jogging along the beautiful beaches of the island paradise and taking in a Caribbean Premier League Cricket match.
However hundreds have expressed concern and outrage at what they see as a negative portrayal of the island as a “Drug Dealers Dream” , which is the name of the track. The video which is punctuated with the sounds of gun shots and the refrain “MURDER” littered throughout the track shows the rapper in one scene standing on top the historic War Memorial . The memorial is considered hallowed ground as it represents the memory of those who gave their lives in the two world wars. The Video starts with a very tattered St.Kitts Flag which has offended some . It also features young men from the streets and ghettoes of Basseterre throwing hundred dollar bills in what seems to be an ode to the Drug Dealer lifestyle which is glorified in the video.
One of the more popular Social Media posts regarding the video read “Ok I just saw that Rick Ross Video so here comes the question. With the number of families affected by gun crime, is the free publicity that this video will generate (that is assuming it will be aired on american media BET, MTV and the like and no be relegated to youtube only), really worth it? Is having an american gangster rapper rapping about drug dealing and murder from our shores the best message to put in front of our already misguided youths. Judas and his 30 pieces of silver comes to mind. “
Another post read “So let me get this right…cause I MUST be dreaming…Rick Ross comes to St. Kitts…gets paid a pi$$-pot amt. of money to 1.) Buss up he bad-wud on a grand stage (with Gov’t officials watching)…Is allowed to openly BREAK THE LAW a few hundred feet (well within earshot) of the Police HQ and Her Majesty’s Prison…not withstanding ALL the main Churches and schools…and if that wasn’t BAD enough…is THEN allowed to shoot a video showing 2.) a tattered “National Flag,” 3.) Desecrates our WW veterans memorial – AND last but not least basically 4.) Labels our Federation (by the title of the video) as A “Drug Dealers Dream”….??!?!? And some of US want to TRY to JUSTIFY THIS !?!?! You GOTS to be Kidding Me !!!! “
A popular blogger had this to say on the issue regarding Ross’ use of the War Memorial “Soooo everybody hyping up the Rick Ross video “Drug Dealers Dream”…now I have a few questions? Did Rick Ross get “official” permission to shoot this video at the Cenotaph and DESECRATE a Memorial to our WWI&II VETERANS??! What kind of (>insert expletive here<) really going on in SK?!?!? Seriously…have we LOST ALL SENSE OF PRIDE!?!?!?! Which other country in the WORLD would have allowed this!?!? I challenge ANY OF YOU TO NAME ONE..!!!. How about if Rick Ross went over to Nevis and tried that on the Christina Memorial?! This is BEYOND POLITICAL….IT'S A DAM SHAME!!!!!! And ya'll SILENT ON THIS TOO…??!? SMFH!!!!! “

Rick Ross stirred controversy from the time he was announced a few months ago as the main act for the CPL Cricket League Show. Many felt that an American rapper was inappropriate for a Caribbean Cricket League. Ticket sales were so slow for the Rick Ross event that the organizers ended up having to cut the ticket price in half with a 2 for 1 special. Minister Glen Ghost Phillip in an interview indicated that he felt in order to appeal to the young people and bring more young people to cricket Rick Ross was on the top of his list . Ross’ show was littered with expletives from start to finish. The expletives and or indecent language , in a public place is against the law in St.Kitts-Nevis. Yet the rap superstar was able to get away with a barrage of expletives on stage in front of thousands. Many of whom were under the age of 18m and who would’ve not been allowed to see a show of that kind in the US. In 2003 DMX was arrested at the SK Music Festival for using indecent language during his performance.
Former Minster of National Security Dwyer Astaphan in his weekly talk show indicated that Ross may have been paid upwards of EC$1million for his performance on St.Kitts and his subsequent 3 days stay there.
All have not condemned the video as many have also declared that the uproar is much ado about nothing and the comments blasting the video are hypocritical.
One Social Media bloggers said “The hypocrisy is stifling. Tupac got a lot of flack but yet courses are taught about him at Ivy League universities. Lightening up guys.. I try to appreciate individual rights of self expression without condoning such.. I love hip hop and rap..Music in general. We have had kartel and movado to name a few in SK..Dmx and others who sang about murdering others because of their sexual orientation etc… Will we shun buju banton a man convicted and imprisoned for drug and gun crimes too? Wait he is innocent. ..Free buju…#hypocrites “
Another on Social media posted “Me arm I saw Rick Ross giddy! Whites the hype? I see nothing wrong with it. It’s a bloody video aru like see videos with other people country now it’s yours is a problem? Ppl please its a video it’s just a drug dealers dream.”

See Video:

https://timescaribbeanblog.wordpress.com/2014/08/27/st-kitts-drug-dealers-dream-rick-ross-releases-brand-new-video-featuring-island-paradise-2/
”