By L.K. Hewlett
St. Kitts Reporter
Damien Rhoden a.k.a. ‘Munga Honourable’ has been announced as the headline act for the prime minister’s independence party slated for Tuesday, September 18.
Not everyone is pleased with the choice of entertainment for the concert that is an official part of the federation’s 24th Anniversary of Independence celebrations.
The Jamaican Reggae/Dancehall artiste who has gained notoriety for his hit single Bad From Me Born uses anti-gay lyrics as well as lyrics glorifying illegal actions such as smoking marijuana and shooting anyone who crosses him.
According to a report in an Associated Press dated July 5, 2007, Munga Honourable reportedly had a recent altercation with producer Cassadie ‘Casper’ Jones, which almost turned deadly when Munga allegedly pulled a knife and stabbed at the producer. The altercation was apparently prompted over musical property rights and subsequent contracts and future remuneration.
The article went on to say that Jones, the producer of Munga’s Wine Pon It on the Productions label, confirmed that Munga had attacked him. The incident reportedly took place after Jones had just pulled up to his newly opened Hotwire Studio at 30 Red Hills Road two weeks ago. It is reported that ‘Munga’ was waiting on Casper in the parking lot.
“When me drive in, him start come towards the car door. Mi come out, slam mi door and bounce him off wid mi shoulder and walk away. When mi look, me see Munga pop off knife and start move towards me,” Jones was quoted as saying in an interview.
“Me have me bredrin (posse) round me and fi him bredrin dey dey (was there), so everyone know everyone, so me tell him fi put down the knife and mek me beat up he (expletive expletive). Me just move to him and me ease him off, and the bredrin dem a hold on pon him, and is like him get way from dem, and jook after me wid the knife. Him dey a couple of meters away from me and still a jook after me, and mi look straight inna him eye when him a do it. Is a coward ting him dey pon…if me did ever hold him inna time wid me ego….”
Concerned citizens are asking the question: Is this the type of artiste St. Kitts wants featured in an independence event, with lyrics such as right hand gripping nines (9mm guns) and smoking me high grade (smoking marijuana)? Munga’s lyrics include We have guns of all size and we buss shot on all spies.
The Observer sought answers from one of the chief organizers of the event who said that although they had not been aware of the performer’s alleged act of violence, they had provided clauses in his contract that stipulated no profanity be used during his performance.
Other artistes who have performed on national stage in the past have breached such contracts by using curse words and sexually explicit lyrics. However, only rapper DMX was ever arrested for the offence, after he called the women ‘b*tches’ and unleashed a string of curse words during his performance at a past St. Kitts Music Festival.
