Furthermore, enforcement of the local Night Noise Abatement Act and lack of proper outdoor venues for large events have put a stranglehold on the ability of promoters to earn from the music. Several countries have begun to respond to the violent content of dancehall, which often celebrates misogyny, prejudice, homophobia and promiscuity, by banning artistes. Most recently, Guyana banned both Bounty Killer and Mavado from performing there. Some station owners have given disc jockeys in Dominica, Trinidad & Tobago and in Dutch-speaking Suriname ultimatums not to play songs by Mavado. DJ Sizzla was arrested in Spain and deported to the United States after gay activists were successful in their lobby to have his visa revoked, while Bounty Killer was hounded by gays during his European tour, forcing the cancellation of at least three events. Another Bounty Killer show featuring Mavado as a headliner was not allowed to go on by cops in London.
 

Add to this toxic mix, declining CD sales across the music genre, and it appears that dancehall is taking a PR beating from which it might be difficult to recover. Some critics are saying that these things could sound a death knell for dancehall on the international scene but some stakeholders feel that the recent moves are a positive. The reasoning is that this will clear the music of the rabble-rousers who do it no justice and whose personal misfortunes will only pave the way for others who are ready to show the discipline and professionalism to take the music to greater heights internationally.
 

“Dancehall artistes are being crippled by the violent tone of their music, countries are not accepting what they are selling. The question we need to ask ourselves is how can we, the producers, the media, the disc jockeys, mold our artistes into good world citizens? Is the government and other stakeholders willing to protect the industry for future generations?” Jeffrey Stephenson of Free People Entertainment asked XtraNews.

 “I was recently in Suriname and I went to a major radio station where the owner had put up a notice that any disc jockey playing a song by Mavado would be fired. How do you think that makes me feel as a representative of Jamaican music? I don’t believe in censorship but some songs should not be given the kind of mainstream radio access that they are given in Jamaica, almost as if we endorse what these people are saying,” he said.
 

Mr. Stephenson said the new stars, emerging in both dancehall and reggae, need to temper their message so that they can build both reggae and dancehall.

 “Where are the new reggae stars who will replace the Gladiators, Joseph Hill and Burning Spear? Buju is more dancehall and he is high risk, are we willing to lose that fan base because of a lack of planning? Are the players doing enough research to see the big gap that is being left in roots rock reggae? The local media often put more emphasis on the dancehall artistes when it is reggae which continues to fly the flag for Jamaica on the international scene,” he said.
 

Dancehall has shown a curious ability to morph and survive despite the insurmountable odds, so it would be remiss of anyone to write off dancehall’s ability to survive its current woes. But the struggle will be a daunting one.

 Anthony B believes that dancehall artistes have gone ‘off message’ when it comes to expressing who they are and what Jamaica represents.
 “They are not marketing the great things about Jamaica, the good food, the good music, the wonderful, talented people, and our philosophies on life that the whole world responds positively to. Reggae is soul food, mama’s cooking and every one loves mama’s cooking,” Anthony B mused.
 

Anthony B believes that some artistes will naturally fall to the wayside by virtue of the ‘survival of the fittest’ ethos that rules free market economics.
 “If the artistes don’t become better citizens of the world and wake up and recognize that they are part of an industry that is greater than them, then I feel it is only natural that they will not be a part of the music’s future. Do they really think that if they get in trouble and cannot fly, that people will stop going to concerts? Or stop listening to reggae?” he said.
 

“Bob Marley died and reggae still continues to this day. They cannot stop it, if they don’t recognize that they are a brand, then they will become examples of what not to do, a necessary sacrifice to move the music to the next level because the next generation will not repeat their mistakes,” he concluded.
 One European-based promoter mused that, “Some dancehall artistes will not be missed in our marketplace because they have been consistently unprofessional and crass in their dealings.”
 “They don’t respect the music, a lot of them are prima donnas who have not taken time to study the business side of the music, and who are unwilling to change their ways for the betterment of the industry. They will have to go, and there will be more stars, there will always be more, Jamaica is producing them, they are developing in Japan, in Germany, in the United States, so they will not be missed,” the promoter said.
 The promoter also added that many of the dancehall artistes who continue to attract a negative sustained PR campaign against dancehall often lack the pulling power and the appeal of older reggae artistes who pull consistently large crowds.
 

“There is just a lot of hype and hardly any substance. Give me a Max Romeo, a Burning Spear, an Israelites,
              a Gladiators any day, but reggae needs more promising positive stars and role models like Tarrus Riley and Duane Stephenson, Anthony B and Warrior King, and we need them soon,” the promoter concluded.