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How De Yutes Get So?

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Submitted by Just Observing

26 years ago there was a hue and cry when a then young Minister of Education who managed a group of artists brought school aged students to the Wildey Gymnasium to be “feted” by none other than Mr. Edwin Yearwood, Pic of De Crop winner.

At the time this mass “party” was unheard of but clearly went on to become a staple of B/DLP politics, campaigning and our cultural and sub cultural landscape.

Fast forward 27 years to the present and we have a young Minister of Education who manages a group of artists and uses them for promotional and motivational student videos (covid, back to school, stop the bullying etc.) including the popular Mole, Peter Ram and others.

BUT, here is the rub. The attached video shows the duality of entertainment and the flip side of performance roles.

TROJAN RIDDIM MIX VIDEO



So, one day it’s go to school, learn well, sanitise and don’t trouble nobody. The next day it’s gunshots showering like storm, high grade, kush, 357’s, AR’s and coffins for informers who get shot.

All coming from the same mouths, with the same faces, in the same spaces.

All managed and seemingly endorsed by a young Minister of Education whose business interests apparently diverge from the broader national, social and values based interests when convenient.

Imagine this at a time when violence, guns, shooting and fear of serious crime continue to climb. This is what far too many of our young people glorify, rejoice in and give praise to.

As one of the same said artists said over 30 years ago…..

“Well boh, I find out doh, uh NOW realise how de yutes get so”

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506 responses to “How De Yutes Get So?”

  1. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    I can comment on the music or its content as I do not listen to most of it. Therefore, I must take your word for the content of these songs.

    A question I can ask is ‘are they lyrics born out of the Barbadian experience of is a copycat of the USA experience?’
    It would be a shame if devoid of the pressures, trials and tribulations that some have taken pains to point out are present in the US but not in Barbados, if our two societies travel along the same route.

    We have to be careful that quite often we may be describing a Barbados that was and not the Barbados the is.

    One thread that I saw emerging was the usual B an D blame game.

  2. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Submitted earlier, but computer issues delayed posting.
    (now edited)

    I cannot comment on the music or its content as I do not listen to most of it. Therefore, I must take your word for the content of these songs.

    A question I can ask is ‘are the lyrics born out of a Barbadian experience of is it a copycat of the USA experience/music?’

    It would be a shame if devoid of the pressures, trials and tribulations that some have taken pains to point out are present in the USA but not in Barbados, if our two societies travel along the same route. Perhaps, some are describing a Barbados that was, Barbados they remember and not the Barbados the is. Regardless, Houston, we have a problem

    One thread that I saw emerging was the usual B an D blame game.

  3. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    After sending the video to my son in law, he is of the mind that it’s a copycat of what Jamaica is turning away from….he would have known if it was more US themed.

    America’s rap tends to be more heavily censored and not that crass, although i also found the disrespect to women and girls very disturbing in the 90s, but they have toned down and are more or less cleaning up….they paid in blood to learn, both them and Jamaica.

  4. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    There is a culture from the minibuses and vans that is ugly and has been from around the 80s when it was introduced….the music is DIRTY and targets young girls and boys, distracting their minds…..all to make the most money by competing to see who plays the DIRTIEST MUSIC…the island lost 2 generations of young Black people to the nastiness of the minibus and van culture…some through accidents when they were rushing around overtaking each other to make $1.50 for the owners of the vehicles….all ya get is a promise each and very election from the 1980s to do something about that toxic culture, the Youtube video is just a spillover.

    here are a list of the owners of the minibuses and vans..

    government ministers
    indians/minorities
    police officers

    don’t know if William knows who else is involved in the DESTRUCTION OF YOUNG BLACK LIVES…..but those three culprits are very well known….so there is no way that either DBLP can be absolved from these crimes against Black people, they have always been deeply involved in one way or the other, it’s no secret.

  5. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Real Bajan talent.

  6. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Music is just one way for ghetto ‘yutes’ to reinvent themselves with a completely new persona or identity to escape the ghetto and crime is another way to escape the poverty of the ghetto but that is about all music and crime have in common

    Linking crime with youths is more redundant logic although youths feel strong and powerful and they cannot die all new next generation of crime will be within next generation of youths albeit a small minority

    There is a big difference between a gangsta rapper and a gangsta
    Rappers are actors
    the following rappers have all got acting careers
    Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Will Smith, LL Cool J, DMX, Ice T, Common, Tupac, Mos Def, 50 Cent, Eminem, Mark Wahlberg, Ludacris, TI, Method Man, Andre 3000, Sean Combs, Drake, Bow Wow, Eve, Dr Dre, Mekhi Phifer, RZA, Jada Pinkett Smith, Nelly, Ja Rule, Redman, Nas, Big Boi, Donald Glover, Vanilla Ice, Busta Rhymes, Fredo Starr, Cam’ron, Chance the Rapper, Nicki Minaj, Game, Lil Kim, ASAP Rocky,

  7. BUFAN Avatar
    BUFAN

    https://youtu.be/wfN4PVaOU5Q

  8. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    let the naysayers come out refuting now..

  9. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    some through accidents when they were rushing around overtaking each other to make $1.50 for the owners of the vehicles….all ya get is a promise each and very election from DBLP since the 1980s to do something about that toxic culture, the Youtube video is just a spillover.

    to compound the above, what was known at the time is that these conductors of the vans and buses were making 0.10 cents on every dollar they collected in bus fare…..don’t know how much the drivers were making but they were no less RECKLESS…

    ..it is clear that the greedy bus and van owners are also responsible for a lot of what is still happening re social destruction…and poverty generation, a big part of the pauperization of certain areas on the island..

  10. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    A torturous statement
    It is obvious that we have a number of different issues that need to be addressed.

    On BU, we see a drip drip of issues that reflect a lack/failure of processes, lack of transparency, no sense of responsibility or of the need to explain anything to the electorate, lack of oversight and failure of managers, just to name a few.

    We itemize these items in different posts on BU, but responding to individual drips may not be the answer. Often, we are suggesting patching a pipe on one street when we know there are holes before the patched area and in other pipes.

    Pessimistic.
    Perhaps, the BDLP already knows that with so many issues the system cannot be fixed. They patch where is necessary to keep the system functioning and ignore other known failings. In fact, some fixed may create additional problems.

    This would explain why we ignore the auditor and continue to do things the same way, year after year.

    Not failed, but permanently failing.

  11. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    here are a list of the owners of the minibuses and vans..

    government ministers
    indians/minorities
    police officers
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Not a “naysayer.” I agree with the first part of your contribution because the information therein cannot be refuted.

    However, for you to confine owners of PSVs only to the three groups you listed and apportioning blame to them for the “mini-bus culture,” then purposely overlook the fact several Black people who are not politicians or police officers, own mini-buses and route taxis, while conveniently OMITTING them from your list of “culprits,” is not only disingenuous, but a blatant misrepresentation of the truth as well.

    Perhaps you may want to explain how the owners you listed, many of whom do not operate their vehicles, are “involved in the DESTRUCTION OF YOUNG BLACK LIVES.”

    Or, are you suggesting they have a specific mandate to encourage operators of their vehicles to engage in activities specifically to destroy young Black lives?

    Sometimes it’s best to take a break, refocus, come with new information…… and remember ‘quantity does not matter, quality does.’

    Mere presence of a thing in certain quantity do not make a resource. But it has to be have a utility and quality by the people.

  12. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    What is bothersome is how some on BU can so conveniently forget the minibus culture , the 2 generations of SOCIAL damage it has caused and the DECADES of lies and promises from DBLP to fix it..

    as William opined..we always knew that at some time it would spill over into something even more dangerous…add the guns and drugs coming from the same sources …and it became UNSTOPPABLE as the syrian dude with his container of guns told a senior police office…and THERE YOU HAVE IT,,it’s not rocket science.

    my immediate concern, and as evidenced by BU bloggers…WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE MEMORIES OF THE PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND.

    i wish someone would tell the truth for once in their denial laden lives, so that too can be fixed.

  13. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Last bit of torturous shade.

    Could it be that the auditor is doing a fine job for the system that was in place in the 1960’s?

    Could it be that the processes has been so corrupted over the past years that the auditor is playing in a different ballpark to where the game is?

    It might even be a completely different game in the new ballpark.

  14. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    William…don’t worry, they will all be HOISTED on their own PETARD…while we watch from a safe distance….those who have no skin in the game are the safest.

  15. Observing Avatar
    Observing

    @groslyn
    “the tone at the top”
    You are correct. So far only Wilfred spoke out. But then again, we know he’s one of the Young Turks fighting for a chance to shine and impress auntie.

    @Wura
    A boat full of drugs but yet a dismissal and a return to chairmanship of a money group. Meanwhile de yutes on remand or bail for a few ounces. Yuh tink um easy???

    @Artax
    The use of Ministers of Education was because they are primarily responsible for at least 13+ years of everyone’s school life.

    Regarding the politicians actually I blame the artistes in the video more than them. Let’s see if their manager will condemn them too given all the talk about values and community etc etc.

    When today’s young people hear one thing, but see the next, then they go with what they see and they’re done with what they hear. This applies to ALL leadership.

    As for the underground economy etc., I have spoken ad nauseum about the growing, thriving and now normalised sub-culture in Barbados. As one ambassador sang many years ago

    “Now you see, what uh really mean, this is my true culture in the Caribbean!”

    @Donna
    “The only children who would be influenced into gansta life by such music are those lacking the appropriate guidance and opportunity.

    There are far too many of these children who have been failed by the education system and society at large. Also, these same ones can easily influence, impact or inspire others who actually had guidance and opportunity.

  16. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    The method to this madness is total elimination of the black race
    Black criminals were not born they are being now trained to be executioners of they own race
    Drugs Money and music is the foundation upon which to captivate the young Black vulnerable and unsuspecting male
    A vicious time period set and already started to see the total destruction of the Black race
    Without Black men the chances of black women reproducing their own ethic group falls to almost zero

  17. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    HOW DE YUTES GET SO?

    It does not take an Einstein to answer this question.

    In our desire to create a Brand Barbados (whatever that means) whilst remaining loyal to remnants from our old colonial master; our leaders have made a conscious decision to abandon en-masse the vast majority of Barbados majority population.

    Barbados is an ultra-conservative society that scorns social upward mobility. It is an arrogant country that revels in elitism. And makes it clear to her black population that they should be happy with their lot and should not be too demanding.

    The violent lyrics merely confirms that Barbados has become a narco state. It is a transit hub for the movement of narcotics by a number of major players. Our local minority businesses are involved heavily. The signs are evident. Witness the surreal real estate prices, and what I would call dummy/front companies that are clearly not making money from there so-called legitimate businesses. The steady increase in the supply of guns is also clear evidence where we are at.

    I can remember as a young man when reggae music switched from a conscious musical form to a hyper and aggressive musical form. We are talking about the late eighties and early nineties when Jamaica got involved in the white powder game and we witnessed the rise of the yardies.

    All governments since Barrow have been responsible for the creation of this monster. As for Brand Barbados? How is this goal achievable when you have a huge black majority population with at least a third of them living in poverty without any future and no skin in the game.

    Mia and Altman’s dream of creating a Brand Barbados will end in tears.

    https://www.dancehallmag.com/2021/04/11/features/dancehall-crime-and-leadership-in-jamaica.html

  18. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    “What is bothersome is how some on BU can so conveniently forget the minibus culture , the 2 generations of SOCIAL damage it has caused and the DECADES of lies and promises from DBLP to fix it..”

    Come off it, my friend.

    I ‘said’ I AGREED with the first part of your contribution because the information therein CANNOT be REFUTED.

    I questioned the second part.

    So far, I was the only person to make a response. So, how in all fairness could you ‘say’ “some on BU can so conveniently forget the minibus culture,” simply because no one else has commented on the issue as yet?

  19. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    TLSN..my son in law don’t talk a lot, but when he does you know he is disturbed by what he saw…let them carry on with their little slave society smartly…we already did the heavy lifting exposing it and them, not much left to do now, they will do the remainder all by themselves.

    “Barbados is an ultra-conservative society that scorns social upward mobility. It is an arrogant country that revels in elitism. And makes it clear to her black population that they should be happy with their lot and should not be too demanding.”

    imagine that, scorning upward mobility for the Black population who fund the island and elect these pretentious frauds, but not for their THIEVING SELVES and their fellow minority crooks, so they can proudly parade around with a bunch of criminals for slave masters..

    i remember when Mia rode up on her one horse industry to the ILO, one of the first things out of her mouth was how much better it was for the population now than it was before, while neglecting to tell them about the slave salaries, the racist thieving employers, the discrimination, the thefts of the people’s labor, then i knew the people who elected her had a real problem on their hands, and it has since been proven by how much more they were reduced to poverty on her return.

  20. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Brand Barbados is just another bullshit word for an upgraded Slave society….

  21. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    William Skinner June 1, 2021 6:18 AM #: “Even here on BU, people successfully get others censored. And they delight in it too.”

    @ Mr. Skinner

    Your above comment is rather interesting. You had me wondering which BU blogger(s) took delight in successfully getting others censored.

    Or, wouldn’t be much more reasonable to conclude their arrogant, obnoxious, condescending behaviour was ‘the architect of their own demise?’

  22. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Ummmm! Westbury Rd stylie!

    Now can we have a real conversation???

    Are the artists promoting the gansta lifestyle or merely telling the stories of life as artists do?

    Here’s how it is supposed to work – they tell the story and if we don’t like how it ends, we the people and our Government do something about it!

    If a youth is influenced to turn gansta simply from listening to a few cleverly strung together words from Lil Rick who is old as tail, still alive and never get shot up, never kill nobody, but love to wuk up fuh sport and money, then there is something seriously lacking in his life.

    Will the gangsta life come to an end when Lil Rick and co. stop singing about it?

    Who is the big man behind the small time, disposable foot soldiers? What does the minister think about them?

    Perhaps he will tell them next time they meet at some big up function!

  23. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    Arrogant – perhaps; obnoxious – from time to time; condescending behaviour – may be petulant at worst.

    However the man was normally spot on with his observations. He is sadly missed on BU; just like the erratic doctor.

    How does a society benefit when alternative voices are silenced. I have no desire to live in such a society.

  24. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    Donna

    Are you trying to convinced intelligent people that words do/does not influence behaviour?
    How do you think Muslim youths are radicalized via the internet?
    You ought to know that a lot of inner-city Black youths are operating with very little upstairs in terms of making productive choices, and avoiding those that will put them under the ground.
    Listen! Several years ago, there was a case which made National Attaining, where a teenage White girl, convinced a mentally disturbed White kid to commit suicide via text messaging, and he did, and the District Attorney prosecuted her for Third Degree murder, and I don’t think she had ever met the young man.

  25. Dompey Avatar
    Dompey

    Sorry National Attention

  26. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    Perhaps one should speak for oneself about him being sadly missed and let others offer their own sentiments.

    There aren’t any significant differences between him and other contributors, such as de pedantic Dribbler, TheOGazerts, Miller, PLT, John A, Crusoe….. all of whom, despite their individual styles, are also “normally spot on with their observations?”

    Here we are on a blog discussing ‘how the yutes get so,’ and we’re hypocritically prepared to overlook the behaviour of an obnoxious, disrespectful narcissistic bully, simply because we believe he is “normally spot on with his observations.”

  27. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Observing,

    If they can be so easily influenced by peers to such extremes, I suggest to you that they did not have appropriate guidance.

    It is either guidance they lack or opportunity.

    Or both.

    The problem is much deeper than music.

  28. David Avatar
    David

    The glamorizing of gansta culture by local artists must be processed and assessed holistically when consideration if given to other factors occurring in society. Breakdown in families, change in community life, degree of cultural penetration with the advent of Internet etc.

  29. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Whoever said that words do not influence????

    My words were the strongest influence in my son’s life. Not Lil Rick’s. Not Peter Ram’s. And certainly not Mole!

    At seventeen, my words still count more than anyone else’s because he has internalized them and they are now HIS words.

    I smile when I hear him say them.

  30. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Mole’s

  31. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Again I ask – does portraying a gansta character in song amount to glamorising violence?

  32. David Avatar
    David

    In the video featured it does.

  33. David Avatar
    David

    Peter Ram apologises for offensive lyrics: https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/06/01/peter-ram-apologises-for-offensive-lyrics/

  34. Paula Sealy Avatar
    Paula Sealy

    Yesterday, a segment on VOB featured Dr. Marcia Burrowes. She read an article from 1951 which spoke of police concerns regarding the drivers and conductors of public transportation. The issues included the dress of the operators and the conduct of drivers while behind the wheel.

    Kashi said that had it not been for the publishing date being shared from the outset, he would easily have taken it for a recent article.

    And the article in question was first published 70 years ago.

  35. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    “Again I ask – does portraying a gansta character in song amount to glamorising violence?”

    @ Donna

    Not necessarily. But, you must realize entertainment is a business……. and entertainers, DJs and promoters, in their efforts to earn money, will obviously push the music that is popular and appeals to their fans.

  36. Paula Sealy Avatar
    Paula Sealy

    I have concerns about the “TROJAN RIDDIM MIX VIDEO” https://pyramidbarbados.com/artistes.

    My concerns arise partly due to the connections of Lil Rick and Peter Ram with Pyramid Entertainment Management Inc. https://pyramidbarbados.com/artistes.

    The Pyramid roster was managed by Santia Bradshaw in the past https://bb.linkedin.com/in/santia-bradshaw-b5906629.

    Is this still the case?

    One of these gentlemen enjoys the support of government agencies such as the NCF https://youtu.be/WJpQhX-2pqM. The Minister of Culture needs to speak up more here.

    Peter Ram was also used to anchor the anti-violence campaign https://youtu.be/Nj9Z8iRixkc. The ministers responsible for education and youth need to explain if Ram will continue to be part of these programmes.

    The members of the RBPF have been classified as expendable and law and order threatened outright. This is unacceptable.

    Little Barbados, big headache.

  37. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    @ Paula Sealy

    I raised those issues in this forum a few weeks ago, after reading Advocates from the 1950s. I also mentioned people from St. Joseph were complaining about the lack of water since 1951.

  38. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Artax,

    True. But are the stories accurate representations of a lifestyle already in existence?

  39. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Hollywood vs Black Entertainment
    Did Godfather, Goodfellas, Sopranos, Scarface turn people into gangsters
    Do Murder Mysteries cause people to murder
    At most it makes wannabes fantasists

  40. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    Hal is brilliant very knowledgeable
    Has wide experience in worlds affai
    Has met and engaged with world diplomats and leaders
    Many here on BU has yet to have a portfolio in such areas of knowledge and schooling that can top.or be compared to Hals
    BU has used many of his articles more often than not
    It is a pity that some bajans suffer from the crab in the barrel mentality
    I glad that on occasions I get to read his comments on other social media platforms

  41. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet


    “Hal is brilliant very knowledgeable
    Has wide experience in worlds affai
    Has met and engaged with world diplomats and leaders
    Many here on BU has yet to have a portfolio in such areas of knowledge and schooling that can top.or be compared to Hals”

    People have a right to speak crap if they believe it, but the worst kind of person is one who knowingly speaks untruths, everything is relative Hal may impress you but not others, political spin is for the dogs and big head smart asses and show offs only think the sun shines out of their ass

  42. David Avatar
    David

    We talk a good talk. A Bajan like many on this blog can debate any subject under the sun to death. It is said we suffer from implementation/execution defici.

  43. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    Many here on BU has yet to have a portfolio in such areas of knowledge and schooling that can top.or be compared to Hals

    Xxxcccc

    Deal with that truth

  44. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    is Hal is AC with same IP address

    Why do you love up Hal and Hal loves you when you both chat the same shit
    2 bitches and snitches who should be buried in ditches or sleep with the fishes

  45. David Avatar
    David

    https://fb.watch/5SpzF3Jet4/

  46. Lorenzo Avatar
    Lorenzo

    David BU do not give in to these dems calling for Austin, s return.He was disredpectful to you on many occasions .I for one am glad he has been censored / banned whatever.I do not miss him or his behaviour unl8ke Skinner , TSLN and AC.Let him form his own blog and you three can join him on Good riddance to him.

  47. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    555dubstreetJune 1, 2021 5:44 PM

    is Hal is AC with same IP address

    Why do you love up Hal and Hal loves you when you both chat the same shit
    2 bitches and snitches who should be buried in ditches or sleep with the fishes

    Xxxxxx

    Look at that evil bile coming out of your mouth
    Will be altering and sending copies to my lawyer
    Yes I will

  48. angela cox Avatar
    angela cox

    LorenzoJune 1, 2021 6:01 PM

    David BU do not give in to these dems calling for Austin, s return.He was disredpectful to you on many occasions .I for one am glad he has been censored / banned whatever.I do not miss him or his behaviour unl8ke Skinner , TSLN and AC.Let him form his own blog and you three can join him on Good riddance to him

    Xxxxxxxxx
    Jealous rat
    Yuh knowledge can’t measure up to His
    Cause yuh have none

  49. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Can Angela Cox remember what Hal said about gangsta rap?

  50. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet


    ”
    Look at that evil bile coming out of your mouth
    Will be altering and sending copies to my lawyer
    Yes I will
    ”

    How much does your lawyer charge you per hour to do fuck all

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