I praise the efforts of Esther Tyson and other concerned citizens advocating against the moral decay our music is causing among the younger generation. Protecting and preserving the welfare and decency within our society is critical to social development and moral stability among our youth.

However, Tyson has missed the point. She has failed to inform her readers that there is actually a place for Rampin Shop in society. Yes! There is a time and place for everything.

Rampin shop belongs to an explicit genre of music and was recorded for an audience that exists within the extreme dancehall culture. We can't any longer ignore the oversexualised society in which we live. Sex, of all forms, whether practical or lyrical, sells; and musicians will tap into that market to make the most of it. Persons may disagree, but reality will tell that this is not unique to Jamaica. The American rap and R&B culture do accommodate music of strong sexual content, but it is effectively censored to protect the vulnerable.

PROPER REGULATION

Vybz Kartel and other producers of sexually explicit music have little or no control over how their music is played in society. What is needed is proper regulation and effective control by the oversight authority. The Broadcasting Commission needs to be stricter and effective in its approach. A coordinated framework needs to be put in place for print, televise, and broadcast media to control and regulate what is aired or printed in the media.

Parents need to play a more stringent role in monitoring what their children listen. Public transportation is probably the most primary medium through which schoolchildren listen to sexually explicit music. The question is who monitors them? The police? I believe not; policemen own many of the buses.

Control can be established, but to do so will require cooperation and a common purpose shared by many.

I am, etc.,

CONREY HANSON

conreyhanson@yahoo.com