Kevin Downswell wants shift from ‘scamma’ songs

Minister Kevin Downswell will be releasing a double CD on July 1 and his action is intentional.

The gosel artiste is deliberately filling up the musical space with songs that uplift, as he forcefully pushes back against the overabundance of 'scamma' and 'choppa' songs littering the airwaves.

"A double album was never intentional," Downswell told THE STAR at the album listening last Wednesday. "We intended to do just one album, but when you look at the state of our country ... the Bible says faith cometh by hearing, and a lot of things that are being heard, that are filling the space these days, are not good. And people have no idea that sometimes they reproduce what they hear and subconciously do it."

And, just in case his words were too vague, Downswell chose to be a bit more specific.

"Let me get to the point ... there's so much 'scamma' songs, there's so much 'oil' songs, a lot of stuff ... is like these songs just penetrate the atmosphere. We need songs that will help to get people's minds back into being stable, minds back into recognising hoping again," the 2003 Jamaica Gospel Song Competition winner said.

Last July, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn, while delivering the keynote address at the Jamaica Bankers Association and the Jamaica Institute of Financial Service anti-fraud seminar, lambasted the glorification of 'chopping' songs, which she listed as a factor aiding the rise in lottery scamming in western Jamaica. Llewellyn shared that based on her dialogue with the investigating officers, "you have whole families, you have young people who no longer aspire to a profession or vocation. Their aspiration is to be a 'choppa'".

"And then you have the culture, the music, in some respects, and I am going to say it and confront it. The music that is being played and sung by our young people glorifies chopping, which is to become a scammer. Can you imagine?" she asked.

Downswell was unafraid to sound an alarm about the island, but also shared a message of hope.

"We, as a country, are almost at an edge, and if we don't shift immediately, we are there. These songs on my new albums are about getting people to get back to mental stability. We want to just carry this force across the nation. We want this to be another force to influence men, and I pray that it will be successful," he said.

Downswell's albums, which are titled Grace and The Shift, will be released with a launch and concert at The Ambassadors on Hagley Park Road, St Andrew.

Since winning the competition 20 years ago, Downswell has gone on to create his own ministry and record label, and produce hit songs such as You Make me Stronger, which has become an anthem.