The Jamaican Broadcasting Commission is cracking down on media deemed too violent for television and radio airwaves. On Tuesday Oct. 11, 2022, the commission issued a ban on broadcasts and music that glorify criminal activity, drug use, scamming, and weapons.
Commission Chairman Lloyd Waller said using public airwaves for overtly violent content “could give the wrong impression that criminality is an accepted feature of Jamaican culture and society.”
The directive outlines that recordings with lyrics that promote or reference the criminal activity of scamming through the use of urban slang and phrases, including variations of chop the line, choppa phone, burner phone, client, and others are strictly prohibited.
The directive went into effect immediately, sparking mixed reactions. What is yours?