Reggae heavyweight Queen Ifrika has endorsed veteran broadcaster Fae Ellington’s video disapproving lewd lyrics being recorded on the revamped Hill & Gully rhythm, produced by Stephen ‘Di Genius’ McGregor.
In an Instagram post, the Lion on the Rise hitmaker reshared Ellington’s now viral video. Though Queen Ifrika added no caption, the repost has intensified ongoing discussions among dancehall fans and industry players about the level of explicit content being promoted on the rhythm.
Among those weighing in is dancehall artiste Ce’cile, who said she understood where Ellington is coming from and respected her opinion. However, Ce’cile admitted that she personally enjoyed some of the slackness. She specifically referenced the lead track on the rhythm, Slip and Slide by Masicka, describing the song as cleverly written and not overly slack.
In her video, Ellington, a respected broadcaster and cultural icon, said the lyrics being recorded on the rhythm is defacing the country’s culture. She also called on Culture Minister, Olivia Grange to speak out against the vulgarity being promoted on the rhythm.
Seemingly, responding to Ellington’s condemnation, Di Genius shared a video compilation on X, earlier today. The post highlights the sampling of the rhythm spanning several years, starting with a 1954 mento version by Lord Composer and culminating in 2014 with Busy Signal. Several versions Hill & Gully over the years, including Baba Brooks ska adaptation released in the 1960s has faced criticism due to lyrical content.
