In a statement to World Music Views, the management team of Kevon Douglas A.K.A Skeng, addressed Guyana’s Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn’s recent announcement of a ban on several Jamaican artists including Skeng.
The dancehall artist and his team have distanced themselves from the shots that were fired in the crowd while he was performing in Guyana.
“Management and Mr. Douglas are aware of the negative effect of gun
violence and do not and will never condone same anywhere.
Mr. Douglas’ artistic expression is merely an artistic expression and nothing more. He has
performed in several cities prior to and subsequent to the incident in Guyana and we have not
received the kind of response that was received in Guyana,” the statement said.
The management told World Music Views that it was due to the poor security measures in the venue and no fault of Skeng’s performance, that would have caused the gunplay during the Badderation event at Guyana’s National Park last week.
“Our Team was also placed in danger and had to take precautions to ensure that they were not
injured. We are of the view that the security measures that were put in place could have been
more stringent in order to prevent the gunplay and other acts of violence,” the statement said.
On Friday, Dancehall Mag reported that Guyana’s Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, announced a ban on Skeng and other Dancehall artists from performing publicly in the Eastern Caribbean country.
“If they want, they can go into a private club and behave as badly as they want. But we will not sign off on any such artist or any artist who has a record of promoting vulgar and lawless behaviour including the firing of gunshots in public places. We reject it completely,” Benn said.
Speaking at the opening of the Community Relations Department of the Guyana Police Force on Friday
He said both his Ministry and the Guyana Police Force will not approve of any future public performances featuring Skeng or any artist, whose lyrical content promotes the type of behavior seen at the ‘Baderation’ show held in May.
He went further to chastise business persons in the entertainment industry and said he is doing everything in his power to censor songs from the airwaves that are deemed inappropriate for the public consumption.
