Renegade X (left) and Delomar X of the dancehall duo RDX.

The Star of the Month RDX was offered the opportunity to write on an issue they feel strongly about. They decided to pen this statement about their song Bend Over, which they feel is unfairly targeted by some.

By: Carlton Williams, aka Renegade X of RDX

Dancehall music has been subject to much scrutiny and despite its global leaps as a dynamic part of Jamaica's culture, unfounded criticisms and blatant double standards, which distort the very fabric of the music, have once again reared their ugly heads about the hit single Bend Over by the dancehall duo RDX.

Let us dissect Bend Over and examine the fundamentals. Though the song has a sexual undertone due to the name of the dance, Bend Over is a dancing song, celebrating dancing; a tradition dating back to our African ancestry through dances like Kumina and Dinky Minny.

In Deh, In Deh is a dance created by music selector Fire Links, Wibble Wobble and Force It Een are dances created by dancer Bermuda Kid, Bunny Hop, Macka Jook and Rub It Een are dances created by other Jamaican dancers.

Here is the double standard that plagues our society. Songs that specifically describe sexual encounters using strong sexual language, even when edited, roam free on public airwaves. One media house in particular has gone as far as to ban RDX's Bend Over. Ramping Shop, Hundred Stab, Bend Over by another artiste, Car Back and Back It up, songs which are more risqué, are not banned anywhere in Jamaica.

Double standard

Broadening the spectrum to further highlight this double standard, Kiddies Carnival, a prevalent part of Jamaica's carnival, a celebration that is not endemic to our culture, saw scantily clad young children parading the public streets dancing to songs like Turn It Around which contains the line 'turn it around and push it back een'.

Where were the self-righteous Jamaicans then? Didn't Bob Marley say Jammin? I can assure you he wasn't referring to the jelly between two slices of bread. We all know about 'sawdering', but I guess because it was said by a vintage artiste it is okay.

RDX came to prominence with songs like Dance, Everybody Dance and Dancers Anthem, which are in many ways responsible for bringing new Jamaican dancers and dances to the fore, so why should Bend Over, which has the same focus, be treated differently?