CURTIS CAMPBELL, STAR Writer

Dancehall artiste Gage says he is focused on re-socialising the youths with his new music and has released a single called 'Don Story', which speaks against donmanship.

According to the deejay, the lives of many Jamaican youths have been wasted annually due to gang and political violence.

Gage, the sometimes controversial deejay, known for sexually suggestive songs like Throat, Kitty Cat and Put It Yasso, says he wants to send a message.

"I heard the rhythm and it sounded like it needed a message. The song is based on a personal issue because the youths need to know that the don thing nah guh work. When yuh a flip up bout don, is the don going to be there when you are hungry? And, when yuh a dead, a you one a guh dead. Yuh have many youths wey lose dem life and the don still alive," he said.

Gage is, therefore, advising inner-city youths to seek legal employment, rather than resorting to violence.

"It's better you get a regular 9 to 5 job and get your pay every week than to depend on a man to feed you. When yuh a bleach a night, just know the don inna bed wid him woman. Di youth dem fi wise up man," he said.

Politicians

The artiste did not want to discuss politics, however, he did say dons should value themselves instead of allowing politicians to corrupt them.

"Mi nuh really talk politics, but the youths dem fi stop sell out themselves for curry goat, Red Stripe and Heineken. When you start to value yourself, politicians will start to value you. Politicians don't approach the business people dem and ask dem to do certain loose things, but they will make those requests from people who don't value themselves. Living by the gun is not real life. Real life is working to take care of your family and sending your children to school. They know the right from wrong, so dem fi just do it," he said.

Bounty Killer, Mad Cobra and Stephen Marley recently teamed up for a song called Ghetto Boy, which also denounced donmanship. However, cultural analyst, Dr Donna Hope, told The WEEKEND STAR that the song had the right message, but contemporary recording artistes like Tommy Lee Sparta and Gage should be the ones selling that message since Bounty Killer and Cobra had already passed their prime.

Gage says he was not aware of Dr Hope's comments and therefore recorded his song without external influence. He is also promoting other social commentary singles like Look A Work and I Wish.

Don Story was produced by Antourage Records.