Artiste offers to help youths with studio equipment

Reggae artiste Tilibop believes that music and entrepreneurship may be the panacea to ease the scourge of gang violence in August Town, St Andrew. And the All That singer has pledged to provide headphones and essential studio equipment to any youth who wants to build a studio in the war-torn community to nurture and develop young talent.

“I have already started this initiative. I gave some youths in Jungle 12 an M Box for their studio, and I will give any youth free headphones, and studio equipment to any youth on any corner who wants to build a studio. Just link me via tilibopfreeworll@gmail.com, and show me the finished studio,” Tilibop said.

He believes that the true power of reggae and dancehall lies in its ability to aspire and inspire.

“Music is without doubt a source of influence. It is also a viable legal path out of relative poverty and difficult circumstances. Music as a creative art form has allowed thousands of young people to actualise dreams. It’s one of the few entrepreneurial fields which arguably has no ceiling, even in COVID-19 times; people will always listen, buy or party to music irrespective of the economic climate,” Tilibop reasoned.

He commended the violence-intervention efforts of social groups in the area and the youths themselves who have halted hostilities in the past month.

“If the war ceases for even a moment, we have to commend the youths, especially when dem do good. We have to commend the youths who can look into themselves and find their own truth. Music can show them the way, we can have one August Town, that is my vision, one August Town,” Tilibop, who grew up in the eastern St Andrew community, said.

OPTIMISTIC ABOUT COMMUNITY

There has been a flare-up of violence in the community over the past few months and the Government declared the area a zone of special operations as part of efforts to dismantle the gangs.

Tilibop, however, remains optimistic about the prospects of a unified and violence-free community.

“The crime rate ah drop right now in August Town and all over the island. I am getting a lot of feedback from youths who love my All That song, it ah give the youths the energy to pree themselves, and ah awaken a revolutionary element in the youths dem so they reject violence and embrace elevation and upfulness,” he said.

Tilibop is also promoting his debut album, I Am Reggae, which showcases singles such as Psalms, Pirate and the popular All That, which has been added to regular radio rotation New Zealand, Australia, Costa Rica, the US, Canada, Mexico, The Netherlands and Italy.