Jah Mike toasts the ladies
Violence against women has become a serious concern in Jamaica. This type of abuse has not gone unnoticed by persons like singer Jah Mike who addresses the sensitive issue on Ladies Deserve The Best, his new song.
The self-produced single was released in September.
Jah Mike, who has six daughters and eight grand-daughters, told the Jamaica Observer that he has observed the rise in attacks against women, some of which are homicides.
“Dis song is all about di brutality wha’ gwaan an’ people like me want it to stop. Di message in di song is, ‘stop beat di woman dem’,” he said.
In June, National Security Minister Horace Chang disclosed in Parliament that 10 Domestic Violence Intervention Centres (DVICs) have been established at police stations islandwide.
Victims of spousal abuse can report incidents at these facilities. Chang said 544 persons were trained as first responders to deal with issues of domestic violence in 2021.
Jah Mike (real name Lawrence Lugg) is from Barbican, St Andrew. His career started in the 1970s in that community where his colleagues included fellow singer Edi Fitzroy.
In recent years his songs, such as A Baby Needs A Mother And A Father, have focused on familial issues. He has also promoted ‘Stop The Violence’, a series of shows in crime-ridden areas of Kingston.