Teino Evans, Entertainment Coordinator

Popular dancehall producer Cordell 'Scatta' Burrell has said he is being accused of contributing to the violence that now exists in dancehall because of certain 'war songs' recorded on some of his rhythms.

"People a sen threat but, apart from dat, basically people a sey I am responsible for the downfall in the music business and, with all that's happening, the crime and violence and di whole Mavado and Kartel clash song dem wey did voice pon my riddim (called Self Defence) said Burrell in an interview with THE STAR. "Dem a sey me producing that rhythm cause di war fi start up back and some artiste even a sey mi shoulda mek Elephant Man song (Sweep) gwaan run di rhythm an nuh bodda voice di two war song dem (Mavado's Dem A - and Vybz Kartel's Wha Dat Fah)".

Burrell said such attacks are nothing new to him as he has always been known for his controversial work.

"In my own defence, I am not surprised that I have got this reaction. From ever since, from mi a produce, it's always something with controversy, with Changes where Ce'Cile a call up di whole a di artiste dem name and Ele answer an Beenie Man did get involved also. Then there was Do It To Me Baby, Ce'Cile again, then the Dancehall Rock riddim, where Spragga, Assassin and Kartel did war pon it. And there was the Marshall Arts riddim, which was a war riddim, Bounty and Beenie did a war pon da one deh," he recalled.

I just see it as badmind

"So, if dem sey me inject negativity in the dancehall, then I have been doing that from day one. But, I don't write the songs, I only produce the rhythms and I believe that when an artiste come to you with their creativity, you should not censor them. If Lady Saw was censored back in the '80s and early '90s, then we wouldn't have her now," Burrell said.

"I just see it as badmind and, if is not that, then people just don't understand the true essence of dancehall, it is hardcore. It's the language of the street and it will not always be mild and seductive, it can be harsh and hard to digest at times."

Scatta says other artistes, producers and radio personalities have been criticising him and threatening not to play his rhythm. He, however warned, "a true others nah get di type a results wha me a get why dem have time fi a look pon me an criticise my ting."

"My own hit the nail pon di head because other producers have voiced war songs or controversial material that don't hit home, and I believe if you do a war song, di pastor dem suppose to hate it an di thugs dem love it. If you do a girl song, den the girls must love it gone to bed, you just have to give a hundred per cent in whatever you do," Burrell said.

dem a kill off dancehall

He also said that the violent songs being recorded on his rhythms are not dancehall's greatest problem.

"Dancehall is being saturated, too much riddims, too much songs and not enough focus on getting them properly promoted and getting it out of Jamaica. If dem believe sey me a kill off dancehall wid violence... dem a kill off dancehall by over saturating di dancehall wid too much song."