Ninja Man slams gun use in videos

by Curtis Campbell

Dancehall legend Ninja Man has lashed out against fellow artistes for using props which appear to be guns in their music videos.

According to the deejay, who currently has a murder case before the courts, the artistes promoting violence in their videos should discontinue the practice, since it can bring no good to the music industry.

“You have Masicka and Vybz Kartel video as well as Alkaline video and it’s a big problem in the country now because these two videos are under serious investigation. It puts a dent in the music industry because we are fighting hard against crime,” he said. “Alkaline weh yu a deal wid youth? The other day the police dem call yu and sey youth ‘I don’t want yu name a call back inna nothing’ and right after yu do a video youth? Posing with plastic gun or board gun I don’t know.”

The deejay, who ironically made a career on songs like Murder Dem, Permit To Bury and My Weapon, said artistes should study the law.

Illegal firearm

“Fire crackers that we know as clappers is illegal, board gun is illegal, water gun is illegal on your hip at nights and even at day if it is black, and it is also illegal once you are over age. I want you people to know that whether it’s a board gun, water gun, plastic gun, replica gun, license firearm, police gun, solider gun, once it is not in the right person’s possession, it regarded as an illegal firearm,” he said.

Ninja Man also said if artistes feel they must use guns as props, they should seek permission via petitions, from the commissioner of police or the minister of national security.

Brandished guns

“When you get their permission, they assist you with getting a superintendent or an inspector of police to be there until the video is done” he said.

The artiste defended his notorious reputation in the music industry stating that even during the heights of his foolery, he never brandished guns in videos.

Notably though, Ninja Man famously gave a gun to former ‘bad boy policeman’ Reneto Adams on stage during Sting 2002, claiming he had many so he was giving away one.

“The world sey Ninja Man a real badman, dem sey Josey Wales a real badman, dem sey Super Cat a real badman, dem sey Vybz Kartel a real bad man. But until the day Vybz Kartel got incarcerated, you have never seen a video with Vybz Kartel posing with a gun. Lyrics are not to be taken physically, it’s about entertainment,” he said.