Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
LEFT: Macka Diamond says she will accept lower fees until the US economy turns around.
Contributed
RIGHT: Bobby Clarke of Irie Jam Media.Sadeke Brooks, Staff Reporter
Americans are feeling the economic pinch from a looming recession and the Jamaican-based dancehall and reggae industry is also being negatively affected.
'Up North', people are losing their houses, businesses and jobs. Many have difficulties making ends meet for simply regular expenses. The latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) report said the United States' economy is at "considerable" risk of recession when the current financial crisis is compared to past periods of financial stress.
Dangerous
Charles Collyns, deputy director of the IMF's research department, said in a briefing it is clear "that we are seeing the most dangerous shock to the mature financial markets since the 1930s, posing a major threat to global growth".
An economic fallout is in the wings and US$700 billion is expected to help improve the US economy.
As one of the aftershocks, the Jamaican entertainment industry is facing problems. Jamaican promoters living in the Untied States have had it especially hard.
Bobby Clarke of Irie Jam Media Group Inc, promoter of yearly Irie Jamboree, said the entertainment industry is in trouble.
"The lay-off rate is high and it trickles down into everybody's household. People can't afford mortgage and household bills, so their entertainment budget becomes an extravagant feature of their lifestyle," he told The Sunday Gleaner. "If you have any money you will have to save it for a rainy day and that rainy day is now."
While many other events have suffered, Clarke's US Labour Day Weekend Irie Jamboree, held on August 31, was spared the worst, because Clarke believed many persons saved to attend his nine-year-old show because it is a staple on the New York entertainment calendar.
Record numbers
"Last year the economy took a serious toll on the smaller events, because people saved their money to go to the big events. While their events suffered Irie Jamboree got record numbers," Clarke said.
He also said many other shows suffered from poor advance ticket sales.
While Irie Jamboree had many patrons, he said the ticket cost was reduced from US$70 to US$60 because of the economic situation.
Though the revenue from the tickets decreased and the US economy is facing difficulties, Clarke said some of the Jamaican artistes on the show were not willing to reduce their fees.
"Caribbean artistes don't give us a break. They are the ones making the income. We barely cover the cost to put on the event," said Clarke.
He is not alone on the issue as G City, one of the promoters for New Jersey Reggae Fest, said some of the entertainers need to be more considerate with their charges.
Conscience
"Some a dem need fi have more conscience. Yuh tell dem seh yuh nuh have US$15,000 but yuh have US$10,000 and dem seh caan perform or tell yuh seh dem will call yuh back," G City told The Sunday Gleaner. "This nuh go right across the board fi every artiste. A lot of dem yuh can call and tell seh things rough and dem will work with yuh. Right now, the Tri-State area can count the amount of time dem see certain artistes for the year."
Nonetheless, G City said he continues to stage concerts because he wants to help keep the Caribbean community in New Jersey alive with entertainment. However, because the Jamaican entertainers' fees are high it is difficult to continue doing so.
But while some artistes are unwilling to reduce their fees, there are others who accept the pay-cuts.
Dancehall artiste Macka Diamond said she took as much as a 10 per cent reduction in her performance fee.
"Some of the promoters we try to work out a thing wid dem so that everybody can eat a food till the whole thing blow off," she said.
She said she has noticed considerable decreases in the number of patrons who attend the club shows and festivals.
Likewise, saxophonist Dean Fraser said he sometimes takes as much as a 45 per cent pay-cut because of the recession. He said at some concerts he performs he sees less than half the usual crowd.
Though the major festivals and stage shows are facing problems, G City said more people were attending the smaller club events that cost between US$5 and US$15.
"In the Caribbean community people a feel the pinch, but the party scene is still going. Here in Jersey, we party seven days a week. Some of the parties cost US$5 to US$10," he said.
Philadelphia-based dancehall artiste and promoter, Flippa Mafia, said it was becoming increasingly expensive to produce major shows with top dancehall and reggae acts.
"People rather have a dance and pay a selector from Jamaica US$3,000 instead of an artiste weh ago charge US$7,000 and then pay fi venue," he told The Sunday Gleaner.
Extravagant sums
At the stage show, he said, people buy soft drinks and water. So when promoters pay extravagant sums for artistes and receive little from drink and food sales, they merely cover the cost of producing the event.
Hence, he prefers to host his annual birthday party, 'Floss', where people spend money.
"When people go stage show dem nuh buy champagne. At my birthday party people turn out and spend. Mi mek more money there than at any other stage show," he said, noting that 'Floss' is usually held at the end of October or early November.
While they face a crisis, the promoters are still optimistic.
"Hopefully we can see a new boost in the economy. But for now a just the party scene a keep New Jersey alive," said G City.
Likewise, Flippa Mafia is optimistic about the future of the US economy and, by extension, the Jamaican-related entertainment industry.
"Mi sure seh it ago change next year cause Obama ago be in power. And the Democrats are for poor people," he said.
