Dear Editor,
Recently I received a copy of a flyer promoting a school tour dubbed “SPICE OHHHH NO SCHOOL TOUR.” The tour is scheduled to be in ten secondary schools: Waterford, Cumberland, St. Catherine, Spanish Town, Tarrant, Papine, Yallahs, Robert Lightbourne, Vere Technical, and Bustamante High. It commenced on Monday, January 27, and is scheduled to end on Friday, January 31, 2025.
This tour is in promotion of Spice’s song, “HELL NO.” I was able to secure a copy of that song and decided to take a view of the video.
I have reflected on the image of the singer, Spice, and have come to the conclusion, after viewing the dances in the video, listening to the lyrics of the song, and reflecting on the profile of the artiste, that this “SPICE OHHHH NO SCHOOL TOUR” should be a “SPICE NO NO SCHOOL TOUR!”
Artistically, there is no doubt that Spice is a gifted artiste. But while her vocal capability is high, her moral sensitivity has gone south.
Here are some reasons I have a difficulty with this tour being held in schools:
1. Spice is a symbol of sexual immorality and promiscuity. Whilst I commend her faithfulness of friendship to Vybz Kartel, as he said, during his incarceration, it was inappropriate and unacceptable for her to be climbing up on the body of Vybz Kartel in front of his wife and the whole world. This is a public show of promiscuity.
2. Many of Spice’s songs are not fit for airplay. Spice’s songs are laced with sexual lyrics that are considered unhealthy and unwholesome for the building of a healthy culture of family. Even more, her songs should not be promoted amongst children in high schools. Let me remind Jamaica that adolescents are still children.
3. The music video, ‘Hell No’ is glorifying the opposite of what the song seems to be promoting. While the song is encouraging the population, and children in particular, to live healthy lives and make sensible sexual decisions, I believe that the movements and humour in the song are actually glorifying irresponsible and lewd sexual behaviour through the extremely short skirts (while the males are fully clad), the engagement of fruits in a seductive manner, the mock demonstration of sexual positions, and the engagement of males in tempting circumstances.
4. The fit of the uniform in the video is extremely short and tight and not reflective of Jamaican school regulations. All the girls in the video were wearing extremely short skirts, which were out of line with regulations for dressing and totally opposite to full body coverage of males in the video.
5. The dance moves are sexually stimulating, hence unhealthy for adolescent public consumption. Hands on knees with buttocks in the air; blouse front unbuttoned and tied at the end; lollipop in mouth; banana in mouth but not being eaten; legs opened in a stooping position revealing underwear and showing parts of the body that should be covered in public; male and female students executing moves that suggest the sexual act is being carried out; female pulling male along as if he is an animal…out of order! Unacceptable.
I have been this detailed in my description because it seems many persons who should have watched this video (for obvious reasons) really did not.
6. The video is out of line with the cultural values of decency and dignity of women of Jamaica. I say no more on this point. I have said enough. Jamaica needs a cleansing.
I will continue to pray for Spice and others. They have artistic skill, they have influence, they are creative. They need help.
Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people. Prov. 14:34
I am,
Dr. Stevenson Samuels,
Pastor
