The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Reporter BAHAMIAN reggae artist Gesner Dalmond, also known as 'Mr J', addresses the issue of "provocatively dressed women" in his new single "Gal Hear This." The song, he said, came about after his "disappointment" in the way women dress in the community today. "It is addressing the scandalous apparel that a lot of females nowadays are wearing," he said. Mr J told Tribune Religion that the song is not meant to offend women, but simply to encourage them to understand that their bodies are precious. "(A woman's body) is a jewel, a crown and the temple of God. When a female dresses in a way that portrays herself to men to be a sex symbol, she is really devaluing her self-worth and also her self-respect," said Mr J. When asked about the title of the song "Gal Hear This," he said: "It came about after deliberating with myself whether or not this message would be accepted or not. I said if they hear it then they will accept it, and that is where the title came from." Reminiscing on the fashions from 25 years ago - the style of clothing Mr J said he was accustomed to - the singer said it seems like women back in the day had more regard for themselves. With a mix of Jamaican Patois, the chorus of the song goes: "All di gal dem, mi wan dem hear dis, yes all di gal dem mi wan dem get dis, gal dem fi all accept dis, dis ah di truth mi ah talk, mi no ids." Now that he has successfully released the song, Mr J said he has to decide if he wants to make a music video for it and what form that video would take. But even without video, the singer said the song has been getting play. "So far, the song has been received well, persons commented on it and accepted that it was a timely message," he said. In addition to making music, Mr J said he is reaching out to the younger people by hosting community and park concerts. Offering advice to aspiring musicians, he said: "Put God first in the centre of everything you do and always try to produce music that is positive and that is going to build people up, as opposed to lyrics that will destroy them." While a career in music has not always been his dream, Mr J said listening to other artists like Christian Massive and Peter Runks, who tell stories through their music, encouraged him to enter the profession. He has been a reggae artist since 1996. Mr J has written 14 songs so far that he said are available for free download on reverbnation.com/MrJ 4 Him. In 2010, he celebrated the release of his first official video entitled "More Luv". The song is a collaboration between Mr J and fellow reggae artists Deacon Culture and Golden Fox. The three came together to make a video that Mr J said showed Bahamians what true love is all about. The video is based on a series of occurrences through alleyways in the area. It tells the story of a homeless mother who is struggling to raise her kids. Speaking with The Tribune, Mr J said it is his belief that through his message of love the ills that plague society can be cured. "As humans we all experience love, and love stems from God. If we can take the mindset that it is better for us to love one another than to inflict harm on each other then there is a possibility that we would be headed on path to changing the country that we live," he said. All Mr J fans can check out his newest single "Gal Hear This" via his Facebook page (MrJ Bahamas).