BY TEINO EVANS, Staff Reporter
Mr. Peppa(left) and Spice - FILE PHOTOS
SOME ARTISTES ARE now trying to secure themselves and their personal property, especially in light of the recent spate of robberies that have been targeting them.
Within the last couple of months, the Spice, Mr. Peppa, and not too long ago, dancer Keiva, have all been relieved of their valuables and have since taken steps to safeguard against being robbed again.
Deejay Jahzeal Walters, aka Mr. Peppa, who was recently robbed by a group of men who invaded his home off Mannings Hill Road in St. Andrew, has had to change his lifestyle. He says, "Right now, since di incident, mi whole lifestyle change, mi have mi personal bodyguard dem an mi live in a gated community, 24-hour security, right yah now mi jus a keep mi movements limited, nuh guh too much places weh mi nuh involved, a just mainly studio den yard."
According to Peppa, he has been hit with the reality that persons in society have lost respect for artistes.
"Now, is like dem a look fi prey pon yuh an eat yuh food, dem si wi as a opportunity fi get som'n from yuh, especially when dem si like a likkle ting a gwaan fi yuh. Di only ting dem neva tek a mi passport wid mi work permit, it look like a slow dem a try slow mi up it look like di song weh mi sing, Hypocrite A Talk a bun some a dem," Peppa said.
He says the new security plan has put a dent in his budget, as he now has to cater for more persons.
"Me is not di big entourage type a artiste, but mi always have at least two armed security at all times. It a cost mi extra an di rent weh mi usually pay, more, it step up an fi pay security an bodyguard is a next ting an di money nah really roll in cause a whole heap a hot artiste out deh an right now wi a spen money an nah get no pay cause wi jus a put in di work," Peppa explained.
Another deejay, Grace 'Spice' Hamilton, who was also held up at gunpoint and robbed by men who broke into her Manning's Hill apartment, says she too has taken additional precautions.
"Mi move from di place weh mi did deh before to a more secure place, gated and it is also 24-hour security and I start to travel wid bodyguard guh home in the nights, like after mi leave dance an dem ting deh," Spice said.
Spice says the reason she thinks many artistes are being targeted is, "Basically they think that artistes always have money, because even when di guy dem a rob mi dem keep on a ask mi weh di U.S. I guess a somebody weh did a watch mi a know seh mi guh weh basically every weekend guh do show."
The spate of robberies have also been extended to the likes of dancer, Keiva, whose house was broken into and her van stolen.
"Dem did tek weh mi furniture an ting an mi move di same night. Now I have an apartment with security and like when you come to the gate you have to have proper identity and state who you are going to," Keiva said.
Like other artistes, Keiva has also cut back on going out, as she says, "to be honest, I don't really go out that much again, I don't really party a lot, I just go when I am in the mood, but I will ask someone to follow me when I'm out I don't really go out like every night again," she said.
As a matter of fact, Keiva says, "it's hard when you working for so long an as mi buy mi car somebody jus come tek it weh in just one day what I'm looking to do is get my own license fire arm."
Other big names in dancehall who have been robbed during the span of their careers include Beenie Man, Elephant Man and Gyptian, many of whom walk with an entourage and private security personnel.
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