Students at the Spanish Town High School listen to the message of the entertainers on the STAR No Violence in School tour, which stopped at the school on Thursday. p>Experience has taught one artiste on the 'No Violence in School Tour' that violence benefits no one.

"Nuff friends, nuff enemies me lose that way and we realise that it nuh worth it," said Marlon Lawrence whose stage name is Hitlist or the 'Sheriff for Spanish Town St.Catherine'.

The Alliance member has been on both sides of the situation - Someone who has lost loved ones to violence and being tempted by the situation.

About nine years ago, his brother was shot in the back and killed overseas. As a parent of two children, he said it further compounds the need to make a change in the situation of violence in Jamaica.

"When a youth drop out (dies), a parents a go feel it," Hitlist said. Growing up in Spanish Town, he said he has lost many friends to violence, something he reinforced when the tour visited his alma mater, Spanish Town High School on Thursday. "Three quarter of my friends at school during my time dead," he said. "If me did follow fren' maybe we woulda end up inna the same situation," he told The STAR.

With regard to violence in Spanish Town, he said that it is on the downturn and he attempts to do positive things so people will realise that the majority of residents in Spanish Town are good people.

During last week, two teenagers from a school in Spanish Town were arrested after they were found with home-made guns and ammunition during school. "Is a ting weh a gwaan long time," he said. The police are becoming more aware of the situation. However, he said that most of these children could be helped because they are mostly influenced by their friends.

With initiatives like the 'No Violence in schools Tour' where students can interact with popular artistes promoting a positive message, a difference will be made over time. He said that if it had started a long time ago, maybe the society would currently be reaping the rewards. However, it is not too late. "Two or three years from now, we will see a difference," he said.

Youth have to see that violence does not work; some do it through experience while others take advice. "The gun can't learn. It naah go work. Because we see badda badda man than that. Dah road deh nahh go work," he said.

This is the message the artiste who has been in the business for 17 years has been promoting with his songs Naah Give Up, Stop the Killing and More Shilling. He hopes to make further strides with the release of two albums next year.

Left: Radikal Prodigal brought some gospel music to the school tour. After all, what is 'no violence' without some blessings?   Right: Hitlist pleads for no violence during his performance at the Norman Manley High school.   Right: Singer Marlon Binns thrills the students at the No Violence Schools in tour at the Spanish Town High School on Thursday. - Ricardo Makyn photos