Skatta Burrell has stepped forward to address controversy sparked by Ishawna’s new music video.
The Christian community in Jamaica is once again up in arms at Ishawna, who is accused of “mocking God” and the church in her new music video. The dancehall star knows how to get people riled up, especially as controversy is a feature of dancehall music, and it appears that she has hit the hammer on the head once again. The new song “New Child” features a video showing women at what looks like a church service, mimicking how churches tend to look on a Sunday morning.
On Monday, her producer and manager, Skatta Burrell, hit back at the critics who called out the artist for seemingly “mocking God” because the video concept appeared to be about women in a church service with Ishawna as the pastor.
The music video featured Ishawna on stage in a red dress with a couple of dozen women in church pews acting like they were in a church service. One woman even got up and rolled around in church in the way that videos from actual churches look. Many on social media were up in arms about the video appearing to mock church services where people get the “holy ghost” and sometimes act out.
According to Skatta Burrell, the artist was merely celebrating women.
“Can’t please everyone,” Skatta said in a statement on Instagram. “A few Persons saying that this video [is] disrespecting God. Well Dressed Women coming together in unity celebrating and enjoying an uplifting song that empowers them is now mocking God? That’s not even a real Church.”
He continued, “Some People filled wit resentment in them heart they can’t stand to see others Happy and Being nice to each other. they prefer to see half naked females cat fighting and hating amongst themselves.”
This is not the first time that Ishawna has caught flack for her music. The artist previously received criticism for what some fans felt was disrespect for one of Jamaica’s most iconic women- the erudite Miss Lou after declaring that “[mi] nuh wear tablecloth like Miss Lou,” on Instagram.
Ishawna also faced major backlash after her Ed Sheeran sample of “Shape of You” called “Equal Rights” promoted oral sex for women as recipients. Ishawna drew the ire of many people, including the Christian and Rastafarian communities which condemned her lyrics in the song. Even some dancehall stalwarts like Bounty Killer aired their displeasure at the lyrics and accused the singer of corrupting the youth.
Ishawna, who signed a record deal with New York-based Payday Record last year, has not reacted to the criticisms.
