After a seven-year hiatus, the most fantastic show on earth, Sting, returned last year (December 26,2022). But many people believed it was well below the standard we have grown accustomed to over the years. Some Dancehall patrons went as far as saying the promoters should pack up shop. A stance people like Foota Hype said is a bridge too far.
Still, the criticism that rubs many people the wrong way comes from Professor Donna P. Hope, a Culture Professor at the University of the West Indies, Mona, and a leading voice in Dancehall and Reggae.
According to Professor Hope, the event was plagued with many problems, and she placed the blame squarely at the promoters’ feet. Among those she listed were:
- A sub-par lineup and inexperienced emcees
- Below-par production
- Poor scheduling of artists
- Substandard stage management
“Poor lineup, production, running order organization, stage management, inexperienced hosts, unsettled artiste contracts, no-shows, etc. This cannot be it. Sting is in an existential crisis. It is time to pack it in,” Professor Hope declared on Instagram.
Professor Donna Hope
Professor Hope, who lectures in Culture, Gender, and Society at the UWI, made particular reference to the Amari-Queenie showdown, which strangely ended up being the trending topic from the event. She noted that that was a sign that Sting had utterly lost its identity, meaning, and purpose.
“The Comedy Buss Debacle between social media favorites Amari and QueenLadi Gangsta has come forward as the highlight of Sting. This represents the ultimate high point of a Dancehall stage show officially celebrating more than 35 years of existence?” she asked.
Professor Donna Hope
Do you agree with Professor Hope? I tend to agree with the professor. This woman has deep roots in Dancehall and Reggae, so she knows what she is talking about. And she did watch Sting. However, I find it alarming that the promoters are yet to admit that there were problems with the show.