( L - R ) Selector Ricky Trooper, Selector Boom Boom - Contributed photos

Renowned sound System operator Ricky Trooper has lashed out at selectors who claim they do not align themselves to artistes and those who try to dictate what other selectors play.

Trooper was responding to the article, 'Selectors lash out', published in THE STAR on November 19, where Alliance slector, Boom Boom, was accused of threatening another selector forplaying too many Vybz Kartel songs.

Ricky Trooper said the selectors are being hypocritical.

"Most a dem selector weh come inna di paper and seh dem nuh have no allegiance to any artiste, all of dem are liars," he said.

Certain artistes

"There is no way a selector can be great if him nuh have certain artistes weh dem a work wid. Yuh haffi have some allegiance 'cause yuh need dubs," Trooper said.

Ricky Trooper, who has won may sound clashes says he has a special respect for Vybz Kartel whose songs helped him to win the Death Before Dishonour clash in 2006, the same year Vybz Kartel split from the Bounty Killer-led Alliance.

"Me still play Bounty Killer and Mavado song dem, but mi will play like 95 per cent Portmore Empire and five per,cent Alliance," Ricky Trooper said.

While he is open about his preference for the Vybz Kartel-led Portmore Empire, Ricky Trooper says he will never use force as a means of getting the music done by the Portmore Empire played.

"How come you nuh hear Ricky Trooper as a big icon in the streets a beat up no selector and a tell dem nuffi play this man or that man music? A one set a people a do that enuh, Alliance selectors," he said.

"Why a selector ago lead 50 man fi go fight off Richie Feelings fi play Vybz Kartel. You ago beat somebody and tell dem seh a you run Kingston 8 and dem caan play nobody else song. A dem people deh mash up the music," Trooper said.

Alliance selector Boom Boom was upset when he heard Trooper's allegations.

"No, that is a lie. Dem a try dirty up mi name. Mi neva put mi hand pon a selector. Yuh neva hear an Alliance member a beat up a selector. A lie, mi nuh know of dat and mi nuh tell no selector wah fi play," said Boom Boom.

Boom Boom says now they have banned him from Bembe Thursdays, held at Weekenz, following an incident where it was alleged that he threatened selector Richie Feelings.

Mi play every artiste

"Mi play every artiste. A just some allegation dem a try bring against me fi bring down mi career. And, mi nuh know of Foota Hype and Tony Matterhorn (both Alliance selectors) do anything like that."

But Ricky Trooper said it is not just the selectors who are loyal to the Alliance who are causing problems.

He says there is another dancehall artiste who is trying to dictate what is played at events in the corporate area.

"Him (the artiste) a the head of all the corruption weh a gwaan inna dancehall right now. He is a person weh go round and him have people weh a walk wid him fi manipulate the selectors dem. If him go somewhere and hear dem a play too much a one artiste, him mek him people a page the selector dem," Ricky Trooper told THE STAR.

"If him nuh have no current song a play, him need fi go do some songs cause him caan bad up selector fi play him song and who round him."

The manager of the accused artiste, however, declined to give a comment. "I don't have anything to say about that. I don't talk about illusions," he said.

Ricky Trooper says there are rhythms which feature the songs of several artistes', but only a few songs for the same artistes are played.

"Wen yuh go a some dance weh have all four selector, the whole a dem play over the same music because man fraid fi get lick inna dem face. Selector and disc jocks deh pon artistes payroll," he said.

But at the end of it all, Ricky Trooper has a warning for all the selectors and artistes who use force to determine what is played in the dancehall.

"Dis nah go stop till somebody dead. Some man weh inna di music feel seh badness can bring dem through but dem fi memba seh when dem go venue dem head back turn to a fence or wall... But dem fi memba seh dem thing yah have spin-off and wi nuh want dat," Ricky Trooper warned!

Selector Boom Boom (centre) hangs out with deejays Flex (left) and Mavado of the Alliance. - Contributed