KINGSTON, Jamaica — A towering figure in Jamaican media and cultural stewardship has sparked a nationwide conversation about artistic integrity and cultural heritage, after calling out multiple top dancehall performers for what she frames as the erosion of a beloved national cultural treasure through lewd, offensive lyricism. In a public critique posted to her official YouTube channel over the weekend, veteran broadcaster and cultural expert Fae Ellington pulled no punches against artists who contributed explicit verses to the newly revived Hill & Gully riddim, produced by acclaimed Jamaican producer Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor.
Hill an’ Gully Rider, the original work at the center of the debate, is a foundational Jamaican folk and mento composition dating back to the 1800s, woven into the fabric of the island’s national identity for generations. In late April 2026, McGregor breathed new life into the classic by reimagining it as a modern dancehall riddim, a project that quickly gained traction across the Caribbean and global reggae scenes. Headlined by Masicka’s viral hit Slip & Slide, the compilation has drawn collaborations from some of the biggest names in contemporary dancehall, including Elephant Man, Valiant, Govana, Ganggoolie and Skippa.
Ellington, who has built a 50-plus-year career spanning Jamaican theatre, radio and national television broadcasting, said the reworked lyrics left her deeply shaken. “When I hear persons changing the lyrics of Hill an’ Gully Rider to vulgarity, it pains me, it hits me in a place I cannot explain, I get numb,” she shared in the video address, adding that she had spent days grappling with how to publicly address her concerns.
In a passionate rebuke of the participating artists, Ellington questioned their commitment to protecting Jamaica’s cultural legacy, pushing back against the idea that chasing viral fame and profit justifies compromising foundational national traditions. “Mi angry, mi angry. Unuh supposed to know better. It cannot be because you want to get some likes and you want to make some money and you want it go wide, yes it going to go wide and far and I wonder how you will be viewed. All of you who have decided to get down into the gutter, all of you who have decided to get slack and nasty. Hill an’ Gully Rider, Emmanuel Road? Unuh understand unuh heritage?” she asked.
Ellington drew a sharp parallel between the modified lyrics and defacing Jamaica’s national anthem, arguing that the island’s irreplaceable cultural heritage deserves the same level of reverence as its most sacred national symbols. “It is like treating your anthem, hearing the instrumental version of your anthem and start sing all kind of nastiness on top of it. We have gone totally over the cliff, we not on the brink anymore,” she said.
Notably, Ellington stopped short of criticizing the entire revival project. She offered warm praise to McGregor for his initiative to bring the centuries-old folk classic to the attention of younger Jamaican audiences, a goal she called valuable and necessary. Even so, she stressed that cultural identity and folk traditions should never be sidelined in pursuit of streaming numbers or commercial success.
“Congrats Stephen but a number of people have decided to put certain kinds of lyrics to this thing, not understanding that they are defacing our culture, that they are putting us in a place that we will have to explain to our children,” she said, reiterating that Jamaican artists have a responsibility to uphold the standards of the nation’s cultural legacy.
Ellington also singled out an unnamed female artist on the riddim for specific criticism, issuing a clear warning that Jamaican heritage is not a commodity to be exploited for clout. “Our heritage is not to be trifled with, and if you think it’s ok to go to that level, you know something is wrong,” she said. To push for formal accountability, she has publicly called on Jamaican Culture Minister Olivia Grange to release an official public statement addressing the controversy.