Says authorities not doing enough to tackle issue

CURTIS CAMPBELL, STAR Writer

Dancehall producer Notnice has lashed out against local law enforcement agencies for not paying enough attention to cybercrimes affecting recording artistes and producers.

According to the producer, despite speaking on the issue publicly over the last few years, no arrest has been made and the scams are getting even more prevalent.

"I have never heard the bigger heads speaking on our behalf, a just the artiste alone a represent themselves. It cannot be that hard because if you send somebody money, they have to use TRN to collect it, so the police shouldn't have much problems to track them down if they were actually investigating," Notnice told THE STAR.

According to the So Mi Like Itproducer, those who have the power to solve the issues presented by social media scammers will only do so when scamming affects persons in their immediate circle.

"To me dem nuh business about wi until it start affecting somebody of great status. What about the artistes and musicians? We are victims of scams too. It's like nobody out there defending the music, and yet when Obama come here a Bob Marley Museum him sey him wah guh," Notnice said, seemingly disgruntled.

Notnice said he decided to speak up in light of a recent threat he received from an overseas sound system operator, who wanted him to return money that was owed for dubplates. The sound system operator claimed he met persons on social media who said they were representatives of Notnice and who also promised to provide them with Popcaan dubplates.

He also warned persons to make the extra effort and find the legit management teams for artistes instead of conducting business on social media.

Dubplates

"Some people are also very stupid. How can you believe that you will get three Popcaan dubplates for $50,000? Some of unno too fool man. Notnice Records does not do dub programs and if mi get dub connections for Popcaan, I would rather refer the persons to his management team. I just want people to know that I am not taking anybody money," Notnice said, distancing himself from any form of cash-for-dub exchange.

Efforts to speak with Assistant Commissioner of Police, (ACP), Devon Watkis, who spearheads the Counter Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation branch (C-TOC) under which the cybercrime formation now sits, proved futile.

While Notnice is confident that there have not been any arrests, a man was hauled before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court last month for collecting money by false pretence. It is said that the man pretended to be the fiancée of dancehall artiste Gully Bop and falsely collected money from promoters in Canada.

However, Gully Bop is just one of several artistes who have faced a similar issue with scamming. Other victims include Potential Kidd. Demarco, Khago, Cashflow Neil, QQ and Busy Signal.

Meanwhile, Notnice Records recently signed recording artistes Wasp and JaFrass and is promoting singles like Bruck Out and Tell Me A lie by Wasp and Drunk Tonight and Jealously by JaFrass.