Jamaican music has left its mark on genres around the world, from reggaeton and electronic dance music to regional adaptations such as Hawaiian and Japanese reggae. But as Jamaican rhythms, recordings and musical innovations have been sampled, adapted and, in some instances, reproduced without proper credit or compensation, questions have emerged about who is profiting from that influence.
Part of the problem lies in how Jamaica’s music industry developed. For decades, informal agreements, inadequate documentation and a culture of accepting immediate payment often took precedence over securing long-term rights. Musicians and producers sometimes had little knowledge of how widely their recordings were being used overseas, much less whether they were entitled to royalties. In other cases, disputes have arisen even where the original creators and their contributions were clearly identifiable.
These complexities were at the centre of the October 31st, 2026, edition of Jamaicans.com Live, hosted by Jamaicans.com founder Xavier Murphy and media commentator Richard Blackford. Joining them were entertainment attorney Lloyd Stanbury, former manager of legendary production duo Steely & Clevie, and Richard Lue, Senior Director of Marketing at VP Records.
Drawing on cases involving Steely & Clevie, Sister Nancy and Cutty Ranks, the discussion examined where appreciation ends and exploitation begins, why Jamaican creators have struggled to benefit financially from their work, and what must change for Jamaica to capitalise more fully on its musical influence.
Two Sides of the Same Coin
For Stanbury, the distinction between appreciation and exploitation is not always straightforward. International artists may genuinely respect Jamaican music and its pioneers, while others involved in the business profit from its use without adequately compensating its creators.
“To me, it’s not either/or. We have both appreciation and appropriation of our music,” Stanbury explained. “In my view, the artists generally appreciate. The artists who do our music, when you talk to them, they appreciate, you know? And most of them show respect. Most of them recognise where it’s coming from and most of them celebrate the foundation, the pioneers.”
He argued that appropriation frequently occurs elsewhere in the industry, among those responsible for managing, producing, distributing and promoting the music, particularly in how the proceeds are shared.
Lue approached the issue from another angle, suggesting that Jamaica’s own failure to sufficiently value its music has created opportunities for others to benefit.
“When founders and originators don’t appreciate, we allow others to appropriate,” he said.
Drawing on decades of experience in music, entertainment and tourism, Lue recalled a time when Rastafarians were excluded from Jamaican hotels and musicians were required to use staff entrances, even when performing for guests.
He contrasted that treatment with the appreciation shown by many international musicians who have embraced Jamaican sounds and developed a deep understanding of their origins. Rather than viewing all foreign participation as exploitation, Lue suggested that Jamaica should be creating more opportunities for these artists to work with local songwriters, producers and recording studios.
Three Cases, Different Challenges
The discussion examined three cases illustrating the different obstacles Jamaican creators have faced in receiving compensation for their work.
The Steely & Clevie reggaeton lawsuit centres on allegations of copyright infringement. Stanbury, who managed the duo for approximately 12 years, explained that copyright law distinguishes between rights to a musical composition and rights to its sound recording. According to his account, the court had dismissed certain composition-related claims while allowing claims involving the alleged unauthorised sampling of the duo’s recordings to continue.
Despite the setback, Stanbury said Clevie remained optimistic about the outstanding claims.
“I was surprised at how he responded, you know. He was in good spirits,” Stanbury recalled. “He was saying, ‘Well, the case continues insofar as the use of their recording is concerned.’ That is still a matter to be addressed.”
The discussion also revisited Sister Nancy’s Bam Bam, which became an international hit and one of Jamaican music’s most widely sampled recordings, despite the artist going decades without receiving royalties associated with its use. Lue noted that VP Records now distributes her music through VPAL and that Bam Bam continues to perform well on streaming platforms.
A third example involved Cutty Ranks and Dame Tu Cosita, the global hit associated with Panamanian producer El Chombo. Stanbury explained that the dispute concerned compensation allegedly owed under an agreement with parties representing the dancehall artist’s interests, rather than the same copyright issues being litigated in the Steely & Clevie case.
Although legally distinct, the three cases demonstrate how copyright ownership, sampling and contractual arrangements can determine whether Jamaican creators benefit financially from the international success of their music.
Jamaica’s Music Industry Has a Business Problem
While the copyright disputes highlighted the challenges of protecting creative work, the panellists also examined how Jamaica’s own music industry practices have contributed to the problem.
Lue described a longstanding “eat a food” mentality in which musicians often focused on earning immediate payment rather than securing rights to future revenue. Informal arrangements and inadequate documentation sometimes left creators unaware of how their recordings were being used or how successful they had become overseas.
Murphy illustrated the consequences through his father’s experience. A recording artist himself, his father had relinquished rights to some of his best-known work for a relatively small payment during a period of financial difficulty.
For Stanbury, addressing these problems requires greater understanding of the protections already available.
“We don’t need a new law. They need people to understand how they work and how to take advantage of them,” he argued.
The panellists also considered how digital distribution has changed the business. Lue cautioned that social media popularity does not necessarily translate into streaming revenue, pointing to Sean Paul’s international reach and audiences in Africa and Asia as examples of the opportunities available beyond Jamaica.
He urged emerging artists to secure professional management, consult entertainment attorneys and properly document their work. Blackford, meanwhile, called for music business education to begin at the secondary-school level, giving young Jamaicans the knowledge to navigate the industry professionally.
The Future of Jamaican Music
For the panellists, protecting Jamaican music is only part of the challenge. Equally important is building an industry capable of turning international interest into sustained economic opportunities at home.
Lue envisioned Kingston becoming the “Nashville” of reggae, with stronger publishing operations, professional services and recording infrastructure attracting international artists and investment. Blackford questioned whether Jamaica had fully capitalised on Kingston’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Music, while Stanbury acknowledged the need for further industry development and education.
But Lue also reminded Jamaican music lovers that they have a role to play. By supporting artists through legitimate streaming platforms, audiences at home and across the diaspora can help generate revenue for the musicians whose work they enjoy.
The discussion ultimately pointed to a challenge that goes beyond cultural appropriation: ensuring that Jamaica has the knowledge, infrastructure and business practices to benefit from the global demand for the music it creates.
