KNOWN for easy-listening ballads like She’s Royal and Powerful , Tarrus Riley gets serious on Graveyard , his latest song, produced by Tariq “Rvssian” Johnston.—

It looks at Jamaica’s perennial crime problem, especially in communities where violence has a stranglehold.

Riley, 38, says if he met with Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Security Minister Bobby Montaque he would present possible solutions to help stem crime.

“I would want for them to physically visit these so-called crime-infested places and try to create opportunities, and try to create things for people to do, because we know that poverty and lack of resources and opportunity is also a factor in what cause crime,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “Because the devil find work for idle hands, so if the people have things to occupy their time, and there are more opportunities created and less poverty, we can eliminate crime, as we know crime and poverty go hand in hand.”

In September, Holness launched zones of special operations the Jamaican Government’s latest crime-fighting effort.

Jamaica's Prime MInister Andrew Holness
Jamaica’s Prime MInister Andrew Holness

It pinpoints areas that have been dogged by violence for many years and entails a number of strategic measures by the police such as curfews and patrols.

Mount Salem in St James became the first ZOSO community in late September. Denham Town in West Kingston followed in mid-October.

 Holness recently said crime is his Administration’s greatest concern.

The police report that over 1,500 murders have been recorded in Jamaica this year.

The entertainer was part of the Crime Free Christmas initiative led by guitarist Lamont “Monty” Savory in 2016. That project saw several top artists singing Christmas carols as Jamaicans endured another record year of homicides.

Graveyard is one of several songs on Johnston’s Moscow rhythm. Riley hopes its message will get people to look beyond Jamaica’s image of being a haven for criminality.

Producer Rvssian Johnson
Producer Tariq “Rvssian” Johnston

“Jamaica is a beautiful place and I want people to know that. But when asked what I think about crime, I say we should stop think, and start move to the solutions in how to solve crime and get to the root of the problem and see what is creating crime and criminals,” he said.

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