Eddy's response to the musician fraternity in Barbados as they stage a protest against Piracy
Dear "Nichols" (& Guys & Gals)

It may have escaped your very busy eyes, but my personal protest on this (PIRACY)and a couple of other issues related to our culture, started a few years back. I have spent an inordinate amount of time, trying to sensitize our people in the region, to what the inevitable outcome would be. As a result, attempts have been made at various levels, to marginalize works appearing on the ICE RECORD LABEL and or artists with whom I have consistently worked over a number of years. Because of our well known "crab syndrome" maybe it was thought that with ICE RECORDS' Artists/Productions out of the way the path would be clear for more amenable "Kings Of The Hill" who would be more than happy with the status quo being maintained. I guess that after all this time, maybe all and sundry have come to realize that our very survival as music creators, producers, singers, engineers, musicians and the whole group of their attendant support mechanisms may depend on our strength in togetherness.

I am indeed very sorry that I can't be at this time in Barbados to deliver this message orally from somewhere upon the most sacred grounds of Bayleys Plantation, in the parish of St. Philip, the Home Of GENERAL BUSSA, as this is indeed an historic moment in the development of Caribbean People. But never mind, we are young, and blind as to the true value of ourselves as a group; full of singular personal ambition without paying attention to the condition and needs of the group. We have a lot to learn, as we listen to those who seek to turn our attention away from the true education; that of our love for ourselves, and as a result realizing our true value in a progressively more hostile world.

I am at the moment, as you are aware, in Guyana, where the population is younger than you (Barbados) are in these matters, and with a larger, more racially polarized, population, trying as I have been doing for many many years to alert the Government and People of Guyana, to this pernicious cultural sickness that like everything else that we crave has come to us from OUTSIDE.

I have said it before and I'll herein say it again: RINGBANG is our cultural saviour. Get to know it, those of you who don't already. Don't be ashamed, it's all about YOU.

Best of luck with the protest. We have yet a long way to go.

Ringbang For Life.

Eddy Grant