From the stage to the grave

Abstract

This article examines the production of celebrity in Jamaica through riotously festive funeral ceremonies, known as bling/dancehall funerals in Jamaica. It highlights the riotous energy of the dancehall body and the glare of media attention that explodes during the production of the funeral rites of prominent dancehall actors like Arnett Gardens Don, and leader of the Black Roses Crew, William ‘Willie Haggart’ Moore, and Black Roses Crew member and Master Dancer Gerald ‘Bogle’ Levy. The discussions herein grapple with Turner’s exploration of the cultural function of celebrity and his definition of celebrity. In addition, the article tackles the classed hierarchies of power that undergird social life in Jamaica and thus locates bling/dancehall funerals within the socio-cultural sphere.