Music Producer Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor warns against normalizing violence
Key Points(5)
- McGregor initially thought the video was humorous when fans tagged him to remix it.
- However, after learning the full context—including that the gunman had killed a civilian before the standoff—he felt uneasy about the public’s reaction.</p> <p>“I saw the clip of the man and thought it was funny.
- But then, when I read the comments, I realised people died.
- Nobody ever looked scared or said, ‘Let them run for cover.’ It shows the state we’re in as a nation,” he said.
- “The message was like, this isn’t normal.
Music producer Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor is using his platform to raise awareness about Jamaica’s growing desensitization to violence after a viral video captured an eyewitness describing a deadly shooting in Mandeville as a “good shooting.”
The clip shows the aftermath of a four-hour standoff between police and a gunman at an apartment on Caledonia Road, which ended with the suspect’s death. McGregor initially thought the video was humorous when fans tagged him to remix it. However, after learning the full context—including that the gunman had killed a civilian before the standoff—he felt uneasy about the public’s reaction.
“I saw the clip of the man and thought it was funny. But then, when I read the comments, I realised people died. It bothered me that so many people were laughing,” McGregor told Observer Online.
Instead of joining the trend, McGregor flipped the narrative, using his remix to remind Jamaicans that extreme violence should not be normalized.
“We are used to seeing extremes, especially in the case of crime. Nobody ever looked scared or said, ‘Let them run for cover.’ It shows the state we’re in as a nation,” he said. “The message was like, this isn’t normal. We should be more aware and avoid those kinds of situations.”
The remix, which carries this cautionary message, has been well-received on social media.
Authorities said the events unfolded early Tuesday morning when 54-year-old Dave Alfrancis Wilson, also known as “Brown Man,” reportedly got into a dispute over the price of eggs. Wilson allegedly shot Adrian Bernard, who later died at the hospital after crashing his vehicle following the shooting.
Police then confronted Wilson at his apartment, where he reportedly fired at security forces. Officers used armored vehicles, a truck, and a crane to enter the premises and seize multiple firearms, including a multi-calibre Omni Hybrid Rifle, a Beretta pistol with a long magazine, and over 450 rounds of ammunition.
McGregor’s response highlights a larger concern in Jamaica: society’s increasing numbness to violent crime. By transforming a viral clip into a message about awareness and caution, he hopes to spark reflection and change in public attitudes toward violence.
