Click to view full size

Government is weighing the possibility of restricting entry to an upcoming concert by Jamaican dancehall artist Vybz Kartel to persons aged 18 and over, citing mounting concerns over the lyrical content of some of his songs, chief among them, the controversial track “Good like Jesus.”

In an official statement issued on Friday, Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge confirmed that while Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, has been conditionally granted permission to enter the country for a performance between May 29 and June 3, serious reservations have been raised about the impact of some of his material on public morality and religious sensitivities.

At the heart of the controversy is the song “Good like Jesus,” in which the artiste compares a woman’s sexual attributes to Jesus Christ. The track has triggered a wave of complaints from religious groups and concerned citizens, with many arguing that the lyrics are both vulgar and deeply offensive to those who revere Jesus as a divine figure.