‘Authenticity Over Algorithms’: Beterverwagting’s Alabama Balances AI Innovation and Originality in Guyana’s Dancehall Era

By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |

BETERVERWAGTING, EAST COAST DEMERARA — For prominent Guyanese dancehall and reggae recording artist Clifford Charles, widely known across the Caribbean diaspora as “Alabama” or “Bamma,” navigating the summit of local music culture required overcoming acute personal and systemic hurdles.

Deported from the United States at age 21, Charles faced what could have been a defining setback. Instead, he returned home to his native Beterverwagting (BV) on the East Coast of Demerara and turned to grassroots musical expression, building a discography centered on social commentary and working-class realities.

Now, as the inaugural 2024 Guyana Dancehall Monarch champion, Alabama weighs in on the rapid expansion of generative AI in modern production, arguing that while tools like Suno AI offer technical utility, human authenticity, distinct vocal identity, and lyrical originality must remain uncompromised.

Grassroots Roots: From ‘Dem Don’t Care’ to Jamaica’s Reggae Sting

Alabama’s emergence as a defining voice in Guyanese music developed through persistent live performance and conscious lyricism:

• The 2006 Breakthrough: In 2006, Charles captured national attention with his hit single “Dem Don’t Care,” an acoustic social critique addressing youth disenfranchisement and systemic neglect.
• Jamaica’s Reggae Sting (2008): Two years later, he represented Guyana on the stage of Jamaica’s famed Reggae Sting festival, testing his live delivery and stagecraft before one of the region’s most demanding dancehall audiences.
• Major Regional Collaborations: Over his career, Charles shared stages and collaborated with prominent Caribbean stars, including Jamaican icons Buju Banton and Duane Stephenson.

“Well if the youths them is the future, why you shoot dem down… If you don’t give them the basic necessities… get with ease…” — Excerpt from “Dem Don’t Care”.

“If you do not have full control of the music you will not be able to grasp… As the music change, I still upgrade… to be different,” Alabama affirmed.

Generative AI and Music: Navigating Suno, Copyright, and Voice Cloning

As generative audio algorithms reshape song engineering, Alabama offered a candid perspective on how modern creatives should approach generative platforms like Suno:

• Ethical Boundaries in Songwriting: Alabama explained that while he studies and adopts technological workflows to keep pace with global digital standards, he draws a hard line against delegating lyrical writing or synthetic vocal reproduction to neural networks.
• Commercial Ownership vs. Free-Tier Traps: The BV-born artist warned that many casual users rely on free subscriptions, failing to realize they do not legally own the intellectual property or master rights generated by those engines. He urged serious producers to use paid tiers to secure clean commercial ownership of instrumentals, using the technology as a scaffold rather than a substitute for craftsmanship.
• The Non-Negotiable Soul: Alabama cautioned that audiences immediately detect synthetic mimicry, warning that stripping away human vulnerability alienates listeners.

“I don’t really bash an artiste who is using, but I would consider how you using the AI…” Charles stated.

“We have to keep upgrading and have to be on the level of everybody in the world right now, but I would not use Artificial Intelligence to recreate my voice. I would not use it to help me write lyrics. I would use it to help me get a track together…”

“Most people use AI but not owning because they are on a free subscription… So you can own it,” he pointed out. “You cannot abuse AI. The people naturally want authenticity, and if the vocals is not you, the music is not you.”

Monarch Laurels and Preserving an Artistic Legacy

On the national competitive stage, Charles cemented his status in February 2024 by capturing the crown at Guyana’s Inaugural Dancehall Monarch Competition with his anthem “One Dan.” He returned to the national arena in 2025, securing joint second place alongside the late performer Lil Saint.

Looking ahead, the proud “Baronian” emphasized that Guyanese creatives must build strong self-marketing strategies, master copyright ownership, and pass professional tradecraft to the next generation of inner-city youth.

“We gotta make sure that we do the most that we have a legacy left,” Alabama concluded. “The country was not really facilitated to help us at that time… options before. And it ain’t saying the government is great, but I respect when I see a Minister trying.”