Dan Man

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Dan Man is the stage name of Belizean entertainer Allison Hemsley. Hemsley, born in Belize City in 1973, is a local musician and composer that has led the return of local rap and dancehall music to Belizean airwaves.

[edit] Participation in 2005 protests

In April of 2005, Belizeans protested the underhanded moves by owners of local telecommunications giant Belize Telecommunications Limited (BTL) toward former investor Jeffrey Prosser. BTL workers, irate with both Prosser and then-owner Lord Michael Ashcroft, left their jobs and disconnected phone and internet service for nearly a week; on April 20 local students marched in the streets, blocked the Belcan Bridge and resisted police attempts to remove them. Later that night, an unrelated group caused chaos in downtown Belize City by ransacking stores on Albert and Regent Streets and along streets leading off these ones for nearly an hour or two before police intervened.

Dan Man memorialized the events of that night in a song called "Albert Street", which sympathized with the rioters and blamed sitting Prime Minister Said Musa and the ruling People's United Party for the troubles of City residents.

External link: Channel 7 story on the song

[edit] Noh Matta Wat!

Later in 2005, Hemsley was cast as himself in the dramatic TV miniseries Noh Matta Wat! Hemsley played the neighbour and mentor of Randy Diego (Kerret Paulino), an aspiring rapper who looks up to him. Hemsley returned for the second season in 2006, with an expanded role as a supposed love interest for Margaret Diego (Sherlette Lopez). He continues to make music as well.

[edit] Recent activities

In January 2007, entertainer Louis Gentle, otherwise known as "Louie Ganzie", was accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend Keisha Sutherland to death in their home.(Channel 5 story on the murder) Ganzie then went on the run for two weeks. The incident inspired a single by Dan Man entitled "Gaan Too Far", which severely excoriates his colleague for his actions, a view shared by the rest of the Rastafarian community of which Dan Man and Ganzie are members. Dan Man appeared on Channel 7, Channel 5 and on KREM Radio's Belize Musicians Past and Present (Dan Man's Channel 5 appearance) to explain the need to appeal to Gentle to turn himself in. On January 17, Ganzie was corralled in Belize City without incident. (Channel 5 story on Ganzie's capture)