Stitchie: A legacy that connected dancehall, gospel

Lieutenant Stitchie’s voice may have fallen silent, but the influence of the veteran deejay — who commanded respect in both secular dancehall and gospel music spheres — is expected to continue reverberating across generations. The veteran artiste, whose given name was Cleveland “Cleve” Laing, died at Kingston Public Hospital on Monday morning, one day shy of his 61st birthday. The news comes less than 24 hours after his wife, Sophia Laing, confirmed that the entertainer had been hospitalised with a low blood count and was receiving treatment.

His passing closes a remarkable chapter in Jamaican music — one that began in dancehall and found a path to gospel. For distinguished cultural analyst, Professor Donna Hope, Lieutenant Stitchie’s ability to remain loved across musical boundaries was rooted not only in his talent, but also in his personality that endeared him to audiences. Basillia Barnaby-Cuff (right), founder and director of the Sterling Gospel Music Awards, shares a moment with Sophia Laing, wife of the late entertainer during a handing-over ceremony back in 2024.

Contributed “Stitchie was loved because a lot of his songs were humorous. They were fun and they made people happy,” Hope said. She pointed to his enduring early hit Wear Yu Size, noting that the song was “digestible”, catchy and non-combative — qualities that helped establish his connection with listeners.

“Stitchie had an excellent career in dancehall and that followed him into gospel,” Hope continued. “I saw Mr Vegas made a post and I’m sure several others will as the news spreads because a lot of the artistes he would have came up with in that era were still close to him even though they were doing different genres.” Entertainers and government officials took to social media to pay tribute to the deejay. Among them Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Tarrus Riley and Chevelle Franklyn (who also transitioned from dancehall to gospel).

Professor Hope shared that Stitchie’s significance extended beyond his music. “Having a relationship with secular artistes was something Stitchie did well because he understood that it was important to minister to the sheep that ought to be brought into the fold,” she said. “This loss will be felt across genres and eras.

He is a part of the industry in a way few artistes were, and so he will never be forgotten.” Basillia Barnaby-Cuff, founder and director of Ste…