THE OUCH CREW ..THIS IS WHAT THEY TOLD THE STAR TWO YEARS AGO
CURTIS CAMPBELL, STAR Writer
Veteran dancehall designers, Ouch Crew, are currently in Jamaica documenting their contribution to the industry’s fashion to be displayed in a dancehall Manhattan museum.
The veteran designers now believe that the dancehall culture is dormant.
Founder of ‘Ouch’, Barbara ‘Mama Ouch’ Francis, migrated with the brand in the late 90s. According to her, dancehall fashion is not the same.
“Right now there is no dancehall fashion culture. What I see now is women coming into the dance and looking two sides. There is no music that depicts the culture, so now when you go to dance you are bored because the music is not right. Even at the Olympics dancehall was not represented, that goes to show that there is no message and no trend, so when females go to dance now it’s just to look a man,” Mama Ouch said.
Her daughter and co-designer, Paula Ouch, also commented that she believes dancehall needs mentors.
“Somebody needs to go to the dancehall and do something that people can emulate positively and strive to be like it,” she said.
The Ouch brand was extremely popular in the 90s, as they were worn by entertainers such as Lady Saw and Macka Diamond. Their fashion was also featured in dancehall film Dancehall Queen and American hip hop film Belly, featuring rapper Nas and DMX.
Dancehall fashion
After over a decade of popularity in the dancehall fashion industry, the Ouch family migrated to the United States citing that violence was bad for business.
“We were doing well, we were even featured on Caribana Fest in the United Kingdom. They paid for us to promote dancehall fashion over there. But I left Jamaica because of violence. When we were at a clash with Shabba Ranks they stole our car and crashed it. I started to feel intimidated and extortion was also coming into play at the time,” she said.
Mama Ouch said she still designs dancehall fashion and also revealed that her daughter took the opportunity to attend an international fashion school to increase their level of professionalism. She also gave pointers for upcoming local designers.
“There has to be designers with brands of clothes that covers up the body and depicts dancehall in a way that attracts the outside world. Dancehall needs excitement. Everybody wants to follow America, we need to be more creative, they are too Americanised and going for name brands,” Mama Ouch continued.
“We are very happy about our inclusion in the dancehall museum, and I don’t think they could have done it without us. The person in charge of the programme says he does not know about anybody else,” she concluded.
THIS IS WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE….KEEP IN MIND DI BALD HEAD ONE MI MENTION LASTNIGHT………ANYONE WITH MORE PICS OF THEM FROM BACK IN THE DAY SEND DEM COME
So true
A tink dah one deh name nicky……met dis thread shuda roun a front page enuh lol
Hol on deh, so Barbara did remigrate to Jamaica? And left inna 99. Cos I clearly remember them living in bklyn prior to that date.
A dis bald head one did deh wid carlene oo
Far as mi see it, inna dancehall now, dese young women, and i’m using di term very lightly, only guh fi look man as she seh, plus si how naked dem can guh. Dats not dancehall that is hights a ratchedness.
Yes it is..dem nuh go fi enjoyment because dem not even a dance
**heights**
OMG…..They annoyed me, walking around every dance with that Bull sh*t “OUCH”, Ouch” how annoying! Metty I think you are speaking of Debbie Ouch, I think it was her and Carlene in the mix. Nicky Ouch disgusted me, she use to whip that weave around and long out her tongue and her corners of her mouth looked stink…..not to mention that tongue ring that she made a point of showing like a brand new toy. I remember a Dance Contest at Liganea with her (Nicky) and the Homey Bad and Ready Karen, I was so happy Karen won! Those were the days though, when Karen was really Karen.
@Metty, yes please to showcase the crews that set Dancehall on fire way back then! Dancehall now is a joke, God Bless Crew, Champagne Crew, Hotty Hotty Crew, Ouch Crew, African Crew (Doris, Linda, Andrene, Diamond) I mention their names because half of the Crew were born Jamaicans, none the less African Crew contributed huge!
fat up mi email plz mi doe know dem people deh
Metty, Jhew know I will!!! However pictures are hard to come by of these folks as back then Video Light use to run the cut!
people will have those videos and send man
Yes Karen was n is still beautiful ..dem waste a lot though but ding up mi email quena
where is debbie ouch now? mi have mi reason why mi ask______________________________ lawd woie
I believe Debbie is in Florida, one call to make and I will confirm.
Please hold…..
In America, why??
Ouch Crew – Mama Ouch, Paula, Nicky and Debbie were the ones I knew of…..Paula and Mama use to live in Canarsie at one time. IO had no idea they are remigrating because they lived there for a very long while (Canarsie BK).
Oh how can I forget Natalie, she was very nice (Ouch Crew – Mama Ouch, Paula, Nicky and Debbie and NATALIE).
@Quena, I know Barbara them was living in Bklyn for years before the remigration. And big her up cos she still look good. There is also that incident a Florida with the robbery. Remember that?
Barbara looks her age. As to the robbery are you speaking of the one with the yute from Mobay?
@ Quena 12:27 comment… you’re taking them back boy! Karen been around for a while… I remember watching the VHS dances and her and Ruff used to go at it. I was a kid but my family had a Set… That was before there were a million and one sets… Stone Love, Addie’s (sp), earth ruler, spectrum, Super Strong, etc.
People don’t go out to dance anymore
Yes, I have been V.I.P. escortedinto these Dances starting at age 16yr…….I am 34 and is now not missing anything for Dancehall is no longer what it was!
I ven missed a few Outstanding Crew, British Crew, Lexus Crew. Most of these crews I had the opportunity of geting acquainted with one or two members. I now grace select parties only in LA.
34? I wasthinking you were about 40? Don’t be offended it’s not like I can see you….lol
hello met. met did not puertoriquanno once said she was 42 on here?
I really dont remember
truth!!!!!!
@Quena, talking about the robbery where the young lady get rape and the Thomas youth did involve.
mi use to love see nicki dance doah..dem dayz deh ppl dance and contest run
Biltmore Ballroom, love people. Those days when woman whine up Pon man. Nowadays dance a modeling poppy show and almshouse.
@4.12pm not to mention underground, reggae lounge, villege hut, whe the one dat was located upstairs in the bronx name? Shout out to orignal sounds like, down beat the ruler, Addis and son’s junior
YES MI MEMBA DEM DAYS MI DID 16. I USETO WISH I WAS IN THE OUCH CREW NAH LIE. WHO REMEMBER YAPPA NICE TALL CUTE HANDSOME MAN FROM ROUN AH BUCKET MI TINK RANDY DEM KILL HIM. HIM WOMAN DID NAME DONNA SEXY BROWNING. WHO MEMBA JACKIE RAMSAY AND SANDRA THOMAS. SANDRA GET DEPORTED AND DEH AH JAMAICA. SANDRA DI ONE WHE DENNIS BROWN SING CASSANDRA BOUT. OH AND YOYO FROM THE CHAMPAGNE CREW DI ONE WHE THIEF ALL BALLY MONEY WHEN HIM DEH AH JAIL. WELL YOYO GET DEPORTED AND LIVE AH SOUTH AND DEH WITH BIG POLITICIAN. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BALLY CHAMPAGNE
Bally Champagne is still incarcerated will be out in a year or two from what I hear.YoYo deh ah South, not in your wildest imagination, I heard he went back to school and is doing well, heard the rumor of the politician but I believe it is she he moved uptown with here now!
Nu Willow sing Cassandra?
no pp, dennis brown sing da song deh when willow a bwoy. wha happen to willow though?
Okay. Cause willow sing it and own it, lol. No idea where he is, I remember him from mini mart days and from one a him crazy chics I use to be in acquaintances with.
i’d love to see a picture of all these men i always hear about
BALLY
DANHAI
SKENG DON
lol, good luck trying to get one of Skeng. I use to date a nephew and not even him have pictures. Yah fi go a “country” fi see him.
Cute, cute Yappa, sexy Tan Tuddy dem stop Mek dem quality man long time.
Yappa was a debil in disguise!
Those were the days when me just used to visit NYC and their way wid mi cousins do guh dance a night. When Garfield used to cook inna one basement way before genesis.
I think the African crew still around BC few years ago me sight Doris and Linsa round queen of the sea for a dance hall veteran party. Dance nih nice again the music the fashion nothing. The ppl stiff and a nuff fake Baller. Nothing like the original champagne crew and dem. I too only attend select big ppl dance very special occasion and me Lille younger than quena
*thieft way
yes @quena the one yoyo should be lucky bally is the good hearted person he is,cause yoyo would be dead long time! thief up de whole a bally money. @QUENA yu remember bally man royal looking sister wha did deh wid uncle? well mi know dem bizniz cah uncle use to send me guh school,dem sey party and champagne. the ugly gal shelly use to hate mi bad,but shelly fi gwey cah,uncle never want she,dem time deh him did deh wid mar wha did own the salon. SHELLY UNCLE HATE YU UGLY BIG NOSE RASS,A TURE YU A DID BALLY SISTER! SHELLY YU SALT EVERY MAN YU TEK WHO NUH DEAD GONE A PRISON! NASTY SHELLY UNCLE BRING THE LIKKLE BOY COM A FARRIN AND YU DID A F**K HIM! UGLY SHELLY HOW YU BATTY MAN SON DOING.DOG SHIT SHELLY BALLY HATE YU UGLY BLOOODCLAAAT CAH YU SEND HOME YUH OWN MOTHER MEK SHI DEH JAMAICA A SUFFER! YU NO GOOD SHIT YU GOD A GUH BEAT YU!
if shelly’s mother is bally’s mother too, it’s carelessness on both their part, because, bally dida meck mucho dinero and therefore his mother should have been set up strong.
yes anony 8:49 miss rose was well set up very strong by bally! miss rose is a sick lady,as in go off her head sometimes,when her son patrick die,she take it to heart,then bally go a jail,bally have a next brother,that’s was in jail don’t know him well. but hear about him a lot,then there’s was a next brother i hear he was kind a crazy! SHELLY SHOULD NEVER SEND MISS ROSE BACK TO JAMAICA!
I broke my iPad and trust this tablet is a pain, can’t type for ‘ish! Bare with my slow AF touch screen.
@Sweet I haven’t heard anything yet on a robbery!
@Mimi Bally’s mother isn’t she deceased, I swore I heard she passed! Shelly and Sandy no longer live in Rosedale so I’m a bit out of the loop!
@9.16 was his brother’s name boomshell?
@Mimi…….. I can speak of Bally’s f*ck out sister Shelly for dayssssssss but will keep it a bit positive for now, she works as a CNA @ LIJ hospital.I remember Mar but I don’t think she owned that salon on Guy R Brewer I heard it was her friend Cheryl’s.
Metty she is no longer in Florida. She too I hear is in LA.
Mimi Cali may be able to confirm
As to the ouch crew, I can go on for days, especially about freaky Nicky!
ok ooooo
quena shelly wha suh hype a work as CNA? THE MONEY DONE NOW THE LAST TIME I SPOKE TO BALLY MISS ROSE WAS DOING FIND,A LADY WAS THERE TAKING CARE OF HER. SHELLY AND HER SISTER MARIE IS TOO WICKED BITCH! SUH QUENA YU NEVA KNOW SEY THE ONE LIKKLE BOY WHA SHELLY HAVE WID UNCLE TUN BATTY MAN,THE LIKKLE BOY NAME DWAYNE! IF MISS ROSE DEAD IT MUS BE LATELY,HAVEN,T TALK TO BALLY IN A FEW MONTHS!
Bwoy from me see the topic TRICKY NIKKI come to mine. Damn I used toh ave a blast hanging out in parties with that girl. The last party I saw her in was rose castle. The girl wear har draws to the dance and she gwan with some tings with har lollypop in har mouth. Say what ou want that girl lively up any and every dance.where is she now ? She love omman to
That bassy never love everything, last I heard she was also in LA at one time selling herself! For a while she was also in BK.
Must! I remember at the time nikki live in east flatbush, if me remember good Al pachino used to creep with she along with a few others including a DJ but mi a
Puertoriquena said it all. By the way the one in the blue skirt is Nicky, wonda if she still alive?
yes mi hear yappa was a bad mon but yoyo ah old user. dat politiian mussi desperate fi deh with him. he useto deh with raishawn and live off of her cause him never have nutten. damm how long bally get ah jail. bally useto deh with chantelle too
Dance was dance dem dayz deh Bernie n Charlene used to innna liguenea n de champahne crew ..we used to jus go fi watch de ouch crew dance. A pure hoe inna dance now kmt
Picture of Skeng Don-> https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A8aL0NZCcAArjW9.jpg:large
:maafaganwati
Yu RESOURCEFUL, who fah album or buffet yu go raid? lol
Thanks,
lol…nuh worry yuhself
google di name and get photo
QUENA U SEY U A 34, CHECK U BIRTH PAPER AGEN FI MI. SUM ONE FEEDING U INFORMATION
Thats the thing about typing opposed to speaking face to face, I could be 24, 34 or 43 what you should be interested in is if what I type pertaining to the suss (post) at hand is actual, factual, truth……….for as long as I’ve been chillin’ on the wall has what I’ve brought been real………or NAH????
@BORN JUNGGLIST
email or tell MET some 90s/80s…early few thousand…JUNGLE STORY NUH
What would you like me to add about Junglist that you don’t already know or short of knowing, after all your name is @BORN JUNGGLIST :ngakak :cd
@BORN JUNGGLIST…reads AT BORN JUNGGLIST…meaning a reply to him/her
Anyway Puertoriquena…what do you know about the 90s JUNGGLIST/jungle crews in the Tri State area
Oh gosh the good ole days!!
@Born Jungglist true words!
It’s one thing fi cuss ppl but I don’t think their child/ren should be dragged -especially muddily – into it. MI NUH LIKE DAT.
Big up Jackie Ramsey real dancehall fashion icon from back in the days.
BIG UP THE CANADIAN DANCEHALL CREWS & TREND SETTERS FROM BACK IN THE DAYS…….
PEPPER SEED CREW
ANGEL CREW
SIDE KICK CREW
BORE NOSE POSSE
SCARE DEM CREW
905 GIRLS CREW
LIKKLE & CUTE CREW
FLAVA GIRLS CREW
FLY GIRLS CREW
FAMUS GIRLS CREW
TOP A TOP CREW
YAW YAW CREW