Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. an argument leading to a fight.

1873		C. Rampini Letters from Jamaica 95: ‘Confusions’, in negro parlance, do occasionally take place. . .But, as a rule, quarrels seldom occur [DJE].
1907		W. Jekyll Jam. Song and Story 61: So Annancy begin to raise a confusion over it...An’ ’creech-owl began to cry. [Ibid.] 135–6: One day Mr Annancy an’ Monkey, made a bargain to kill Tiger, an’ they didn’ know how to make the confusion for Tiger was Monkey godfather... An’ that time Puss was passing when the confusion occurred [DJE].
1912		C. McKay Songs of Jamaica 14: [Note:] And we cannot complain, for this would ‘bring confusion’, i.e. cause a row.

2. a street fight, a riot.

1977		D. Powis Signs of Crime 179: Confusion A street fight (West Indian origin).
1989		J. Morton Lowspeak.