I didn't like the dance hall music of Sizzla and Beanie Man and others long before I found out they were singing anti-gay murder music. Most of it is just stoopid sexist crap.
But I've always loved REAL reggae music with its message of struggle and universal brotherhood. So I had to love this story.
Three of the world’s top reggae/dancehall singers have renounced homophobia and condemned violence against lesbians and gay men. Beenie Man, Sizzla and Capleton had previously released anti-gay hate songs, including incitements to murder lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
It's not much. I doubt they've really changed their minds. Just feeling a pain in their wallets. But every Long March begins with a first step. Especially on the homophobic Zombie Island of Jamaica. And the message is a good one.
“There’s no space in the music community for hatred and prejudice, including no place for racism, violence, sexism or homophobia”....
Now somebody go and tell that to the monstrous bigot Buju Banton...who incites his audiences to shoot gays in the head, pour acid over them, and set them on fire...
“The other five murder music artists – Elephant Man, TOK, Bounty Killa, Vybz Kartel and Buju Banton – have not signed the Reggae Compassionate Act. The campaign against them continues...
Sometimes when I think of Buju Banton I get REALLY angry. I wish someone in the Gay Army would just take care of him. Pump two caps into his reptile brain. Or give him an acid bath. But then I remember that's not the GAY way, and it's not the REAL reggae way either.
And that the best way to keep hurting that homophobe and all the other Murder Musicians is to keep FUCKING their bottom lines.
Boycotting their shows. And cancelling their ass.
And that if you want to hear REAL reggae don't bother to go to Jamaica. When Bob Marley died it died too.
Just go to South Africa and ask Lucky Dube to play this old song for you......
Oh yeah! Reggae in the bathroom...reggae in the bedroom... nobody can stop REAL reggae.
Coz it's for EVERYONE...
The Great Bob would have loved that. And so do I.
Have a great weekend everyone!!
When forms of music provide a way to hate I tend to go the other way and I love music.
ReplyDeleteThere has been this bullshit angst ridden crap thinly disguised as art that I’m not getting suckered into for a minute. The shame is the artists don’t really care for the most part, they just want to sell recordings. They’re societal whores with no idea of right or wrong.
Lucky Dube.... with at Friday night starter like that who could NOT have a good weekend?
ReplyDeleteHope yours is good as well Simon.
Cheers
thanks for the tune simon!!!! what a sad twist raggae took...those idiots should be banned from making music. while the 'religion' of raggae is patriarchal it's still about love. these guys are complete phonies and i'm glad there's a body involved to pressure the bigots.
ReplyDeleteHi Bruce!! Me too. I was sooo disappointed with what happened to reggae and Jamaican music. You know it's not a widely known fact, but gay people were Bob Marley's first big fans in North America. To see that legacy destroyed by gangsta shit infuriates me. Especially when I like the tune but hate the lyrics...But at least more people are talking about hateful sexist lyrics so maybe it will help...
ReplyDeleteHi Sassy!!!
I'm glad you liked the video. Lucky Dube (pronounced Doobay) is awesome....especially live. He's a Zulu and him and some of the members of the band do these great Zulu dances...kicking up their legs like you wouldn't believe. It's happy gentle music even as it talks about struggle and freedom from tyranny...in his case Apartheid...and no matter what age you are you can't help but get up and hop around. At least I do!!! :)
Hi Scout!! Yeah you're right...the whole rastafarian thing is like other religions patriarchal...and the Jah thing with Haile Selassie pretty bizarre. But I heard this great story once. Haile Selassie made a visit to Jamaica and the faithful rastas poured down from the hills to the airport. But when the Emperor/tyrant saw the rastas he turned to his hosts and said "in my country we put those kind of people in prison." WWhen the rastas heard about this they went away and smoked on it...and then declared that wasn't Jah...just an impostor. And why did they say that? "Because the real Jah wouldn't need a plane.."
You gotta love people like that.. :)
First of all let me say this all music that comes out of jamaica is not reggae, the artist you guys speak of are in the genre of dancehall, dancehall is the music of the ghetto. Secondly to those who have said that with the passing of bob marley so did the genre cant profess to be real fans when artist such as Jacob Miller, Third World, Burning Spear, Inner Circle, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, Morgan Heritage, Tarrus Riley, Singing Melody, Sanchez, Half Pint, Anthony B, Beres Hammond, Bush Man, Natural Black, Garnet Silk, Glen Washington, Jah Cure, Luciano, Mutabaruka, Tony Rebel, Warrior King, Damian Marley just to name a few, many of these artist who you hear these things about they are not reggae artist they are dancehall artist its two different genre, styles and direction. Nothing has happened to reggae music but because alot of the positive artist's works do not reach abroad unless you look for it. Also i have been hearing rhetoric about some of these artist being obsessed with homosexuals, yes i wont deny they have a few songs that speaks of their dislike of that lifestyle I can say most of their songs dont even mention gays. Two artist in particular who i sometime wonder about is Sizzla and Buju Banton. When sizzla started as an artist he was very mellow and his message preached everything to do with positivity the album Black Woman and Child showed that this artist was unique and special. Then i guess he was corrupted by bad company because a few years later he switched from roots reggae to the dancehall scene and soon after the things he was saying was very un-rasta like, then he again seemed to get his head in the right place with i think is his best album "Da Real Thing" he was back with the reggae movement. I would advise anyone to get that album, if you listen to that album it would make you think twice about this artist it is shocking that he would say such things if you would listen to that cd. On to Buju Banton he unlike Sizzla was not bred in the rastafari movement, he began as a dancehall artist, something caused him to switch his life and he turned to this movement. The songs that people say he bashes gays in, were before he switched over he was a young man at that time, he come out also with his best cd a reggae one Til' Shiloh but maybe he missed the hype of dancehall and a short years after his transition into reggae he also reverted back to the dancehall scene, though he hasn't brought back his lyrics on homosexuality it seems he also grew apart of the rastafari movement and is now a dancehall artist again. I just wanted to post this to add some insight because it is unfair that reggae artist/music are taking heat for something that does not have to do with it. Remember dancehall does not equate to reggae, they are two distinct things. The artist you hear about are dancehall artist. Also reggae is not dead, I would recommend out of that list the following artist Tarrus Riley, Morgan Heritage, Damian "Jr. Gong", Beres Hammond
ReplyDeleteHi brother....thank you for your excellent comment.It was full of great information. I was angry when I wrote that post...and I went too far when I said you can't find real reggae in Jamaica. And I do realize the difference between dancehall and reggae.I'm a reggae person all the way...but I have to admit I like some dancehall stuff too. The main thing is this...I consider Jamaica one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Black music means a lot to me. I believe black people and gay people should work together to fight our common enemies the racists and the bigots. That's why I sometimes get so angry. It's because I'm so disappointed. But I'm hopeful that one day this bad stuff will go away. And we can all enjoy the music together.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for your comment. And if I ever get it wrong again don't hesitate to correct me!! :)