The Daily Swarm

SF Appeal:

The LA Gay and Lesbian Center:

Once again, an outcry from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has convinced promoters to cancel a scheduled performance by notoriously anti-gay reggae singer Buju Banton, whose appalling lyrics have glorified the violent murder of gay and lesbian people. Hours after the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center launched a public campaign, Sunset Entertainment Group (SEG) announced the cancellation of Banton’s show scheduled for its Cabana Club on Oct. 15.

The Cabana Club performance was scheduled just weeks after many Banton concerts, including one slated for L.A.‘s Nokia Club, were called off when promoters were flooded with calls and e-mails from concerned citizens mobilized by the Center, the Chicago-based Gay Liberation Network and other organization.

“I hope this victory sends a deafeningly loud message to other promoters and concert venues that singers who glorify violence against LGBT people, or any group of people, should never be welcomed,” said L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Chief Executive Officer Lorri L. Jean. “It shouldn’t be necessary for us to pressure promoters to do the right thing; people like Banton should never have been booked in the first place.”

Through his music, Banton promotes a culture of violence against LGBT people. In his most notorious song “Boom, Bye Bye,” Banton sings that “faggots get up and run” when he comes, that “they have to die,” and that he will shoot them in the head or “burn them up bad.” Banton’s music has helped foster such an anti-gay culture in his home country of Jamaica—where several prominent gay activists have been murdered—that Time magazine recently asked: “Is Jamaica the most homophobic place on Earth?”

Over the past several weeks Banton, who was recently videotaped saying that “there is no end to the war between me and faggots,” has had concerts canceled in Orlando, Tampa, Salt Lake City, Cincinnati, Columbus, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Detroit and several other cities. His manager, Tracii McGregor, responded to the cancellations with an “open letter” full of incomplete and inaccurate information, decrying LGBT groups for their “war” against Banton and for not having a “larger, more fruitful discussion that could perhaps effect real change.”

The Center responded to McGregor with a letter from Jean, sent on Sept. 15, in which she invites Banton to the Center and to talk about the impact of hate speech. In it, she writes: “If Banton is truly remorseful for performing ‘Boom, Bye Bye’ and contributing to the anti-gay climate in Jamaica, and publicly vows to never perform the song again, the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center would be happy to support an end to the boycott of his concerts.” She adds, “We’d like nothing more than to have a fruitful discussion that will result in the end of such music.” There has been no reply.

The Minnesota Independent:

Minneapolis’ First Avenue appears to have canceled an Oct. 4 concert by controversial Jamaican reggae artist Buju Banton after the Minnesota Independent inquired about the appearance. Banton, whose lyrics have advocated killing gay men — both with submachine guns and by pouring acid on them — has had a handful of shows canceled by venues after pressure from the public.

“Two man a hug up on an’ kiss up on an’ lay down inna bed, hug up on another anna rub dung leg,” Banton sings in Boom Boom Bye. “Send fi di matic an’ di Uzi instead. Shoot di batty boy come if we shot dem.”

The song extols woman as the “prettiest thing God ever put on di land,” then includes this threat to gay men who might approach Banton: “Guy come near we, then his skin must peel. Burn him up bad like an old tire wheel.”

But controversy surrounding Banton extends beyond his lyrics. In 2004, he was investigated over the beatings of six gay men in Jamaica’s capital city of Kingston; he was acquitted in 2006 for lack of evidence. Human rights activists pointed out at the time that Jamaican authorities tend not to handle such cases aggressively.