Buju Banton's October show draws ire of L.A. gay community [Updated]

Update: AEG and Live Nation, the firms that run Club Nokia and the House of Blues franchise, have each  canceled Buju Banton's tour dates in Los Angeles at Club Nokia on Oct. 14, San Francisco (Oct. 10), Philadelphia (Sept. 12), Chicago (Oct.1), Las Vegas (Oct. 15), Dallas (Oct. 20) and Houston (Oct. 22)

When reggae artist Buju Banton booked a show at the Highlands club in Hollywood in 2006, protests from the L.A. gay and lesbian community were louder than the music.

Banton, the popular Jamaican dance-hall singer, has drawn the ire of gay activist groups for years, in large part because of the violently homophobic lyrics of his 1992 single “Boom Bye Bye,”  which proposes pouring acid on homosexuals and shooting them in the head. Local black and gay advocacy groups successfully protested Banton’s show, leading to its cancellation at Highlands, though it was eventually re-booked at the Century Club.

This October, however, Banton is again booked to play a high-profile concert, at Club Nokia in downtown L.A. Some of the same activist groups are working to get Banton’s show canceled.

“We’re disappointed that even after we’ve so clearly expressed how we feel about this, it would all be ignored now,” said Thomas Soule, communications manager for the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center. “To schedule him again really feels like disregard for the community.”

Banton has attempted to distance himself from the lyrics of “Boom Bye Bye” in recent years, and now presents himself as a more spiritual and Rasta-centric songwriter. To some reggae fans, pressure to prevent Banton from playing amounts to censorship, while gay activist groups see Banton’s songs as hate speech, an example of an ugly undercurrent of homophobia in some reggae music.

Michael Roth, vice president of communications for AEG, the venue's owner, gave this statement regarding Banton’s concert:

We are aware of the concerns that were brought to our attention this week with regards to Buju Banton’s October appearance. We are reaching out to the artist, artist management and the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center to satisfactorily resolve the issues that have been presented.

In more recent shows, Banton has performed parts of “Boom Bye Bye,” but claimed to use it as a starting point for a conversation about the controversy surrounding it. In a complicating twist, he was tried and acquitted on charges that he participated in the beating of six gay men by a gang in Jamaica in 2004.

It’s yet unclear what steps AEG will take to address the concerns surrounding the show. But for Soule, Banton himself is one voice conspicuously missing from the conversation.

“I would imagine that a public statement moving away from that would go a long way,” Soule said. “If he says he’s all for peace today, well, peace for whom?”

-- August Brown

Comments

[SteveLeong]

"What one sows, so shall they reap"...and that's not limited to just non-Christians! This concept is widely honored by many in the world. Banton is no exception...when one sows discrimination in the most hateful way, that encourages the harm to others, or cause innocent people to worry about their lives...they will reap, "tenfold" what they sow.

People still feel they can hide behind the Bible, and pass judgements on LGBTs. They forget the God created Gays for God's reason. Perhaps curb the overpopulation of the world, or find good parents for children abandoned by straights. God had a plan, and we gotta trust in God's plan. Sowing discrimination against brothers and sisters because they were born differently, will reap only one thing ...discrimination back! I pray deeply that these people will see the connection of why they are reaping what they reap!

Steve Leong
Hawaii

[Meghan]

‘Murder Music’ Singer’s Concerts Canceled

A public outcry has prompted AEG Live and Live Nation to cancel all of their scheduled concerts by Buju Banton, a singer whose music promotes violence against LGBT people.

A rabidly anti-gay reggae singer, Banton has recording such shocking lyrics such as, “Anytime Buju Banton come, faggots get up and run … they have to die.”

After the LA Lesbian & Gay Center demanded both companies cancel their Banton concerts and stop profiting from this peddler of vile “murder music,” hundreds of people signed the Center’s petition, joined the “Cancel Shows for ‘Faggots Must Die’ Singer” Facebook group, and contacted AEG and Live Nation to send the message that artists who Buju Banton AEG Live and Live Nation have canceled their scheduled concerts by Buju Banton, who has recorded songs that promote violence toward LGBT people.

Glorfiying violence against any group should never be given a stage on which to perform!

[J steel]

This isnt any different than the hateful things homosexuals say about Christians. They are reaping what they are sowing.

[mishi]

J steel; "This isnt any different than the hateful things homosexuals say about Christians. They are reaping what they are sowing."

Wow. You are so full of...crap. Elton John sings about throwing acid on Christians? Barney Frank encourages us to shoot Christians in the head?

For 2000 years now, elements of Christianity have tortured us, imprisoned us, castrated us, burned us at the stake, and shoved us into concentration camps. Literally. Name one thing - just one! - that any organized element of any LGBT community anywhere has ever done to Christians. Name one reputable LGBT person that suggests Christians should be physically attacked. Go on, J steel, I'm waiting...

Anyway, "Christian" and "gay" aren't mutually exclusive, as you bloody well should know. And also anyway, Banton is a Rasta, not a Christian. Jamaica - both Rastafarian and Christian - is one of the most murderously homophobic societies on Earth. Lesbians and gays are brutally killed while police stand by, bystanders cheer, and preachers denounce gays as ungodly. In view of all that, you should thank your god that a number of pious folk AREN'T reaping what they've sown: There would be Bible-believing blood on the streets.

[Jeff]

I can't believe that AEG would even consider hosting Banton, really? How can you sponsor and feature someone who is so prejudiced. Would we even be having this conversation if there were an artist saying such things about African-Americans or Jews? So why is it ok to allow this kind of hate towards Gays & Lesbians? It's love of money and prejudice of gays over any sense of ethics or conscience. How typically American!

[pluck]

So, AEG wants to resolve the "issues." I will look forward to AEG's presentation of some stars from Resistance Records, whose artists celebrate Adolf Hitler's birthday and advocate the murder of Jews. But no, we can't have that, now, can we?

[pastol]

HA! According to the schedule on Club Nokia's website, the gig has been canceled. Hoo-freaking-ray! Run the jerk out of town on a log. Think maybe he knows now what it is like to be shunned and persecuted? Probably not. Keep up the fight brothers and sisters.

[Motte]

Mishi, your challenge for anyone to name what things homosexuals have said and done to Christians is an easy challenge. Show me where Christians have done harm to homosexuals outside condeming the lifestyle in which God instructed them to condem such behavior. If homosexuals were tortured it certainly wasn't the Christians doing it, though I will bet it gives you some kind of comfort to blame them. When the KKK were buring churches and crosses in the front yards of African Americans, African Americans did not blame Christians for the insults, scare tatics, intimidation, bombings, or murder because the criminals were hiding under a Christian banner. We know the ways of Christ through the study of his word, so we were not confused about who was really behind the evil deeds. So you can continue to believe everytime someone has wrong you that person is a Christian if you wish and you can continue to believe that people from the homosexual community haven't assaulted Christians and their property. We the public knows better.

[enrique]

people lets move forward...

[Diamond Jay]

Buju is the best! Props to A real artist who stands for something GOOD. "BooM BYE BYE" classic Dance Hall.

[Buju Fan]

Clearly, people haven't heard Buju's music over at least the past 10-15 years. Boom Bye Bye is 21 years old. Buju's fans (and fans of many other reggae artists that have come under attack) haven't had the opportunity to see them perform in years. Gay activists in America will have very little impact changing a culture of thought in the Carribean. In the meantime, those of us that support the gay movement are quickly becoming disillusioned with people who want expanded rights yet attempt to curtail or eliminate other's rights to hear music of their choice (by paying for tickets for a private venue, exposing no one who doesn't want to be exposed). Stop the hypocrisy and censorship now!

[Warren]

"his 1992 single “Boom Bye Bye,” which proposes pouring acid on homosexuals and shooting them in the head."

Most people who thinks this way have issues of their own that they need to address. I wonder how many nights he dreams about being with another man.

[erik]

God created gays???.....I dont think so

[Sean K]

Motte: "We the public knows better"... awesome... more ranting from a semi-literate bible thumper. Probably home schooled so you didn't have to learn about evolution and grammar and all that other satanic stuff. If you don't believe Christians are responsible for the persecution of gays on a huge scale, then you: A.) Have never read the bible which rebukes and reviles homosexuality in such an ardent manner so many times in several books that violent action and institutional discrimination against gays would be inevitable in a Xian society B.) Don't know how to type "Christians + Homosexuality + Persecution" into a search engine, and finally C.)Don't even have the critical thinking ability to be worth having this conversation with. So please, save the thinking people of the world the headache of having to read through your drivel.

[mishi]

Motte: "Mishi, your challenge for anyone to name what things homosexuals have said and done to Christians is an easy challenge."

No, but thanks for playing. What I challenged was to name one thing that organized GLBT people have "done" to Christians. You know, hurt them, deprive them of their rights, that sort of thing? And I can't help noticing that, despite it being an easy challenge, it apparently wasn't easy enough for you to actually come up with anything concrete. Instead, you had the gall to say " If homosexuals were tortured it certainly wasn't the Christians doing it, though I will bet it gives you some kind of comfort to blame them."

Um, the Emperor Constantine, who Christianized the Roman Empire and instituted laws condemning homosexuals to torture and death...he was, what, a Buddhist in disguise? The Spanish Inquisition that burned "sodomites" alive were only pretending to be Catholic? The Nazis who forced homosexuals to die in concentration camps...none of them was a Christian? Not that facts seem to matter much to you, but I commend the book "Homosexuality and Civilization," which lays all this and more out in detail.

So I repeat...when has an organized group of homosexuals, anywhere, any time, ever inflicted actual harm on people just because they were Christians? OK, there was a bit of vandalism against Mormon churches in the wake of Prop 8...but that was, let's face it, political rather than anti-religious. And some street preacher in San Francisco apparently got hot coffee dumped on her by some irate gay guy. But beyond that?

Oh...and as to your rather far-fetched KKK allusion? Lest we forget, in the pre-Civil-War South, Christian preachers regularly used the Bible (which lays out detailed rules for keeping slaves) as a justification for slavery. Of course, by your lights, I guess they weren't REAL Christians, eh?

[Bisexual Jamacia]

This is down right rasism againts a country and a people as a Jamacian i take strong offends to people attacking my counry men call us names. Here is a fact for you Jamacia have LGBT people living were and WE DO NOT BURN AND BEATING PEOPLE IN THE STREETS,and sick of the lie that is speading about my counry men, about the whole Buju issue and i belieive you are picking on a person that can not fight back. this song is 22 years old. Get over it. oh I am a Bisexual Jamacia

[Reggaerising]

Buju Banton rocks! Let him play. No censorship. If you don't want to see him don't buy a ticket. Those in opposition would be better off spending their time feeding the homeless or doing something more productive then alienating people.....

[mishi]

bisexual jamacia: "Here is a fact for you Jamacia have LGBT people living were and WE DO NOT BURN AND BEATING PEOPLE IN THE STREETS"

And how many of the LGBT people are living open lives?

You can cry racism all you want, but many of the campaigners against Jamaica's homophobia are people of color themselves, while we have no idea who you are.

Human Rights Watch: "Verbal and physical violence, ranging from beatings to brutal armed attacks to murder, are widespread. For many, there is no sanctuary from such abuse. Men who have sex with men and women who have sex with women reported being driven from their homes and their towns by neighbors who threatened to kill them if they remained, forcing them to abandon their possessions and leaving many homeless."

Amnesty International: ""Gay men and lesbian women have been beaten, cut, burned, raped and shot on account of their sexuality"; and gays and lesbians constitute one of the "most marginalized and persecuted communities in Jamaica.

Wikipedia: In June 2004 founding member and the public face of J-FLAG and Jamaica's leading gay-rights activist, Brian Williamson, was stabbed to death in his home. (My note: hacked 70 times with a machete.) Police ruled that the murder was the result of a robbery, but J-FLAG believes his murder was a hate crime. Human Rights Watch researcher Rebecca Schleifer had a meeting with Williamson that day, and arrived at his home not long after his body had been discovered. She found a small crowd singing and dancing. One man called out, "Battyman he get killed." Others were celebrating, laughing and shouting "Let's get them one at a time", "That's what you get for sin". Others sang "Boom bye bye", a line from a well-known dancehall song by Jamaican star Buju Banton about shooting and burning gay men. "It was like a parade", says Schleifer. "They were basically partying."

But, of course, everybody is lying, except you.

[Banton SUPPORTER]

It's all about freedom of speech. If the KKK can say what they feel and believe about people who aren't like them and they are not censored why should Banton be. "Like it or not" he can express himself as long as he doesn't act on it!

[Shon]

This is ridiculous, everyone deserves a second chance. I in no way support that particular song and agree with punishing him for the lyrics in the song. But for how long? Who is to determine how long this man should be punished. Surely he gets it. America is not standing for hate songs. We as fans have read the stories behind the lyrics, we haven't been able to hear him for quite some time. We as fans are ready to put Buju back on the stage, we love his music and it should not be censored forever.

[palmtree]

It's pretty misleading to refer to lyrics about pouring acid and shooting people in the head without pointing out that thousands of other dancehall songs have similar lyrics attacking rival sounds systems, performers , informers, etc , and that the lyrics are not taken literally. When Muddy Waters or Johnny Cash say they're going to "shoot that woman down" should we take that literally too?

I'm not supporting homophobic lyrics and I don't think they should be performed, but it's weak journalism not to put things in context.
Homophobia is a problem in the Carribean in general and these lyrics reflect that.

It's disheartening to not read a word about the political content of Buju's other lyrics, talking about the struggles of coming from the ghetto, or the song "Murderer" , which has got to be one of the most powerful anti-violence songs of the past couple decades. If you want to hear a rebuttal to "Boom Bye Bye" check out that song.

There is also a larger political question here about what it means for (relatively) wealthy american Gays to try and shut down the career of someone coming from a third world country which owes many of it's problems to the malign influence of the US and the CIA in particular. Jamaica tried to go in more politically progressive direction in the 70s and America helped squash that, and the US probably was also responsible for importing into Jamaica many of the guns that have made it such a bloodbath there.Watch the film "Life and Debt", about the effect of the US's "Free Market" philosophy on Jamaica and you might feel a little uneasy about Americans sitting too high in judgement on struggling artists from the third world. Downtown Kingston doesn't look much West Hollywood that's for sure.

[berry]

I am not homophobic - far from it. I was born and raised in the Bay Area, but while studying abroad in the Caribbean I was exposed to a culture very different from my own. At first it was difficult to understand, but living in such a homophobic place opened my eyes in a way that I hope a reverse cultural exchange would.

It is true that Buju Banton is homophobic, as was Bob Marley, but he also represents, with beauty, the voice of an oppressed and marginalized people. The song that has people so angry is from a much earlier time, in fact before he became a Rasta and spiritually transformed himself.

He has done much to address the past mistakes he voiced in the song "Boom Bye Bye." He has signed the 'Reggae Compassionate Act', a pledge organized by gay rights activists, which included a clause that he will never again perform this song.

It is also true that Jamaica is one of the most religious and homophobic nations in the world, and also one of the most violent. Being raised in this environment has influenced his belief system and music, as it does every person's.

That said, I do not condone music that promotes any kind of sexual or gender violence. But this is not something that Buju represents whatsoever. The last time that he came to San Francisco I tried to get the Gay activists to open a dialogue with the Caribbean community, without success. I understand the anger that Gay activists are feeling, but as the article says, true dialogue, not inflammatory remarks and long-running boycotts, which have had success (e.g. the Reggae Compassionate Act) is what is needed.

Let this be an opportunity for this. Let's start a conversation. It is exactly this type of cultural exchange that will bring understanding and help address the horrible conditions in Jamaica - of homophobia, sexism, violence and poverty.

[QT]

"Murder Singer" is coming to L.A.

http://www.reggaeville.com/artist-details/artist/buju-banton/dt/buju-banton-10152009/ac/date.html

[Sam Kestu]

Now Buju Banton "Queers Have to Die" and Beenie Man "Execute All The Gays" are scheduled to perform in Miami 10/31/09 at "Reggae Bash 2009." One of the sponsors of "Reggae Bash 2009" is Toyota of Hollywood Florida.

This event could be called "Gay Bash 2009."

Buju and Beenie are calling for genocide against gay and lesbian people. For information: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/9/17/783251/-Toyota-Sponsors-Murder-Music-in-FL,-Hang-Lesbians-Beenie-Man-joins-Queers-Have-to-Die-Banton

For a different perspective on the gay bashing that Buju Banton was alleged to have been involved in in 2004 see this Time Magazine article: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1182991,00.html

[Sam Kestu]

Please note that Buju Banton was NOT acquitted of the charges in that assault on six gay men in 2004 for which he was arrested. The charges were dropped by the judge so he was never tried on the matter and the evidence was never presented before a jury. One of the men who was assaulted lost his sight in one eye. For details, see this Time Magazine article http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1182991,00.html "The Most Homophobic Place on Earth?"

Since 1992, when "Boom Bye Bye" was released, Buju Banton has not distanced himself from the song.

For videos that show Buju Banton reiterating the anti gay statements in "Boom Bye Bye," see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46PASiOjdP4 "BUJU BANTON FIRE BURN BATTY" and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ8Z0biU_Zw "Elephant Man Buju Banton Shabba Ranks" In the latter video he refers to the churches and asks "What have I done wrong when I say that homosexuality is wrong?" With these words, Buju Banton is actually saying that he stands by the "kill gays" message of "Boom Bye Bye."

In the first video, "BUJU BANTON FIRE BURN BATTY," listen for the line "There is no end to the war between me and faggots." But there is more anti gay stuff in this video, which was recorded in Jamaica in late December 2007.