Buju signs compassionate act

[Reggie Love]

The Guardian reports today that Buju Banton has become the latest reggae artist to sign the compassionate act - therefore pledging not to make public homophobic statements or release records with homophobic lyrics.
Sizzla, Capleton and Beenie Man have also signed. Bounty killer, Elephant Man, TOK, have yet to do so.

this has got be a positve step imo - Buju has too much too offer to let this dog him any further. And I'm sure he can see the bigger picture in terms of his career. I'm not cynical enough to believe this is all about cash though- he must have plenty.
Given his elevated position in Jamaica, he may give food for thought to some, although some are bound to call him a sell out.

As for elephant, his career is on the wane anyway. Same goes for Killer, much as I love much of his stuff, his best days are probably gone imo.

[BMC]

Beenie claims he didn't sign it:

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyl ... GROUP_.asp



Personally I highly doubt this has any further meaning than securing their shows in Europe, but we'll have to wait and see.

[Well Charge]

I saw Sizzla a few weeks ago and he did perform "Nah Apologize"; though he left out the word 'battyboy' but the audience gladly filled up the lyrical gap.

[BMC]

I saw Sizzla a few weeks ago and he did perform "Nah Apologize"; though he left out the word 'battyboy' but the audience gladly filled up the lyrical gap.

That's how Beenie usually does it as well.

[rez]

What's up with this thing???

Not promoting violence against a particular section of society?? Fine definitely a positive move....

Outrage getting to lecture reggae artists on the core-values of reggae and wooly ideals such as "mother nature"............ not so convinced.

[Grumpy]

The article from the Grauniad here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/gayrights/sto ... 63,00.html

[Reggie Love]

Yes, Rez, I take your point. I don't know who wrote the agreement and negotiated its signing by said artists. Some of the wording seemed strange to me too. I doubt this is the end of the matter - the artists have put themselves in a difficult spot regarding credibility with their home audience. I have seen buju perform snatches of boom bye bye in 2000 and 2003 and his main point then seemed to be 'outrage' that he was being pursued to such lengths (including death threats according to him) over such an old tune.

[freewheeling frankie]

Further non-knee-jerk coverage in the Guardian today:

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/07/buju_bantons_signature_is_only.html

Some interesting responses too, especially from Bajanlady. There's even someone that reckons there've been no good reggae records since 1983...

ff

[rez]

what's happened to the guardian?? Once upon a time you could rely on it for some old time buju-bashing now it seems all we get is informed, considered articles from people who appear to know what they're talking about.

Shocking.

[BMC]

Now, like Beenie, Buju's managements denies signing too:

http://www.radiojamaica.com/news/story. ... tory=38037

[jumpingmaster]

i am not for hating on any group of people, but i sort of cringe at this far reaching thought police stuff. here there is jesse jackson/sharpton fatwah against the n-word and related jargon. how long before they criminalize dissent for say taking your land and giving it to a corporation (oh wait they have done that) and say if you voice dissent for perpetual warfare (http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=6377). i feel that issues of free speech are the most important on issues that I personally feel are detestable such as anti-gays, racial matters and holocaust deniers to name a few.

[freewheeling frankie]

jumpingmaster said:

i feel that issues of free speech are the most important on issues that I personally feel are detestable such as anti-gays, racial matters and holocaust deniers to name a few.

It's quite a difficult issue but I think you have to draw a line somewhere. I don't think you can have completely free speech where there is no bar to inciting murder or rape or other violence - what benefit is there for society? Would you say the same if someone wrote a song/book/speech which unequivocally advocated killing/physically attacking people on racial grounds? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't. I think probably we should live and let live if lyrics are just saying they don't like gay people. But incitement to murder is illegal here in the UK and quite probably in JA too, and so it should be. Boom Bye Bye sounds like incitement to murder to me, many other dancehall anti-gay songs don't.

ff

[jumpingmaster]

i agree to some extant, and the question is where to draw the line. but i am not sure these laws have any real effect, except perhaps further marginalizing and further pushing things underground. or in the case of the holocaust deniers it seems to have made a hero/martyr out of some, if one can believe some of those sundance film documentaries. seems it would backfire on the gays to say these guys signed even though they didnt

[gravy]

I can see why they banned these lyrics here - those beliefs are seen as wholly unacceptable when professed publicly in the UK (although in reality violence is still going on all the time against minority groups)

However going to someone else's back yard and trying to change the way they think is a tactic that has proved itself worthless in any given example you care to think of.

The UK can offer asylum to gay jamaicans if they wish to flee here, and ban homophobic lyrics on general release, however Jamaica has to deal with this in its own way. Outrage can get pissed if they wish, but the reality is that being gay is still seen as evil in a large proportion of the world.

[RATIONAL MOVEMENT]

I hope they have all signed, and reggae can move on to new things without all the hatred & bad press.

The only things that make the press are shootings at dancehall events & murder lyrics - talk about negative perceptions.

Sign up & move on I say.