Germaine Smith, Staff Reporter
DANCEHALL MUSIC and homosexuality have a rather productive hate-hate relationship. The genre has been traditionally known to heap fiery condemnations on the practice, while homosexual and human rights groups throw condemnations back on the music and its practitioners.
Each seems to provide fuel for the other, as the practice provides lyrics for the songs and the lyrics for the songs cause the opposition to the music. One recent development in this seemingly interminable battle is the push by British gay activist Paul Tatchell to have Beenie Man, Bounty Killer and Elephant Man arrested for the anti-homosexual lyrics they have used in dancehall songs.
According to Tatchell, the deejays violate the Offences Against The Persons Act with their lyrics, so British authorities have an obligation to throw them in jail for it. Tatchell and the human rights group 'Outrage' argue that the deejay's songs push for the beating and murder of homosexual men, which only fuels anti-gay hatred and violence.
This is only the latest uproar in the long and contentious relationship between dancehall music and homosexuality. One of the more publicised clashes was in 1993, when deejay Buju Banton was scheduled to appear on the popular 'Showtime at the Apollo' series, at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York in the United States on Sunday, October 23. His performance was cancelled because of pressure from the Gay and Lesbians Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), and the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP).
The groups argued that Banton's lyrics in the song Boom Bye Bye called for the killing of homosexuals. Shabba came under pressure for his lyrics in the United States as well. In 1993, GLADD had targetted Shabba Ranks for supporting Banton, forcing the cancellation of Shabba's appearance on the Jay Leno Show and Soul Train. Shabba had to apologise publicly to the group and denounce violence against homosexuals to stem a number of other cancellations.
Mad Cobra also had his share of trouble. His early '90s album Exclusive was withdrawn from shelves in the U.S. because of the homophobic nature of the song Crufixion. In October last year, gay rights campaigners protested outside the Music of Black Origin awards in England. This protest was against homophobic lyrics of nominees TOK, Elephant Man and Capleton.
Despite the apparent tempering of dancehall music when it comes to overseas markets, here in Jamaica the artistes and sound systems have never stopped blasting homosexuals. In local dancehall sessions, it is one sure way to get a 'forward'.
Sonjah Niaah, a researcher at the Institute of Caribbean Studies at the University of The West Indies (UWI), Mona, has outlined in a study the relationships between dancehall and homosexuality and dancehall and several other issues.
In her paper entitled 'Kingston's Dancehalls: A Story of Space and Celebration', she states that a dancehall is not just an event, but 'a system of rules and codes, an institution'.
In this institution, she argues, the patrons understand and participate in the themes of the dancehall, which include competition and struggle and sexuality and morality among others. "These themes are visible in the music, as well as through the participatory nature of dance events visible in the call of the deejay and appropriate response of the audience. It is not uncommon to hear the selector calling his crowd to respond by showing of hands to, among other liturgical incantations, 'from a bwoy nuh badda dan yu, han up inna di air...put up yu gun finger if yuh a nuh b...yman'..."
From this study, it is clear that dancehall still encourages its patrons to 'hit out' against homosexuality, even though groups are pushing for the arrests of artistes who sing violently against the sexual practice.
Gays in Jamaica are not looking for too much to come out of Tatchell's campaign to get Elephant Man and others arrested.
"I don't think that it (the present suit by OUTRAGE) will have a tremendous impact locally," said a senior director at the Jamaica Forum For Lesbians All Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG) recently.
BATTLES
Meanwhile, those involved in the music business say that the battles will just continue on the local scene. Veteran sound system selector Sky Juice says that this situation will not change in Jamaica. As far as he is concerned, he and others in the
industry will continue to oppose gays despite their protests against the music.
"I will not encourage it. If a man is gay I burn that, he should go away from me," Sky Juice says. "I don't support the killing part of it but they must not come near me and if they are fighting against the music we will just keep fighting against them too. I love reggae music, but they should just leave it alone and let it play," the selector adds.
Deejay Captain Barkey takes a similar, yet slightly different stance, to Sky Juice. He argues that he is against homosexuality, but from a legal standpoint. "It is an illegal thing, so I can't condone it. Just like gun, rapist and murderer, I can't condone it," the deejay reasons. With regard to toning down the lyrics to avoid protests, Captain Barkey agrees that the lyrics could be changed, but for a general reason and not just for fear of protests against them. "You can say what you want to say but in different ways," he says. "The words you choose can be different, but people will understand it even if you are still protesting."
At the end of the day he adds, "Every artiste is free to decide how he wants his lyrics to come across, it is up to them if they can stand the repercussions."
