Nathaniel Stewart photo
Lady G.

Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

One hardly ever hears of a female reggae or dancehall artiste being the target of gay and lesbian protests or being accused of doing songs that incite violence against such groups.

But while the female artistes might fall just outside of the target range of such protesters, many have rallied around in support of their male counterparts who are feeling the brunt of the protests.

Veteran dancehall artiste Lady G says, "Nobody nuh suppose to be forced to sign anything an a man suppose to free fi sey whateva dem want. Music is an expression an when dem tek weh dat from us dem a put a limit pon our creativity. And even though there are a whole lot of other things to talk about, this is something that affects us too."

Lady G was speaking about the Reggae Compassionate Act which she heard about "from a fren in Europe" and requires that entertainers sign a pact to refrain from lyrics against homosexuals. "Di only problem is when dem (artistes) a guh sey dem wi shoot or kill dem, but a person should be able to say what they like from what they don't like," Lady G said.

But why are the women so silent when it comes on to such topics? Maybe it is because of the obvious, Lady G says.

Tolerate some things

"Is a one-sided thing. Sometimes the men in Jamaica will tolerate a lesbian, but not a gay man, but both ways I think it is wrong. We (female artistes) have more stuff to talk about than the men; wi more talk bout sex wid men an a dat di man dem love hear," Lady G said. For the men, "dem like to be seen as macho", so for male artistes the topics would largely be about being a bad man, a girl's man or one who burns fire on iniquity.

Deejay D'Angel says she could not understand why such an Act was even drafted in the first place as "a nuh every artiste do anti-gay song. Dem need fi low we cause wi nuh business wid dem an reggae music is bigger than dem".

D'Angelsays reggae and dancehall music is "big all over the world. They can't stop reggae music and personally I haven't heard an anti-gay song recently".

D'Angel also agreed that female artistes hardly have lyrics against homosexuals, as "we females nuh really focus pon dem tings deh, cause, for example, a female and a next female can greet each other outa road wid a hug, but mek two man guh try dat nuh? But the males overall are more bashing than the females".

However D'Angel says she would sign to preserve her career.

"I'm professional about my work and music, so if it is going to affect my music in any shape or form then I would sign. But I would still have to read it an see what it entails and if it applies to me," she said.

Queen Paula, however, made no reservations in declaring that the drafters of the Act were unfair and "the preacher still haffi preach bout wrong from right. Wi nah guh sey no lyrics fi kill dem. Mi nuh believe inna dat, cause wi guh all place like New York an dem inna saloon wid wi an dem do hair an ting an wi cyan trouble dem".

According to Queen Paula, even though most female artistes have avoided gay-bashing lyrics, she has lyrics that address the issue, but they are much milder than those of the male artistes.

"Mi do a song wey a talk bout di man dem weh guh a stray an wi jus a mek dem know sey it wrong," she said.