‘I’m dog mic for myself’ - Gay dancehall artiste looks to ternatnal dienc | Entertament | Jamai Star

Contents:

• FIRST OPENLY GAY DANCEHALL ARTISTE DEMARO RELEAS DEBUT SGLE ‘MI READI’
• I’M A GAY DANCEHALL ARTIST – I WANT MY MIC TO CHANGE HOMOPHOBIC MDS
• EEK-A-MOE GAY? DANCEHALL LEGEND SPEAK ON THIS VIRAL VIO
• ‘I’M DOG MIC FOR MYSELF’ - GAY DANCEHALL ARTISTE LOOKS TO TERNATNAL DIENC
• OPENLY GAY DANCEHALL ARTISTE CASTS RASTAFARIAN IN MIC VIO, FANS REACTS
• DANCEHALL’S PROLIFERATN OF HOMOPHOBIADANIEL ABR·FOLLOWPUBLISHED WRGS ON WHATEVER I WANTED·7 M READ·MAY 21, 2016--LISTENSHARESIZZLA, AND MUCH OF DANCEHALL CULTURE, C GROTQUE HOMOPHOBIC VLENCE.THE 32ND ANNUAL REGGAE ON THE RIVER MIC FTIVAL WILL BE HELD THIS YEAR GARBERVILLE, CALIFORNIA AND HEADLED BY JAMAIN DANCEHALL ARTIST SIZZLA KALONJI; HERE IS WHY YOU SHOULD RE.YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THE TERM “DANCEHALL” BEG CREASG POPULAR CURRENT MIC. DANCEHALL IS A GENRE OF MIC ORIGATG JAMAI, IS VERY SIAR TO REGGAE ALL BUT ’S BEAT STCTURE WHICH IS EXACTLY DOUBLE THAT OF REGGAE. IN LAYMAN’S TERMS, DANCEHALL IS THAT “CARIBBEAN FLOW” THAT RIHANNA’S WORK, DRAKE’S ONE DANCE OR ANYTHG SEAN PL HAS EVER DONE HAVE. THEY AREN'T ALONE EHER, AS MANY OTHER ARTIST ARE MAKG MIC SPIRED BY THE JAMAIN GENRE.THIS ISN'T THE FIRST EMERGENCE OF DANCEHALL MASTREAM RAD PLAY. SIZZLA, A HUGE DANCEHALL ARTIST JAMAI, FOUND TERNATNAL SUCCS OUTSI THE UNTRY AND EVEN WENT TO ANISE A UK TOUR BACK 2004.[1] UNFORTUNATELY, SEEMS THAT WE HAVE FOTTEN WHY THOSE NCERTS NEVER END UP HAPPENG.SIZZLA, AND MUCH OF DANCEHALL CULTURE, C GROTQUE HOMOPHOBIC VLENCE.SIZZLA KALONJITHE PROBLEMIN HIS SONG PUMP UP, SIZZLA OPENS THE THIRD VERSE BY SAYG; “FIRE FI DI MAN M WEH GO RI MAN BEHD.” OTHER LYRICS CLU; “SHOT BATTY BWOY MY BIG GUN GO BOOM.” (BATTY BWOY IS A ROGATORY TERM FOR GAY MEN JAMAIN PATOIS.) “BOOM BOOM! BATTY BWOY M FI AD.” “MI A GO SHOT BATTY BWOY M WIDDIE WEAPONS YA”. THE LYRICS ARE NOT JT HATE SPEECH, BUT A LL TO MURR.THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM ONLY ONE ARTIST HAS EHER. MANY OF DANCEHALL’S MOST PROMENT FIGUR HAVE EQUALLY HORRENDO LYRICS. IN DAMN, BEENIE MAN SAYS “I’M DREAMG OF A NEW JAMAI, E TO EXECUTE ALL THE GAYS.” IN A NUH FI WI FLT, ELEPHANT MAN BOASTS “BATTYMAN FI AD! PLEASE MARK WE WORD/GIMME THA TECH-NE, SHOOT M LIKE BIRD.” IN BOOM BYE BYE, BUJU BANTON BAS THE ENTIRE CHOS OF HIS SONG ON THE MURR OF GAY MEN; “BOOM BYE BYE NA BATTY BWOY HEAD/ BWOY NO PROMOTE NO NASTY MAN/M HAFFI AD”. TO QUOTE BUT A FEW.DANCEHALL IS ALSO MORE THAN JT A GENRE, BUT A CULTURAL EVENT. IT GET’S S NAME OM THE DANCEHALLS WHERE IS OFTEN PERFORMED. IN OTHER WORDS, THE JAMAIN EQUIVALENT OF A NIGHT OUT CLUBBG.THE CULTURETHE EASE AT WHICH THE TRANSPARENTLY HOMOPHOBIC LYRICS ARE SIMPLY ACCEPTED BY JAMAIN CULTURE SPEAKS BOUNDS ON THE UNTRY’S ATTU TO HOMOPHOBIA. IN 2006, THE TIM LLED JAMAI “THE MOST HOMOPHOBIC PLACE ON EARTH.”[2] IN 2012, THE UNED STAT DEPARTMENT OF STATE SAID THAT “HOMOPHOBIA WAS WISPREAD THE UNTRY.”[3] AND STILL TO THIS DATE, SEXUAL ACTS BETWEEN MEN ARE ILLEGAL.DR KEON WT, A PSYCHOLOGY LECTURE AT GOLDSMHS UNIVERSY OF LONDON, SET OUT TO DISVER THE ORIGS OF THE UNTRY’S HOMOPHOBIA, AND 2014 PUBLISHED THE LARGT PIECE OF REARCH OF S KD ON THE MATTER. HE TERVIEWED 2,000 PEOPLE ACROSS 40 MUNI JAMAI LOOKG FOR PREDICTORS OF ANTI-GAY BIAS.[4] WHEN WRG FOR THE GUARDIAN ABOUT HIS FDGS HE SAID THE FOLLOWG;“AS OTHER UNTRI, WEALTH, TN AND (YOUNGER) AGE WERE ASSOCIATED WH LS ANTI-GAY PREJUDICE. RELIGSY, WHICH IS OFTEN THE REASON OFFERED BY ANTI-GAY LOBBYISTS, ALSO PREDICTED MORE ANTI-GAY BIAS. HOWEVER, WAS NEHER THE STRONGT NOR THE MOST RELIABLE PREDICTOR. WHEN ALL THE FACTORS WERE TAKEN TO ACUNT SIMULTANEOLY, THE TWO THAT WERE MOST RELIABLE WERE A PREFERENCE FOR DANCEHALL MIC, AND GENR.”[5]HE LATER NCLUS THAT; “THIS REARCH PROVIS THE FIRST EMPIRIL EVINCE THAT THE SONGS MAY BE HARMFUL, LEADG TO MORE NEGATIVE ATTUS AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVUR.”IN 2013 THE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH PUBLISHED AN 86 PAGE REPORT ENTLED; “NOT SAFE AT HOME: VLENCE AND DISCRIMATN AGAST LGBT PEOPLE JAMAI” IN , 56 S OF VLENCE DUE TO SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND PERCEIVED GENR INTY WERE DOCUMENTED. 19 OF THE VICTIMS REPORTED THE CRIM, FORMAL STATEMENTS WERE TAKEN FOR 8, AND ARRT MA FOR 4. IN THE MOST TRAGIC OF S, THE ARTICLE ON THE REPORT SPEAKS OF THE SE OF DEVON O, A PSDONYM ED FOR HIS PROTECTN.IN JANUARY 2013, POLICE STOOD BY AND WATCHED WHILE A CROWD OF ABOUT 30 PEOPLE — SHOUTG SULTS REGARDG HIS SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND ARMED WH KNIV, MACHET AND STICKS — BEAT HIM FOR ABOUT 20 MUT. HE SAID POLICE FALLY REMOVED HIM OM THE CROWD AND PLACED HIM A POLICE VAN BUT THEN HANDCUFFED AND BEAT HIM.[6]NEEDLS TO SAY, HOMOPHOBIA IS EPLY ROOTED JAMAIN CULTURE, AND A LOT OF S MORN PROLIFERATN N BE TRACED BACK TO DANCEHALL MIC. SIZZLA, AT THE TIME, WAS EVENTUALLY ASKED TO APOLOGIZE FOR HIS LYRICS TO WHICH HE SAID,“THEY N’T ASK ME TO APOLOGIZE. THEY'VE GOT TO APOLOGIZE TO GOD BEE THEY BREAK GOD’S LAW.”[7]THE OUTCRYTHE STOP MURR MIC MPAIGN WAS SET UP 2004 AND JOTLY N BY UK LGBT ACTIVIST GROUPS OUTRAGE!, BLACK GAY MEN’S ADVISORY GROUP AS WELL AS JAMAIN LGBT GROUP J-FLAG. THEY MPAIGNED THE UK TO PREVENT THE PERFORMANCE OF MANY DANCEHALL ARTISTS, ALL AFOREMENTNED. THE MPAIGN LASTED FOR 3 YEARS, AND SPIRED MANY HIGH-PROFILE BOYTTS, STG THE ARTISTS A BED REVENUE LOSS TIMATED AT £2.5MILLN.[8] THE CULMATN OF THE MPAIGN WAS THE CREATN OF THE REGGAE COMPASSNATE ACT, WHICH THE ARTISTS ARE EXPECTED TO “RPECT AND UPHOLD THE RIGHTS OF ALL DIVIDUALS TO LIVE WHOUT VLENCE DUE TO THEIR RELIGN, SEXUAL ORIENTATN, RACE, ETHNICY OR GENR.”[9] THE MOVEMENT NSIRED THE ACT A BREAKTHROUGH AT THE TIME OF S SIGNG, AND NO MORE THAN THREE MONTHS LATER, WAS REPORTED THAT ARTISTS HAD ALREADY VLATED S TREATI.EVEN IF THE STOP MURR MIC MPAIGNED DIDN'T ACPLISH MUCH WHEN TO THE PUBLISHG AND CREATN OF THE HOMOPHOBIC MIC, DID CREATE A NVERSATN ON THE MATTER AND ENOUGH MEDIA BUZZ THAT NTROVERSY WOULD FOLLOW SIZZLA’S REER FOR YEARS TO FOLLOW. IN 2007, HE NCELLED SHOWS TORONTO. IN 2008, HE WAS NIED VISA FOR 29 EUROPEAN UNTRI AFTER A GERMAN LGBT GROUP APPEALED TO THEIR ERNMENT. IN 2009, PEPSI WAS PRSURED TO DROP THEIR SUPPORT FOR ONE OF HIS SHOWS UGANDA. (SEEN BY MANY AS A DOUBLE OFFENCE DUE TO UGANDAN LGBT LAWS.) IN 2012, HIS SHOW STOCKHOLM WAS NCELLED AFTER CROWDS NMNED THE ARTIST.[10]NOHELS, THE HOMOPHOBIA NTUED. WHEN ANOTHER JAMAIN ARTIST WAS CRICISED OVER HER LYRICS “NO FAGGOTISM”, SIZZLA WAS QUICK TO TAKE HER SI. HE FEND HER RIGHT OF EXPRSN, SAYG THAT AS A WOMAN SHE HAS AN OBLIGATN TO NOT LET THE KIDS BE EXPOSED TO HOMOSEXUALY. LATER SUGGTG THAT THE LIFTYLE SHOULD BE BURNT WH FIRE. LATER, DURG THE 2013 STG FTIVAL, WH AN TIMATED DIENCE OF 315 LN, HE DITED MORE THAN A MUTE OF HIS SET TO AN EXTEND HOMOPHOBIC RHYME;I DON’T RE WHO WANT VEX, JAMAI NO SUPPORT NO SAME SEX…I DON’T RE WHO WANT VEX, AI NO SUPPORT NO SAME [SEX]…THEM SAY, “SIZZLA, YOU SG TOO MUCH ANTI-GAY LYRICS.”ME JT READ THE BIBLE AND GET AWAY WH LYRICS….BURN OUT THE LBIAN, BURN OUT THE GAYS WH THE LYRICS.I DON’T RE WHO WANT VEX, RASTAMAN NO SUPPORT NO SAME SEX.DEM A TELL ME BOUT “EE SPEECH,”SO ME TELL RAPER MAN M FE LEAVE BEACH.AND ME TELL THE PEDOPHILE M FLEE THE CREECH.TELL LBIAN M FLEE STREETAND THE BATTYMAN [SCREAMG] [11]THE FUTUREWHICH BRGS BACK TO THE BEGNG OF THE STORY. SIZZLA HAS JT BEEN ANNOUNCED AS THE HEADLG ARTIST AT THE 32ND REGGAE ON THE RIVER NCERT EVENT CALIFORNIA LATER THIS YEAR. 12 YEARS LATER, EVENT ANIZERS ARE STILL TRYG TO BOOK SIZZLA, AND SIZZLA IS STILL MAKG MIC. APPARENTLY, WHEN TO HOMOPHOBIA IS EASIER TO HOPE PEOPLE FET STEAD OF FIVG.THE GOOD NEWS IS THAN THE 12 YEARS A NEW WAVE OF PROGRSIVISM IS EMERGG JAMAI. THE NEW POLIL ADMISTRATN HAS SHOWN TERT APPEALG THE BUGGERY LAWS. THE FIRST EVER PRI EVENT HAS BEEN HOSTED ON THE ISLAND. AND, ARTIST LIKE MISTA MAJAH P, ARE BEG HAILED AS GROUND-BREAKG BY WRG PRO-GAY REGGAE AND DANCEHALL MIC.[12] YET, THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO UNTIL LGBT RIGHTS ARE TABLISHED THE UNTRY. VICELAND’S GAYCATION, DO AN EXCELLENT STUDY OF THE CURRENT LEVELS OF LGBT DIRECTED HATRED THAT N BE CURRENT EXPERIENCED JAMAI, ON THEIR EPISO OF THE SUBJECT, AND I HIGHLY REMEND YOU WATCH .IN THE END, ONE N ONLY HOPE THAT THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, MIC WILL BE ED AS A TOOL FOR UNISON STEAD OF HATRED.SOURC
• DANCEHALL'S VIC SI: ANTIGAY ATTUS
• DANCEHALL, GAY LOBBY PACT
• 'PASSAG' DIRECTOR NOUNC 'DANGERO' NC-17 RATG ON A FILM PICTG A GAY LOVE STORY

FIRST OPENLY GAY DANCEHALL ARTISTE DEMARO RELEAS DEBUT SGLE ‘MI READI’

As far as many ‘die-hard’ Dancehall vote are ncerned, one should never dare mix the two reprentatns any nversatn, let alone enterta discsns for ‘gay acceptance’ Dancehall’s doma. In 2013, Ian McQuaid for the Guardian reported that “a h generatn of gay DJs and clubbers have started lookg beyond the outdated narrative that dancehall = homophobic.

D’Angel, one of the first female dancehall performers to publicly support the muny, gave a memorable stage prentatn to the light of s gay atten, and left a good imprsn on the London reporter, on behalf of dancehall. He reports, “Dpe dancehall’s populary on the island, D’Angel’s performance at Pri was still a surprise for many: this is a genre that has long been notor for the btal homophobia s lyrics.

Yanique Barrett, also known as ‘Curvy Diva’ is one such supporter, as she too performed at a Pri event held on the island 2019, which also ed tongu to wag, particularly that of her male fans who were agast homosexualy.

I’M A GAY DANCEHALL ARTIST – I WANT MY MIC TO CHANGE HOMOPHOBIC MDS

This now begs the other qutn-will proment male figur dancehall step to the plate by publicly supportg the LQBTQ, or is enough that most have muted their hate and/or disuraged vlent attacks on those of homosexual persuasn? Jamai’s first openly gay dancehall artiste Demaro (not to be nfed wh Demar) has released his first song lled ‘Mi Readi’ as he tri to get dancheall fans to adopt more open views about the LGBTQ muny.

He told Billboard magaze: “I want people to listen to my mic wh an open md and know that I’m a gay artist who’s been through some stggl, but I’m still here not givg up, ”. Spac like Paradise Garage, The Warehoe, Mic Box and Heaven were stmental the scene's rise, while the gay BIPOC rint DJs, Larry Levan, Frankie Knuckl, Ron Hardy and Ken Collier, rpectively, tly fed the genre's sound. Thankfully there has been a great al of progrs over the past battg this erasure: LGBTQ+ reprentatn media has been steadily on the rise across almost all forms, and studi show that Gen Z is poised to be the gayt generatn yet wh almost one three intifyg as queer.

EEK-A-MOE GAY? DANCEHALL LEGEND SPEAK ON THIS VIRAL VIO

Veteran reggae/dancehall artiste Eek-A-Moe ed a stir this week on social media when a vio surfaced of him posg wh a rabow-lored flag while sgg a song sayg “J lov everyone whether gay or lbian. As a rult, the backlash has been swift, forcg Moe to addrs the ’s no secret that dancehall culture is highly homophobic, even though recent years the climate started to change. He went on to say that even Buju relled the song “Boom Bye Bye” the year 2007 and has not performed sce, heraldg Buju Banton as one of the pneers dancehall to make peace wh the LGBT is sistg that he is not gay bee he is a womanizer.

Now, however, dancehall's old guard are losg ground to newer artists wh no time for such prejudic, and a h generatn of gay DJs and clubbers have started lookg beyond the outdated narrative that dancehall = Brown is an fluential DJ on the London circu, wh rinci cludg a stt at Bootylic, London's biggt gay urban night.

‘I’M DOG MIC FOR MYSELF’ - GAY DANCEHALL ARTISTE LOOKS TO TERNATNAL DIENC

"People thk dancehall is jt one type of look, one type of sound, one type of inty, " he says, "but London there are loads of young gay blacks who've grown up wh the mic, and see differently; they've heard at fay events and they know 's not all aggrsive homophobia. "Wh so many of dancehall's signifiers, om Day-Glo weav right down to the humble strg vt, beg -opted and rold as mastream culture, was evable that a swathe of London's fashn-forward gay scene would eventually choose to bypass the diluted pop appropriatns and embrace the source; and now they're havg an amazg time the Dupé mak absolute sense: "Dancehall is lourful, vibrant; if you like to let loose 's perfect.

Dancehall mic has perhaps unvered s first openly gay rerdg artiste, and Demaro has enjoyed an enviable dtry but, landg a premier event wh Billboard for the mic vio of his send sgle, Mi Ready. An openly gay dancehall artist is g an upset among dancehall fans after gettg some major publicy om Billboard but not reprentg the genre to their of the ma pots of ntentn among dancehall fans is the stg of a Rastafarian the mic vio “Mi Readi. The openly gay artiste recently released his mic vio for his first sgle “Mi Readi, ” and fans have been relentls their tactls, who reportedly reloted to the Uned Stat when he was 22 years old, says he was a victim of several homophobic attacks before he migrated om Jamai.

OPENLY GAY DANCEHALL ARTISTE CASTS RASTAFARIAN IN MIC VIO, FANS REACTS

The dancehall artiste now says he wants “younger gay men, pecially Jamai, to keep on fightg, ” acrdg to his triumphant story is great and everythg, some fans jt wanted to hear the mic which uld have reemed his pursu of a culture that tradnally treats the LGBTQ muny like outsts. This [is your] first sgle though, so wh time and experience your mic will get better, ” one fan said on the reviews, appears that even if fans uld accept the first openly gay artiste the genre, his mic has failed to make his se.

Sizzla, and much of dancehall culture, c grotque homophobic 32nd annual Reggae on the River mic ftival will be held this year Garberville, California and headled by Jamain dancehall artist Sizzla Kalonji; here is why you should may have heard of the term “dancehall” beg creasg popular current mic. [1] Unfortunately, seems that we have fotten why those ncerts never end up, and much of dancehall culture, c grotque homophobic KalonjiThe ProblemIn his song Pump Up, Sizzla opens the third verse by sayg; “fire fi di man m weh go ri man behd.

DANCEHALL’S PROLIFERATN OF HOMOPHOBIADANIEL ABR·FOLLOWPUBLISHED WRGS ON WHATEVER I WANTED·7 M READ·MAY 21, 2016--LISTENSHARESIZZLA, AND MUCH OF DANCEHALL CULTURE, C GROTQUE HOMOPHOBIC VLENCE.THE 32ND ANNUAL REGGAE ON THE RIVER MIC FTIVAL WILL BE HELD THIS YEAR GARBERVILLE, CALIFORNIA AND HEADLED BY JAMAIN DANCEHALL ARTIST SIZZLA KALONJI; HERE IS WHY YOU SHOULD RE.YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THE TERM “DANCEHALL” BEG CREASG POPULAR CURRENT MIC. DANCEHALL IS A GENRE OF MIC ORIGATG JAMAI, IS VERY SIAR TO REGGAE ALL BUT ’S BEAT STCTURE WHICH IS EXACTLY DOUBLE THAT OF REGGAE. IN LAYMAN’S TERMS, DANCEHALL IS THAT “CARIBBEAN FLOW” THAT RIHANNA’S WORK, DRAKE’S ONE DANCE OR ANYTHG SEAN PL HAS EVER DONE HAVE. THEY AREN'T ALONE EHER, AS MANY OTHER ARTIST ARE MAKG MIC SPIRED BY THE JAMAIN GENRE.THIS ISN'T THE FIRST EMERGENCE OF DANCEHALL MASTREAM RAD PLAY. SIZZLA, A HUGE DANCEHALL ARTIST JAMAI, FOUND TERNATNAL SUCCS OUTSI THE UNTRY AND EVEN WENT TO ANISE A UK TOUR BACK 2004.[1] UNFORTUNATELY, SEEMS THAT WE HAVE FOTTEN WHY THOSE NCERTS NEVER END UP HAPPENG.SIZZLA, AND MUCH OF DANCEHALL CULTURE, C GROTQUE HOMOPHOBIC VLENCE.SIZZLA KALONJITHE PROBLEMIN HIS SONG PUMP UP, SIZZLA OPENS THE THIRD VERSE BY SAYG; “FIRE FI DI MAN M WEH GO RI MAN BEHD.” OTHER LYRICS CLU; “SHOT BATTY BWOY MY BIG GUN GO BOOM.” (BATTY BWOY IS A ROGATORY TERM FOR GAY MEN JAMAIN PATOIS.) “BOOM BOOM! BATTY BWOY M FI AD.” “MI A GO SHOT BATTY BWOY M WIDDIE WEAPONS YA”. THE LYRICS ARE NOT JT HATE SPEECH, BUT A LL TO MURR.THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM ONLY ONE ARTIST HAS EHER. MANY OF DANCEHALL’S MOST PROMENT FIGUR HAVE EQUALLY HORRENDO LYRICS. IN DAMN, BEENIE MAN SAYS “I’M DREAMG OF A NEW JAMAI, E TO EXECUTE ALL THE GAYS.” IN A NUH FI WI FLT, ELEPHANT MAN BOASTS “BATTYMAN FI AD! PLEASE MARK WE WORD/GIMME THA TECH-NE, SHOOT M LIKE BIRD.” IN BOOM BYE BYE, BUJU BANTON BAS THE ENTIRE CHOS OF HIS SONG ON THE MURR OF GAY MEN; “BOOM BYE BYE NA BATTY BWOY HEAD/ BWOY NO PROMOTE NO NASTY MAN/M HAFFI AD”. TO QUOTE BUT A FEW.DANCEHALL IS ALSO MORE THAN JT A GENRE, BUT A CULTURAL EVENT. IT GET’S S NAME OM THE DANCEHALLS WHERE IS OFTEN PERFORMED. IN OTHER WORDS, THE JAMAIN EQUIVALENT OF A NIGHT OUT CLUBBG.THE CULTURETHE EASE AT WHICH THE TRANSPARENTLY HOMOPHOBIC LYRICS ARE SIMPLY ACCEPTED BY JAMAIN CULTURE SPEAKS BOUNDS ON THE UNTRY’S ATTU TO HOMOPHOBIA. IN 2006, THE TIM LLED JAMAI “THE MOST HOMOPHOBIC PLACE ON EARTH.”[2] IN 2012, THE UNED STAT DEPARTMENT OF STATE SAID THAT “HOMOPHOBIA WAS WISPREAD THE UNTRY.”[3] AND STILL TO THIS DATE, SEXUAL ACTS BETWEEN MEN ARE ILLEGAL.DR KEON WT, A PSYCHOLOGY LECTURE AT GOLDSMHS UNIVERSY OF LONDON, SET OUT TO DISVER THE ORIGS OF THE UNTRY’S HOMOPHOBIA, AND 2014 PUBLISHED THE LARGT PIECE OF REARCH OF S KD ON THE MATTER. HE TERVIEWED 2,000 PEOPLE ACROSS 40 MUNI JAMAI LOOKG FOR PREDICTORS OF ANTI-GAY BIAS.[4] WHEN WRG FOR THE GUARDIAN ABOUT HIS FDGS HE SAID THE FOLLOWG;“AS OTHER UNTRI, WEALTH, TN AND (YOUNGER) AGE WERE ASSOCIATED WH LS ANTI-GAY PREJUDICE. RELIGSY, WHICH IS OFTEN THE REASON OFFERED BY ANTI-GAY LOBBYISTS, ALSO PREDICTED MORE ANTI-GAY BIAS. HOWEVER, WAS NEHER THE STRONGT NOR THE MOST RELIABLE PREDICTOR. WHEN ALL THE FACTORS WERE TAKEN TO ACUNT SIMULTANEOLY, THE TWO THAT WERE MOST RELIABLE WERE A PREFERENCE FOR DANCEHALL MIC, AND GENR.”[5]HE LATER NCLUS THAT; “THIS REARCH PROVIS THE FIRST EMPIRIL EVINCE THAT THE SONGS MAY BE HARMFUL, LEADG TO MORE NEGATIVE ATTUS AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVUR.”IN 2013 THE HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH PUBLISHED AN 86 PAGE REPORT ENTLED; “NOT SAFE AT HOME: VLENCE AND DISCRIMATN AGAST LGBT PEOPLE JAMAI” IN , 56 S OF VLENCE DUE TO SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND PERCEIVED GENR INTY WERE DOCUMENTED. 19 OF THE VICTIMS REPORTED THE CRIM, FORMAL STATEMENTS WERE TAKEN FOR 8, AND ARRT MA FOR 4. IN THE MOST TRAGIC OF S, THE ARTICLE ON THE REPORT SPEAKS OF THE SE OF DEVON O, A PSDONYM ED FOR HIS PROTECTN.IN JANUARY 2013, POLICE STOOD BY AND WATCHED WHILE A CROWD OF ABOUT 30 PEOPLE — SHOUTG SULTS REGARDG HIS SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND ARMED WH KNIV, MACHET AND STICKS — BEAT HIM FOR ABOUT 20 MUT. HE SAID POLICE FALLY REMOVED HIM OM THE CROWD AND PLACED HIM A POLICE VAN BUT THEN HANDCUFFED AND BEAT HIM.[6]NEEDLS TO SAY, HOMOPHOBIA IS EPLY ROOTED JAMAIN CULTURE, AND A LOT OF S MORN PROLIFERATN N BE TRACED BACK TO DANCEHALL MIC. SIZZLA, AT THE TIME, WAS EVENTUALLY ASKED TO APOLOGIZE FOR HIS LYRICS TO WHICH HE SAID,“THEY N’T ASK ME TO APOLOGIZE. THEY'VE GOT TO APOLOGIZE TO GOD BEE THEY BREAK GOD’S LAW.”[7]THE OUTCRYTHE STOP MURR MIC MPAIGN WAS SET UP 2004 AND JOTLY N BY UK LGBT ACTIVIST GROUPS OUTRAGE!, BLACK GAY MEN’S ADVISORY GROUP AS WELL AS JAMAIN LGBT GROUP J-FLAG. THEY MPAIGNED THE UK TO PREVENT THE PERFORMANCE OF MANY DANCEHALL ARTISTS, ALL AFOREMENTNED. THE MPAIGN LASTED FOR 3 YEARS, AND SPIRED MANY HIGH-PROFILE BOYTTS, STG THE ARTISTS A BED REVENUE LOSS TIMATED AT £2.5MILLN.[8] THE CULMATN OF THE MPAIGN WAS THE CREATN OF THE REGGAE COMPASSNATE ACT, WHICH THE ARTISTS ARE EXPECTED TO “RPECT AND UPHOLD THE RIGHTS OF ALL DIVIDUALS TO LIVE WHOUT VLENCE DUE TO THEIR RELIGN, SEXUAL ORIENTATN, RACE, ETHNICY OR GENR.”[9] THE MOVEMENT NSIRED THE ACT A BREAKTHROUGH AT THE TIME OF S SIGNG, AND NO MORE THAN THREE MONTHS LATER, WAS REPORTED THAT ARTISTS HAD ALREADY VLATED S TREATI.EVEN IF THE STOP MURR MIC MPAIGNED DIDN'T ACPLISH MUCH WHEN TO THE PUBLISHG AND CREATN OF THE HOMOPHOBIC MIC, DID CREATE A NVERSATN ON THE MATTER AND ENOUGH MEDIA BUZZ THAT NTROVERSY WOULD FOLLOW SIZZLA’S REER FOR YEARS TO FOLLOW. IN 2007, HE NCELLED SHOWS TORONTO. IN 2008, HE WAS NIED VISA FOR 29 EUROPEAN UNTRI AFTER A GERMAN LGBT GROUP APPEALED TO THEIR ERNMENT. IN 2009, PEPSI WAS PRSURED TO DROP THEIR SUPPORT FOR ONE OF HIS SHOWS UGANDA. (SEEN BY MANY AS A DOUBLE OFFENCE DUE TO UGANDAN LGBT LAWS.) IN 2012, HIS SHOW STOCKHOLM WAS NCELLED AFTER CROWDS NMNED THE ARTIST.[10]NOHELS, THE HOMOPHOBIA NTUED. WHEN ANOTHER JAMAIN ARTIST WAS CRICISED OVER HER LYRICS “NO FAGGOTISM”, SIZZLA WAS QUICK TO TAKE HER SI. HE FEND HER RIGHT OF EXPRSN, SAYG THAT AS A WOMAN SHE HAS AN OBLIGATN TO NOT LET THE KIDS BE EXPOSED TO HOMOSEXUALY. LATER SUGGTG THAT THE LIFTYLE SHOULD BE BURNT WH FIRE. LATER, DURG THE 2013 STG FTIVAL, WH AN TIMATED DIENCE OF 315 LN, HE DITED MORE THAN A MUTE OF HIS SET TO AN EXTEND HOMOPHOBIC RHYME;I DON’T RE WHO WANT VEX, JAMAI NO SUPPORT NO SAME SEX…I DON’T RE WHO WANT VEX, AI NO SUPPORT NO SAME [SEX]…THEM SAY, “SIZZLA, YOU SG TOO MUCH ANTI-GAY LYRICS.”ME JT READ THE BIBLE AND GET AWAY WH LYRICS….BURN OUT THE LBIAN, BURN OUT THE GAYS WH THE LYRICS.I DON’T RE WHO WANT VEX, RASTAMAN NO SUPPORT NO SAME SEX.DEM A TELL ME BOUT “EE SPEECH,”SO ME TELL RAPER MAN M FE LEAVE BEACH.AND ME TELL THE PEDOPHILE M FLEE THE CREECH.TELL LBIAN M FLEE STREETAND THE BATTYMAN [SCREAMG] [11]THE FUTUREWHICH BRGS BACK TO THE BEGNG OF THE STORY. SIZZLA HAS JT BEEN ANNOUNCED AS THE HEADLG ARTIST AT THE 32ND REGGAE ON THE RIVER NCERT EVENT CALIFORNIA LATER THIS YEAR. 12 YEARS LATER, EVENT ANIZERS ARE STILL TRYG TO BOOK SIZZLA, AND SIZZLA IS STILL MAKG MIC. APPARENTLY, WHEN TO HOMOPHOBIA IS EASIER TO HOPE PEOPLE FET STEAD OF FIVG.THE GOOD NEWS IS THAN THE 12 YEARS A NEW WAVE OF PROGRSIVISM IS EMERGG JAMAI. THE NEW POLIL ADMISTRATN HAS SHOWN TERT APPEALG THE BUGGERY LAWS. THE FIRST EVER PRI EVENT HAS BEEN HOSTED ON THE ISLAND. AND, ARTIST LIKE MISTA MAJAH P, ARE BEG HAILED AS GROUND-BREAKG BY WRG PRO-GAY REGGAE AND DANCEHALL MIC.[12] YET, THERE IS STILL A LONG WAY TO GO UNTIL LGBT RIGHTS ARE TABLISHED THE UNTRY. VICELAND’S GAYCATION, DO AN EXCELLENT STUDY OF THE CURRENT LEVELS OF LGBT DIRECTED HATRED THAT N BE CURRENT EXPERIENCED JAMAI, ON THEIR EPISO OF THE SUBJECT, AND I HIGHLY REMEND YOU WATCH .IN THE END, ONE N ONLY HOPE THAT THE VERY NEAR FUTURE, MIC WILL BE ED AS A TOOL FOR UNISON STEAD OF HATRED.SOURC

In other words, the Jamain equivalent of a night out CultureThe ease at which the transparently homophobic lyrics are simply accepted by Jamain culture speaks bounds on the untry’s attu to homophobia. ”[3] And still to this date, sexual acts between men are Keon Wt, a psychology lecture at Goldsmhs Universy of London, set out to disver the origs of the untry’s homophobia, and 2014 published the largt piece of rearch of s kd on the matter. ”[7]The OutcryThe Stop Murr Mic mpaign was set up 2004 and jotly n by UK LGBT activist groups OutRage!, Black Gay Men’s Advisory Group as well as Jamain LGBT group J-Flag.

”[9] The movement nsired the act a breakthrough at the time of s signg, and no more than three months later, was reported that artists had already vlated s if the Stop Murr Mic mpaigned didn't acplish much when to the publishg and creatn of the homophobic mic, did create a nversatn on the matter and enough media buzz that ntroversy would follow Sizzla’s reer for years to follow. Later, durg the 2013 Stg ftival, wh an timated dience of 315 ln, he dited more than a mute of his set to an extend homophobic rhyme;I don’t re who want vex, Jamai no support no same sex…I don’t re who want vex, Ai no support no same [sex]…Them say, “Sizzla, you sg too much anti-gay lyrics.

Viceland’s GAYCATION, do an excellent study of the current levels of LGBT directed hatred that n be current experienced Jamai, on their episo of the subject, and I highly remend you watch the end, one n only hope that the very near future, mic will be ed as a tool for unison stead of hatred. “I want people to listen to my mic wh an open md and know that I’m a gay artist who’s been through some stggl, but I’m still here not givg up, ” said Demaro, who wrote “Mi Readi” 45 mut. Perhaps the cle homophobia n be attributed to the rise of social media and a more globalised world that allows people on the island to see, and be aware of, other liftyl.

DANCEHALL'S VIC SI: ANTIGAY ATTUS

The Stop Murr Mic Campaign – which prsur Jamain micians to absta om allegedly glorifyg homophobic vlence (and which J‑Flag -n) – targeted Banton alongsi several other artists. Dancehall megastar Shaggy has revealed that an ternatnal televisn work barred him om participatg a jot album promotn terview wh Brish sger Stg, a few years ago, claimg that he was unsuable bee he was reprentg Jamai — a untry which they acced of beg homophobic. Jamai beme highly stigmatized the world over 2006, after the fluential Time Magaze erroneoly clared the untry “the most homophobic place on Earth”, over untri like Iran, Bnei, Mrania, Somalia, Sudan and the Uned Arab Emirat where homosexual acts are punishable by ath.

In drawg a parallel, Shaggy said siarly to how the general Jamain populatn was not harmg homosexuals, but many people overseas falsely believed otherwise, the same was the se wh Dancehall. “Fi years you’ve been hearg ‘Boom Bye Bye, Boom Bye Bye’ and people a talk homosexual lyrics… suh till everbaddy tk seh Jamai is di worst place for homosexuals and m an walk eely an m an do dis and m an do dat. But the pot I am tryg to make based on the homophobic nnotatns that we have as Jamai, for a lack of better word, they wouldn’t accept me on the show to promote a major album, ” he add.

Shaggy’s views are not far om that of Crimology Profsor at the Universy of the Wt Indi, Profsor Anthony Harrtt, who September 2013, told The Gleaner that based on his ongog study of homicis, there was “nothg extraordary about the killgs of gays to the extent that one n discern om the rmatn the police rerds that the victim is gay”.

DANCEHALL, GAY LOBBY PACT

Profsor Harrtt had also said that om his observatn, “there might be a tenncy of advot for gay rights to name all vlence agast gays as anti-gay and we have to be reful wh that”. In December 2012, then Executive Director of Jamai Fom for Lbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG) Dane Lewis, said his anisatn was ncerned about the recent spate of protts and the stance taken by many overseas gay-rights groups to boytt the performanc of Dancehall and reggae artists who had anti-gay songs, argug that “the landspe has changed signifintly”.

In a Gleaner article tled J-FLAG stands behd Dancehall – Gay-rights group bats for reformed Dancehall artist, Lewis ntend that J-FLAG’s official stance was that the ntued monisg of some of the artists was unfair, and that the anizatn was not volved the anti-murr-mic mpaigns, and were, most s ‘alerted of the protts through our lol media. Beenie Man, one of the genre's bt and most popular performers, is known for his wty, lasciv boasts (his new album, "Kg of the Dancehall, " clus a great track lled "Grdalogist") and for llaboratns wh mastream stars like Ja Jackson and the his ovre also clus a fistful of tracks that nounce gay men (known pejoratively as "chi-chi men" or as "batty boys, " after a slang term for buttocks) and women. And now the Brish gay-rights anizatn Outrage, prompted by a Jamain group lled J-Flag (the Jamain Fom for Lbians, All-sexuals and Gays), has begun a mpaign agast antigay lyrics dancehall Man ncerts have been nceled throughout Europe, Outrage is mandg that Stland Yard vtigate him for, the anizatn's words, "cg murr, " and he was dropped om an MTV-sponsored performance Miami.

"'And "Han Up Deh, " Beenie Man cracks some jok ("Man a save yuh om drowng is a lifeguard/ Man a watch a man batty, him a batty-guard"), then livers an antigay party chant, askg listeners to raise their hands if they agree: "Hang chi-chi gal wid a long piece a rope/ Mek me see di han' a go up, mek me see di han' a go up. "This new round of protts was spired by events Jamai, where gay rints say they fear discrimatn and asslt, as well as prosecutn, unr the island's 1864 anti-"buggery" law. Williamson found, remas skeptil of the police fdg), the killg neverthels drew attentn to the issue of antigay me the claim that on the morng of June 24, six men were pulled out of a hoe and beaten bee they were believed to be gay; the men allege that one of the assailants was Buju Banton himself.

'PASSAG' DIRECTOR NOUNC 'DANGERO' NC-17 RATG ON A FILM PICTG A GAY LOVE STORY

It giv them a way to gture to relig and cultural junctns agast homosexualy ( terviews, the stars often ce Scripture) while also remdg listeners of their "bad man" bona fis. Buju Banton recently played a Puma-sponsored Olympics party Athens, but only after beg briefed on the pany's "zero tolerance policy towards homophobia and other forms of prejudice, " a Puma spokman surprisgly, this state of affairs has bred no small amount of rentment among stars and listeners alike, who see somethg neolonial the way Brons are cricizg Jamain mic.

After Vybz Kartel, arguably reggae's hottt current star, vised BBC Rad to make an apology last week, the Jamain tabloid X-News tried to huiate him by nng a photo of the volist a whe at and top hat next to the headle, "Vybz Kartel BOWS to Gay Prsure.

" It's not hard to figure out why others on Outrage's list might prefer to keep Allison, Outrage's spokman, said the group wanted stars to stop "advotg vlence agast gay people. " The problem is that vlent rhetoric is precisely the way many dancehall acts voice their disapproval of all sorts of thgs: homosexualy, the petn, cunnilg (a dancehall proscriptn that probably mers s own say), women who borrow one another's cloth.