HOMOHATRED IN REGGAE MUSIC - WHERE IS THE ONE LOVE?!

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Sunday, 26 September 2010

HOMOHATRED IN REGGAE MUSIC - WHERE IS THE ONE LOVE?!

1996

Jennifer Lopez sang "nigga" and the ass worshippers changed religions! White supremacists recorded bigoted punk rock songs and they were exiled to independent record labels. Michael Jackson sang "kike me" and the media whipped him like his bleached skin was suddenly ebony black. Michael re-mixed and apologized more quickly than "Kunta Kinte" called himself "Toby" in the film “ROOTS”.

Gangsta rappers are routinely checked for the sexism and homohatred in their lyrics. Eminem's (Enema's) psycho raps are regular front page news. But, reggae musicians have a magical and special privilege globally. Somehow, they are typically allowed to sing hatred without challenge or reprimand.

Buju Banton and Shabba Ranks caught some flack in the 1980s. But, it was nominal. Buju sang "Boom Bye Bye". It was a graphic and murderous song about a peeping tom who brutally murders two gay lovers, in their own bedroom, with a shotgun. This violent song does not just condone spying upon, stalking, and killing gays. It celebrates such abuses in syncopation.

Shabba often went off on curious gaybashing tangents during interviews. Both "artists" made it clear that their insincere apologies were extended under duress and only temporarily valid, until checks were cashed. Today's reggae lyricists are colder and bolder with their hateful gaybashing tunes. And, the reggae bands play on as the checks roll in....

At a recent reggae awards show, gay protesters from a rebel organization called "OutRage" were nearly killed by gaybashing reggae music fans, led by macho teens yelling "Kill the Batty Boys & Chi-Chi Men!!!" (Caribbean monikers for homosexuals). Police officers rescued the protesters. Yet, not a single attacker was arrested.

How and why do we homosexuals threaten Jamaica/Jamaicans so? Why is their collective hatred so rabid against us? Why does the world allow this hatred to fuel an entire musical genre? Songs like TOK's "Chi-Chi Man" celebrate torching and shooting up gay bars, just as Capleton's song "Bun Di Chi-Chi".

Why is there so much global silence about black on black cruelty, whether it is slavery in Sudan or gaybashing in Jamaica? Why do so few leaders challenge homohatred as Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Kweisi Mfume and the NAACP have done? Why are so few black gay celebrities out and sexually honest like Meshell N'degeocello and Alice Walker? Why are droves of black gay celebrities living lies by pretending to be heterosexual or bisexual?

It pains me to know that the Jamaican culture, that I love so deeply, blatantly hates me simply because I love women as a lesbian. I am clearly told that I am not welcome as a tourist on Jamaican soil unless I hide who I am. And, I know that reggae lyrics will deliberately offend me no matter how many lesbian dollars buy reggae CD's or how joyfully droves of lesbians’ rhythms feel the reggae beats.

The ganja, the jerk chicken, the limeades, the dreadlocks...all mesh to mean One Love, except when it morphs into One Hatred for the One Love that we homosexuals share with consenting and kindred adults. If Jah rules, then why are we homosexuals, who are created by Jah in every living species, always ruled out by this hateful music? Why can't I and I be Irie too??? Rastafarians are generally scholars on racist biblical lies, yet Jamaicans generally revel in equivalent biblical lies about homosexuality.

All of the "-isms" are related. One cannot be righteous and reject racism while embracing sexism, heterosexism, and homohatred. One cannot divinely enagage humanism while hating humans who are homosexuals. One cannot share wisdom about Babylon while spreading lies about Sodom.

One Love...One & ALL. Nothing is as “batty” as ignorance, scientific moronism, sexual insecurity, religious fiction, and toxic bigotry! Until then, beware: "Batty boys and girls" like me will be wielding bigger and better bats!!!

Like Peter Tosh sang: "Like a stepping razor...I am dangerous!"...Like Bob Marley & The Wailers sang:"You are the big tree...but we are the small axe." Like Sister Carol sang: "Get it straight Africans....Get it straight!"

Jah know, for all righteous rebels, the revolution soon come. And, it bettamustcome for all who are righteous warriors, irrespective of sexual diversity. None of us will be free until all of us are free...

Labi Siffre : "White Slavers In Dreadlocks"

beenie man and buju banton, sizzla, tok and elephant man,

vybz kartel and bounty killer, capleton - mon,

why you all degrade and weaken the black nation

‘stead of trying to save em from hatred and discrimination?

cutting edge, brave and bold you claim, but lame

your salvation answer be to teach black children hatred

and discrimination of others; that's no way to raise

themselves black sisters and brothers

hatred and discrimination, they the tools the white man

used to make us slaves

clever of you to learn the white slaver’s ways;

and it makes you lot o money of course

that way always does (no shock)

you learned that lesson well (from Rupert Murdoch?)

black brothers no, methinks not.

you just another jancro flock

of slack white slavers in dreadlocks.

you preach hatred and discrimination of me,

a gay, black man who wrote

“Something Inside So Strong” a song of defiance

and self-affirmation for black people, red people,

gay people, disabled people, old people, women,

children, every people suffering prejudice

righteous, you quote your holy book like standard

'ypocrites and fascists, and no surprise look see

as usual list selectively only the parts you need to sell

your cowardice and bigotry; well, we shouldn’t expect

courage from you fellas who clearly lack the balls

to follow Nelson Mandela

and no matter how high you fly you renk

who raise yourselves by treading on others

black brothers no, methinks not.

you just another jancro flock

of slack white slavers in dreadlocks.

© labi siffre ‘06