Council of 18th district of Paris denounces homophobic calls for murder by singer Vybz Kartel

Press release No.TR10INT12
Paris, Tuesday 21 September 2010 FR EN

Tjenbé Rèd, an Afro-Caribbean association for the struggle against all forms of racism, homophobia and AIDS, the French coordinator of the international Stop Murder Music (SMM) campaign, is delighted at the action by the council of the 18th district of Paris in favour of human rights in France, Jamaica and the rest of the world.

Yesterday evening, the representatives of the 18th district voted unanimously on a formal request to the capital’s prefect of police asking that «he consider the risks to public order which might be provoked by» the Jamaican singer Vybyz Kartel’s concert in their district, at the Garance Élysée Montmartre on the coming 26 September.

This formal request, tabled by the socialist representatives, and deriving from an intiative of Mr Ian Brossat (chair of the group of communist and Left Party representatives in Paris city council, counsellor for the 18th District), recalls that Vybz Kartel includes in his repertoire several «overtly homophobic» songs, of which one «declares that gays and lesbians ought to be murdered».

Tjenbé Rèd once again calls upon Vybz Kartel and others who perform murder music to sign the Reggae Compassionate Act.
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Pour Tjenbé Rèd,
le président, David AUERBACH CHIFFRIN
+33 (0)6 10 55 63 60 (France Mainland)
+596 (0)6 96 05 24 55 (French West Indies)
Fax: +33 (0)1 76 50 59 79
contact@tjenbered.fr

[1B] 10 September 2010 - Stop Murder Music campaign:

Sizzla’s concert cancelled,

Vybz Kartel’s still on - Press release No. TR101NT11H
http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100910-09.pdf [en]
http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100910-00.pdf [fr]
http://mygsa.ca/fr/node/5033 [en]

[2A] In Bedroom Slaughteration

Vybz Kartel performs: «Bow cat, sodomite, batty man fi gat assassination»

(«Oral sexer, lesbian and queer must be assassinated»); in Gunz Like Mine, he let them some more hope: «Kartel buss one inna batty bwoy spine»

(«Kartel puts a bullet in a queer’s spine»); in Pussy Jaw, he withdraw a part of this hope:

«Faggot fi get copper to di heart... Don run anybody wey fuck batty...

Me a shot e... From yuh funny, yuh a guh bury...» («Faggot must get bullet to the heart... Don’t chase away the man who fucks arse... I am trying to shoot him... If you are queer, you get buried...»).

In 2004, Vybz Kartel had his MOBO Award (Music of Black Origin Award) nomination withdrawn after the organisers declined to promote artists inciting homophobic violence.

13 juin 2007 - Reggae Compassionate Act (original English text)
http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070613-99.pdf [en]
http://www.petertatchell.net/popmusic/reggaecompassiondeal.htm [en]