Leave the Gays - Some Music industry insiders say artistes can focus on other things

Is this a folding to the lobby pressure or closeted persons in the industry trying to go about business without interruption? seemingly throwing their hands in the air due to the repeated cancellations of shows over the years but there are legitimate reasons for same save and except the Queen Ifrica case as certain issues abound in that one.

Some comments since the article bearing the post title have reacted by saying their freedom of speech won't be stifled as the daggers are drawn and hardened positions are made clear, as I have said before on previous entries the Stop Murder Music campaign was not intended to completely stop artists from performances especially those with lesser inciteful lyrics but to withdraw the particular offending songs from their sets on stage performances, some have defied the call and use the one liner tactic to get the audience riled then are mute as the shouting patrons sing the already memorised lyrics. Hence the increase pressure on certain acts, I will maintain that Queen Ifrica's case was a different kettle as she was exposed to MSM intervention via Dr Heather Little White's outfit prior to her death but some folks in the LGBT lobby linked to UNICEF decided to act on their own and removed Queen as spokesperson thus the controversy since then to now. She could have been reached if it were not for her being pushed away by the very lobby that has tolerance as one of its mantra. How can we be asking for something that is not already demonstrably clear in our own "community"?

And to think some dancehall acts wanted to help with the homeless MSM/Trans youth in the Shoemaker Gully in New Kingston and the same lobby seem to have overlooked their overture, "Artistes want to 'clean up' the streets - Say homeless gays not a good look for Jamaica" was a story published in 2013 which read:

"Entertainers are concerned about the growing number homosexual prostitutes lurking in and around the New Kingston area.

According to the artistes, it's not a positive look for the corporate area.

Dancehall artiste Iyara says Jamaica has changed for the worse.

"That kind of livity need fi get rid of because mi neva born inna dat deh type a Jamaica. The place neva stay suh, so the authorities have to find a way to take that out of the youth dem eye. New Kingston is a place where a lot of people go to clubs and so forth, so it's just not right. They are always saying artiste fighting against them, suh how wi a avoid dem and dem naah avoid wi? Dem fi guh far up into the woods wid dem thing deh," said Iyara, who also pointed out that he does not even sing about them in his songs.

"Mi nah call up dem name and mi nah sing bout dem," he said.

Gaza Slim is also calling for their immediate removal from the Corporate area.

"They should get them off the street and get somewhere put them because to me, they don't live anywhere. They should get them some counselling and put dem inna school and get them off the road. I Gaza Slim do not support homosexuality, but at the end of the day we are all humans," she said.

The female Artiste of the Year was also adamant that gay prostitution was as a result of poverty.

"It looks tacky and its prostitution. Most of them are little homeless boys who live same place on the streets. It happens everywhere, but we need to do something about it because it looks really bad, get them some trade because they are parentless and homeless," Gaza Slim said.

Several other dancehall artistes contacted by The STAR declined to comment on the matter, despite having an issue with the situation.

According to one artiste who refused to have his name published, said, "Mi a leave dem yah man, cause next thing mi guh bash them and when mi guh fi mi visa dem tell mi sey memba deh quote deh wey yu did give STAR. But the police should just scrape dem up and drop dem off at the nearest airport fi guh to a next country, because New Kingston is a business area and that bad for business."

Recently members of J-FLAG had reached out to the local music industry. They conceded that local artistes had reduced their production of hate music, and therefore, they would offer assistance in making it easier for their international success. However Sizzla said thanks, but no thanks.

"I, personally, as Sizzla and president of the Nyabinghi theocracy, I don't want no sponsor from no homosexual," he declared in a recent Gleaner article.

Late last month, police personnel assigned to the St Andrew Central Division told the media that New Kingston was engulfed by self-proclaimed gays. The police also said neither the residential community or business districts were spared the "wrath" of the gays who are sometimes violent."

DJ Sunshine of IRIE FM

Curtis Campbell of the Star News reported on May 29, 2014 

Following Queen Ifrica's recent run-in with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community which saw her being barred from performing at Invasion of the Queens concert in New York, music industry participants are asking their colleagues to make songs tackling other issues excluding the LGBT community.

According to veteran reggae artiste Tappa Zukie, known for singles Oh Lord and Raggy Joey Boy, it's clear that some battles are not worth fighting.

"It is not everything you can prevent; We just need to make good and original music to make people happy and to make them dance. To each his own, and we should not be judging others either, because what a man chooses to do with his life is his business," he said.

Radio disc jockey DJ Sunshine shared a similar perspective. The DJ, who recently released a dancehall rhythm called Wul Dem says she reached out to Queen Ifrica following her recent controversy and advised her to direct her attention to other issues of importance.

"When I saw that she was pulled from the show, I sent her a message and told her that she has a voice to give people messages. Therefore, she should focus on other issues like racism, molestation and others. She has done so much good music, so focusing on negative things is not needed right now. The artistes need to be doing more uplifting music that rings closer home to all of us," DJ Sunshine said.

Gorsett Welds, the manager of recording artiste Ghost, says entertainers have freedom to express themselves and should not be prevented from exercising that. However, music that promotes violence should not produced.

"At the end of the day, her music is not promoting hate, right, so she should have been allowed to perform. There are other persons that are doing greater injustice to the world and people are not demonstrating against that. We have to stand up for something once the lyrics are not inciting violence like kill diss and kill dat. Why shouldn't she be allowed to perform? It is a very unfortunate situation that we can't use our freedom of expression. I believe the artistes learned from Shabba's experience and they haven't been recording hate music, so the demonstrators just want to prove a point," he said.

This is the second time Queen Ifrica has been barred from an international performance in recent times.

curtis.campbell@gleanerjm.com

ENDS

What perfect timing alondsige the Bain furore and the cementing of freedom of speech stifling perceptions.

There seems to be hypocrisy on all sides with the anti gay JCHS head complaining of name calling by gay advocates yet he (Dr Wayne West) has no trouble eloquently reeling them off such as "The “utterly fascist, utterly Stalinist” , neocolonial ,imperialist, anti-free speech, thought- policing, intolerant ,belligerent , Mujahideen , ayatollahs of anal, Taliban Gaystapo." (taken from his blog) he also tries to claim that:
"TTT maintains that up to about five years ago the author would have not resisted removal of Jamaica’s buggery.

Testifyingtotruth has no intention of peeping into anyone bedrooms but is even more committed to make sure that no one removes Jamaican’s fundamental rights to freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of conscience and parental rights and this is the clear objective of the LGBT lobby which one sees unfolding in western democracies.

Testifyingtotruth is therefore committed to resisting this fascist, stalinist, neocolonial, imperialist, anti-free speech, thought policing political movement.

We do not hold the view that all LGBT persons are a part of this political movement nor do we support violence or any physical harm to LGBT persons."

The struggle has only been set back in one week literally.

Adding insult to injury that in the middle of the furore that is cementing of free speech suppression perceptions in the national pysche JFLAG chooses to launch a media guide on how journalists should use or not certain terms, the RJR interview with Dionne Jackson Miller was clear as the snickers in between the dialogue with Jaevion on May 22nd just indicated the madness of it all as she asked him "You don't think that that might stir resentment amongst professional journalists who are saying who are you to be telling me what to ask?" sometimes I wonder if the J is in the real world? 

George Davis of Nationwide radio also made dissenting remarks as well to the effect that what right have they (JFLAG) to tell journalists what to say, one could easily see how this also plays into the belief that freedom of expression is being stifled, such a glossary or guide should have been out and on their website eons ago as was agreed in a meeting I attended when Dr Robert Carr was alive and the Chair of the then management committee but such are the repercussions of late action and poor pro-activity.

also see: Is Freedom Of Expression At Risk? asks JFLAG advocate

Peace and tolerance

H