I was at a community barbershop for my usual trim/shave services some days ago where the discussion came up from another customer or idler, hard to tell as men hang out sometimes in the shop as he read a media report via his smartphone on Buju’s aforementioned comments. I subsequently realised it was this report going from memory playing the typical victim card:
Imprisoned artiste Buju Banton has reached out to fans, pleading with them “not be distracted by all the things that are taking place around them”.
In a statement published in Vibe Magazine’s popular Boomshots column, Buju, 43, also blasted contemporary music, describing it as “meaningless”.
The Grammy-winning singjay is in the fifth of a 10-year sentence on drug-related offences. He is serving time in a federal prison in Florida.
The following is the full text of Buju’s statement.
“Tell my fans do not be distracted by all the things that are taking place around them because it is designed to throw them off kilter, to make moral decadence even more widespread than it already is, and plunge people into a state of darkness.
“They’re trying to reverse the progress that we have made over the years through the music. And now the music is meaningless. It doesn’t stimulate, it doesn’t educate, it doesn’t reinvigorate. All it does is get you angry because it’s filled with nothing but narcissists exalting themselves over the earthly possessions that they have managed to get. They don’t even have anything—it’s crumbs.
“And therefore, the music is suffering. The people are suffering. Sadness and gloom is prevailing. It’s widespread. But be patient. Because suffering may endure for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
The reaction in the shop was mostly positive towards Buju as expected but way negative towards predicated on notions of gays shoddy or deceptive advocacy and punishment of dancehall artists; all this time overlooking the overwhelming evidence that came out in the court case, the entrapment he found himself in which is also seen by some as designed by gays to get him.
See the transcript for yourself and be the judge:
download the PDF HERE
The conversation however became quite animated as the men complete with bravado and such had the decibels turned up. But I could not help throwing a wrench in the mix when I posed a question regarding the evidence that came out in court. The dismissal was instant from most of the men in the shop and had a couple strange looks at me to suggest how come you not supporting Buju on this?
The discussion went on with the usual anti gay or ‘battyman’ references and the usual what should happen to them or us as the case may be. Another older man however who was obviously more sensible in the room dropped the ‘Boom Bye Bye’ song issue and continued that he is older now and should just move on despite the challenges most of which are self made; that was like a breath of fresh air for me and shows that some folks are thinking on this be they the older ones. The barbers in particular however reacted reaffirming the song’s ethos and prescription for gays in other words they should be shot and Buju was right to prescribe same. One man lamented how artists cannot ‘eat a food’ as gays are pressuring them; then recent news of Sizzla’s ability to perform in the US in an upcoming event was a defiant success showing that gays are either losing power or don’t have so much anymore determining artists income despite what comes out of their mouths. The matter of artistes with homophobic lyrics that claim they no longer perform said songs but are quite happy earning royalties from sales on iTunes and such came up but the men did not see anything wrong with it as it was a way to ‘eat a food’; they were cognizant of the slowed sales of music overall so artistes are justified in selling materials in their repertoire despite the lyrical content inciting violence and death.
A quick online scan as well showed comments giving support to the beliefs that it was gays who set up Buju and it is indeed sad that after so many years we are still at this juncture of deeply entrenched homo-negativity. Changing hearts and minds is gonna be a hell of a task given all this coming at us and then heightened talk of a JLP government’s planned referendum on Buggery which in the eyes of some will or must be used to silence any lobby attempts towards LGBT ‘rights’ and the widely feared and loathed gay marriage although that is so futuristic it may never happen in my lifetime. My stance that such dancehall acts as Buju Banton should disassociate themselves from the materials they did if they want to be credible and fair has not changed; it is one thing to try to explain away non performance due to aging or pressure from advocacy and still earning from the materials in one way or another. The songs must be removed from one’s repertoire to be seen a fair and just on all fronts; one cannot be on one hand professing Jah Rastafari love for all men or people yet here we have from the same mouth calls for execution of persons because they are different. But of course the fear of being seen in the eyes of the public as condescending to gays is so real that they rather continue to farcical distancing from the murder music materials.
We have had calls for truce over the years from middle of the road voices but to no avail and olive branches have been extended only to be rebuffed mostly soundly by those they were extended to.
Also see:
'Deejays and gay groups need to call a truce' - McKenzie
The discussion went on with the usual anti gay or ‘battyman’ references and the usual what should happen to them or us as the case may be. Another older man however who was obviously more sensible in the room dropped the ‘Boom Bye Bye’ song issue and continued that he is older now and should just move on despite the challenges most of which are self made; that was like a breath of fresh air for me and shows that some folks are thinking on this be they the older ones. The barbers in particular however reacted reaffirming the song’s ethos and prescription for gays in other words they should be shot and Buju was right to prescribe same. One man lamented how artists cannot ‘eat a food’ as gays are pressuring them; then recent news of Sizzla’s ability to perform in the US in an upcoming event was a defiant success showing that gays are either losing power or don’t have so much anymore determining artists income despite what comes out of their mouths. The matter of artistes with homophobic lyrics that claim they no longer perform said songs but are quite happy earning royalties from sales on iTunes and such came up but the men did not see anything wrong with it as it was a way to ‘eat a food’; they were cognizant of the slowed sales of music overall so artistes are justified in selling materials in their repertoire despite the lyrical content inciting violence and death.
A quick online scan as well showed comments giving support to the beliefs that it was gays who set up Buju and it is indeed sad that after so many years we are still at this juncture of deeply entrenched homo-negativity. Changing hearts and minds is gonna be a hell of a task given all this coming at us and then heightened talk of a JLP government’s planned referendum on Buggery which in the eyes of some will or must be used to silence any lobby attempts towards LGBT ‘rights’ and the widely feared and loathed gay marriage although that is so futuristic it may never happen in my lifetime. My stance that such dancehall acts as Buju Banton should disassociate themselves from the materials they did if they want to be credible and fair has not changed; it is one thing to try to explain away non performance due to aging or pressure from advocacy and still earning from the materials in one way or another. The songs must be removed from one’s repertoire to be seen a fair and just on all fronts; one cannot be on one hand professing Jah Rastafari love for all men or people yet here we have from the same mouth calls for execution of persons because they are different. But of course the fear of being seen in the eyes of the public as condescending to gays is so real that they rather continue to farcical distancing from the murder music materials.
We have had calls for truce over the years from middle of the road voices but to no avail and olive branches have been extended only to be rebuffed mostly soundly by those they were extended to.
Also see:
'Deejays and gay groups need to call a truce' - McKenzie
Buju Banton's Boom Bye Bye still available on iTunes despite so called ban in 2008
Sizzla Rejects J-FLAG Olive Branch .......... oh really?
Meanwhile:
The theocrats have been posturing themselves with a plethora of emboldened comments and blog posts since the new administration came to office and the constant ‘family’ references and the imagery of the Prime Minister and his wife both in the house as parliamentarians.
Nuff tings lie ahead but are we really ready for the ride to come?
Think on these things
Peace & tolerance
H
Sizzla Rejects J-FLAG Olive Branch .......... oh really?
Meanwhile:
The theocrats have been posturing themselves with a plethora of emboldened comments and blog posts since the new administration came to office and the constant ‘family’ references and the imagery of the Prime Minister and his wife both in the house as parliamentarians.
Nuff tings lie ahead but are we really ready for the ride to come?
Think on these things
Peace & tolerance
H
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