Queen Ifrica claims ...Gay people loved her music

Queen Ifrica says that her songs have been embraced by members of the homosexual community.

Speaking in a video that has gone viral on social media, the Lioness On The Rise hitmaker says her music has been comforting to gay men who have been victims of rape or incest.

"I have worked extensively with people from the gay community since I did Daddy Don't Touch Me There," said Ifrica.

The reggae artiste said she has spoken to 'confused homosexuals' who called her brave for choosing to sing about touchy topics such as incest in her work. Ifrica added that, "Some of them, their fathers were the ones responsible for breaking them into that lifestyle."

She expressed pride at her choice of topics for her music. "I feel proud of myself that I am able to stand in a time where it is taboo and cliché to speak the truth about anything that has to do with self-development and self- awareness," said Ifrica.

In the video, the Below The Waist singer also said that she is determined to continue to express her opinions freely.

"We don't live in a world where you can go about and just do what you want anymore. We are censored, we are under scrutiny, there are elements among us that want to be gods," said Ifrica.

The artiste said she will continue to speak the truth for the people who are now afraid to voice their opinions because of the 'censorship' of opinions by those who "think they are the ones who raise the sun."

Faced backlash

In 2013, Queen Ifrica caused controversy during a performance at the Independence Grand Gala when she declared,"All a di people wah inna di stadium, put you hand inna di air, all straight people, man an' woman me seh".

Since then, Ifrica has faced backlash from activists from the homosexual community, especially abroad which have caused her to be removed from shows in Canada and the United States.

Earlier this month, two sponsors of the Edmonton Reggae Festival in Canada where Ifrica is one of the headliners, withdrew their sponsorship from the show citing concern for Canadian promoters inviting anti-gay performers to the country.

But Ifrica responded to the sponsors' pulling out by stating that, "Don't try to shut me up and put me in a corner and then you're able to walk around freely, that's injustice."

The musician said she desires dialogue with those who oppose her views. "If we really want to have a world where there is coexistence in it where people live alongside of each other then we have to learn how to dialogue," said Ifrica.

A press release from the Edmonton Reggae Festival announced that performers including Queen Ifrica along with I-Wayne and Capleton will have a code of conduct to adhere to in their performance at the festival. The code of conduct bans "defamation of character or group", this includes defamation on the basis of sexual preference/lifestyle, economic status, gender, ethnicity and religion.

Flashback to this interview with her and Tony Rebel alongside JFLAG's Dane Lewis in 2013 after the first infractions at the National Stadium:

Anti gay Dancehall acts Sizzla & Capleton's shows cancelled in the US

So JAGLA, Jamaica Association of Gays and Lesbians living abroad got it right this time around and targeted the actual artists (Sizzla directly) due to his homophobic lyrics and refusal to even budge on his position, he has had problems in Europe for some time as well but in Africa it is smooth sailing as the LGBT groups there have not yet bought into the Stop murder music campaign not even from my tenure with JFLAG and Outrage or Tjenbre Red in France. Earlier this year during the Queen Ifrica fiasco he sided with the artist in claiming that the LGBT lobby was choking freedom of speech but while there may be some appearance of such as that particular case was overkill since Queen Ifrica said no words as inciteful as Sizzla has repeatedly he cannot be allowed to escape.

See previous Stop Murder Music posts on sister blog GLBTQJA on Wordpress: HERE

also see previous posts on his infractions etc:

Sizzla bats for Queen Ifrica as expected

Queen Ifrica's "Freedom of Speech" & advocacy found wanting

Sizzla Hits Back At Gay Rights Critics ..............

Say No To Hate Music Petition for anti gay artists slated for European shows

Zimbabweans love dancehall but not many there agree

Capleton protest in Sacramento makes Fox News (Video included)

Sizzla's concert cancelled (France), Montpellier's mayor re-affirms firm stand

Tjenbé Rèd defends its position on Stop Murder Music and Sizzla following damning French article

Sizzla Concert Cancelled in France .................

SMM protests Sizzla in Denmark

Locked out - Jamaican acts finding it more and more difficult to get into some countries

Reggaeville reported:

Sizzla's long awaited US-Tour, which was scheduled for November/December is off! The tourstart was postponed last week and dates have been re-scheduled for december very quick, but now the complete tour has been cancelled.

The US agency IAA issued the statement below to explain the cancellation and possible tour in 2014:

In 15 years of agenting and working with International artists from every area of the world, I have never seen anything so screwed up as this mess with Sizzla's immigration. Sizzla, Myself, His Lawyer were all promised the moon and the stars when we began booking this tour. We were so careful that we allowed a 3 month leeway to secure all the appropriate Visas beyond when the immigration attorney said she would have them. He was given his I129 and O1-B Status and all was presented as well. In short, the interview today did not go well and they denied his entry into America.

It is not a dead issue, but I am no longer comfortable waiting and seeing. What I would like to do is postpone the tour and look at rebooking it for February and March. In the meantime once he does gain entrance into the states, we will fly him over to do a national press release on the tour and explain how all of the promoters on this tour were so supportive and patient with the process.

I am deeply saddened by the news and I can say this is one of the worst weeks in my career. I would like to speak with each and every one of you and welcome a call. For the sake of alleviating some stress right now, I ask that we at least wait until monday to speak. I am at a loss for words and very upset. My company worked very very very hard and was given some unfair guidance and as a result we as you are left holding the bulk of this disaster. I am confident in Sizzla and I do really like he and his management team. They are good people and we expect that this will be a very lucrative tour in March and April. We are hoping to have his clearances overturned in the coming week or two. I really need to be extra careful and limit any more last minute cancellations. I hope you understand and we will be in touch next week.

Stephen Brush
INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS AGENCY
www.iaatalent.com

ENDS

TVJ's Entertainment Prime also touched the matter on November 19th:

More posts from sister blog GLBTQ Jamaica:

Sizzla Rejects J-FLAG Olive Branch .......... oh really?

Sizzla Concert Cancelled from Chiemsee Reggae & Austrian Sunsplash Shows

Sizzla shows cancelled in Denmark in European tour

Sizzla show stopped in Canada

London's Met Police defend decision not to ban homophobic performer

Stop Murder Music network in France Press Release 2008

Sizzla cancelled yet again in Belgium

Stop Murder Music France launches action to Sizzla's French tour

Peace and tolerance

H

Sizzla bats for Queen Ifrica as expected

Says he may also record song, interesting that he too wants to make some financial mileage from all this after all the industry has been having some slow times as music sales are slow in some quarters. Queen Ifrica has already release her song titled "Freedom of Speech" on August 20th.

also see: Sizzla Rejects Olive Branch from JFLAG from December 2012

Also see: Tolerance, when the oppressed becomes the oppressor from 2009

So now that our goodly young exuberant friends up north in Canada being JAGLA decided to go on a frolic of their own (many frolics going on these days not to mention impervious behaviours) and have landed us with another unneeded layer added to the struggle that for LGBT rights and recognition and a black eye we have to contend with, we are now being labelled as the oppressed becoming the oppressor but the Rastafarian community must also recall they too have become somewhat oppressive almost forgetting their own struggles locally and ostracism by other Jamaicans, remember the old description of "dem dutty head man"

How can virtuous ideals such as tolerance being demanded for the most part not even asked and demonstrably clear in the LGBT corner resonate with an ever cynical and hardened public let alone the religious right groups speaking of which we see the Love March folks planning another march  on September 14th. 

Let's take a look firstly at a Gleaner report today on the defence by Sizzla, another artist who has been strategically targeted in the early years of the campaign.

Claudia Gardner, Assignment Co-ordinator wrote:

WESTERN BUREAU:Recording artiste Sizzla Kalonji has come out in strong defence of fellow female singer, Queen Ifrica, who is under pressure from gay rights groups in Jamaica and Canada.

The Canada-based gay rights advocacy group, Jamaica Association of Gays and Lesbians Abroad, lobbied the Canadian government and the promoters of the Rastafest International Reggae Concert which was held at Downsview Park in Canada last week, which led to Queen Ifrica being axed from the line-up of performers at the event.

Her removal had come on the heels of her performance at the national Grand Gala on Independence Day, during which she had denounced the homosexual lifestyle.

STOP TARGETING REGGAE

But in an interview with The Gleaner following his performance during the Makalon Anniversary shown in Lucea, Hanover on Saturday night, Sizzla Kalonji, said the gay community should refrain from targeting Queen Ifrica.

"Right now dem fi just go one side and leave di girl alone," Sizzla Kalonji said. "The women (of Jamaica) must speak out against it. They should get their kids and go in the streets and protest against it, because we doing Jah works, and buggerism, we nah strengthen it."

FREEDOM OF SPEECH

"There is a time and a place for everything. You know you have to deal with people respectfully and you know code of conduct and choice of words. But then again we say bun fire straight fi dat lifestyle," Sizzla added.

Sizzla also hinted that he could record a song in support of Queen Ifrica.

"Anything I mind tell I fi do I jus do it in the name of the Most High. It is a girl, and you don't know what might happen, just listen out," he said.

ENDS

The whole matter was handled poorly from the get go from the very press release from our good friends at JFLAG with over intellectualized language if there is such a thing to the ridiculing of the very release by Tony Rebel and a perceived capitulation stance (the soft apology) that has not sat well with sections of the population of younger gay advocates who in some quarters are saying JFLAG has softened. When however the historical timeline of the struggle is not made clear to those same younger folk and those overseas but what do we expect but mistakes that this case screams. There are consequences for such actions and there is talk of a boycott campaign to be launched by the same foreign based groups. A pastor has come out supposedly in opposition to homosexuality since this whole fiasco today and other so called persons concerned about freedom of speech have been making use of the airwaves that is talk radio as well. It was also interesting to see how quick some narcissistic people jumped on this one and ran to meet with the Canadian authorities not caring about the implications of such action as they do not live here. 

A pastor Stewart from the Portmore Lay Covenant Missionary group is the latest to come out in opposition to homosexuality on Nationwide radio's George Davis Live show where he hinted that the powerful gay lobby must be resisted. He also suggested that such persons need counseling (reparative therapy) and as for persons in the church itself where Christians as caught in "the homosexual trap" they need to come forwards after recognizing what is wrong and how "it" came about. He claims that there are many causes of "those feelings" in the individual. As for the innate homosexual the pastor said in the interview that such person must work with God's work. That person could not stay among the other children of God. As for whether gays are children of God he dodged the issue and suggested it is after one has accepted Christ then they can be deemed such. He said any pastor who embrace such persons knowingly is destroying that church and such persons who profess that they are born gay while in the church must be put out. I was of the opinion that the church was about working with outcasts so to speak yet this man easily creates such and prefers to preach to the converted only or those he thinks is holy.

Recent news items reflect the expected spike that come with highly publicized agitations but where are the catchment or buffers to mitigate or intervene in such? I guess the folks and JAGLA et al have not factored that into their equation.

Not to mention the numerous displacements within the last four months to also include a leading transgender figure. Let us see where this goes eh.

here is my audiopost on the subject:

Peace and tolerance

H

Queen Ifrica's "Freedom of Speech" & advocacy found wanting

So as Queen Ifrica fires back with her latest tune released two days ago in response to the firestorm well aided and abetted by none other than the faithful lobby Jamaica Forum for Lesbians Allsexuals and Gays, JFLAG in a press release describing the Queen's anti homosexual rant at the recent independence day celebrations a follow up to a similar performance by her friend Tony Rebel the year before as vitriolic yet they couldn't justify it in the end. The over intellectualized press release was laughed at by the two who pigeon holed JFLAG for being dishonest and putting undue pressure on the music industry as it were via the Stop Murder Music Campaign but after hearing the disastrous performance on a Nationwide radio interview with the two aforementioned artistes earlier this month and the Executive Director of JFLAG Dane Lewis which forced the goodly gentleman to apologies for supposedly labelling the acts as homophobic, "vitriloic" and on some "anti gay animus" the snickering by the two left me feeling I wasted my time at the goodly J back in the day. Tempers flared days following as news spread that the J apologized to the Queen and by extension Tony Rebel with host Cliff Hughes the self appointed referee. Subsequent discussions on other radio stations just made me wonder if after all this calms down if we won't see a resurgence of such lyrics as the charge now being led by a female artist bearing in mind males carried the day on such materials.

JFLAG's press release read as follows:

J-FLAG notes with profound disappointment the anti-gay animus expressed by Queen Ifrica at the Grand Gala on August 6, 2013. Her sentiment is an example of the unabated divisiveness we continue to allow to take prominence on the national stage. Queen Ifrica’s remark is similar to the vitriolic sentiments which came from Tony Rebel at the celebrations last year and should have never been allowed again.
We are surprised this happened on the day the Prime Minister urged us, in her Independence Day Message, to accord respect to people so every Jamaican can feel a sense of belonging in our society.

It is regrettable that the government has not been able to guarantee non-discriminatory performances from artistes for such a high-profile function as the Grand Gala. We encourage the government to follow the example of reggae and dancehall promoters and their sponsors who consistently draft contracts proscribing penalties for the use of indecent language, discriminatory rhetoric, and incitement to violence. Independence celebrations showcase the best of Jamaica’s indigenous artistic and cultural expressions, and are held to a high standard from their inception.

As the nation passes the 50 year mark and enters a new epoch of its history, we must zealously work to protect the dignity of all Jamaicans without any distinction. We have all pledged to play our part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race. These words are especially poignant in such a celebratory period of our nationhood. We are therefore compelled to reflect on these and other patriotic words of commitment found in our National Anthem and Pledge.
Jamaica cannot become the place of choice to live and raise families unless respect and dignity can be given to the entire Jamaican family. As we celebrate Jamaica’s 51st year of independence we must also celebrate the importance of peace, democracy, justice, and equality for the continuation of our prosperity as a nation.

ENDS

Yesterday's interview on radio Jamaica, RJR's Beyond the headlines hosted by Dionne Jackson Miller left me even more dazed as the intellectual masturbatory rant by the education officer of the J, Javed Jaghai had many persons asking why can't he and others from the group communicate in simple English so all can be on board and remembering at was the urbane sophisticated image of the voices in the lobby is what is being targeted and ridiculed by the anti gay voices and indeed the LGBT "community" or at least sections of it. Even as host Dionne Jackson Miller tried to steer Javed and the other guest from the new Canadian group comprising of so called Jamaican gays and allies from Canada that the SMM in its old form achieved its primary objective which was to wipe out the harsh prescriptive lyrical content of death and methods of same for perceived male homosexuals in particular he insisted however on trying to force in some new thinking in his mind which did not sit well with the Canadian based group representative who insisted that Queen Ifrica be not allowed to enter Canada in an upcoming performance she is booked so to carry out.

the station's site carried this: Gay community split on Queen Ifrica’s Canada performance

The SMM back in the day was surgical in its nature and sought to target only those artists that had directly offending lyrics such as Capleton's - Shot Him Up, Beenieman's - All Battyman Fi Dead that were clear in their description and prescription on gay men's demise in the long standing purification of the earth imperative. The victim ploy being used by the music industry to suggest that the SMM's impact over the years is not true, dancehall has always had spirals in its support in certain market and especially in Europe traditional Reggae forms still are more popular as the older artists still carry the day such as Burning Spears as they are even more popular than modern day dancehall acts and with the absence of names such as Vybz Kartel and Ninjaman who just recently has been allowed to travel as his legal woes continue the attraction to the genre is fickle. The SMM targeted mostly the US, Canadian, European and a few African States with the latter for a short time as they withdrew. The campaign took a life of its own as overseas activists in turn carried on the role as JFLAG went quiet for a while and the foreign activists became astute in deciphering the local patois dialect. Then came the so called Reggae Compassionate Act that was to act as an agreement between artists that signed and promoters in not performing such tainted materials but some artists developed a stage trick where the band would strike up a chord of the respective anti gay track then the audience would fill in the rest loudly and willingly while the artist remains mum on stage. When confronted as to the infringement they would claim that they never actually performed the song. So the campaign changed its look and feel again but slowed down somewhat, it soon picked up again when some French activists reconnected with local contacts including yours truly where again the campaign took on a new life going after two main big names, Capleton, Sizzla and then other artists such as Elephant Man, Beenieman tried daring the system as they used Sizzla's repeated opposition and well oiled PR strategy. 

see: Sizzla Rejects J-FLAG Olive Branch .......... oh really?

Also see posts on Murder Music from sister blog GLBTQ Jamaica

Over the years though the pressure rose to a pitch and hence the lyrical content changed meanwhile the public's taste also seem to commensurately decrease for such materials as newer artists came with more faster paced techno sounding tracks highlighting fashion, women (as usual) and individualism playing right into the metrosexual psyche that now pervades local culture (hence male bleaching or skin lightening etc) once frowned upon and seen as major taboos. It seems our new self appointed voices did not apprise themselves of the history of this major and successful agitation to change the output that demonized gay men. Today we still do have anti gay lyrics but more so on the perceived gay for pay phenomenon that hints on forced initiation or men who "sell out" themselves for material wealth by getting into same sex relations; for example Busy Signal's - Nuh Boi Caan Buy Mi Out (No men can't buy me out)

Meanwhile the Jamaica Observer had reported some days ago:

A poster placed on Facebook by JAGLA reads — “No Queen Ifrica roun’ here! Canada says — stop homophobic Jamaica singer from performing at ‘Rastafesta’ in Toronto on August 24.”

(photo added here only)

JAGLA has also called on the Minister of Citizen and Immigration Canada (CIC) to immediately withdraw a work permit issued to Queen Ifrica ahead of her performance at Rastafest.

“Ifrica's reported homophobic outburst came days after the killing of Dwayne Jones, the teenage cross dresser” said a statement from the organisation.
The group added that Ifrica's remark is not the first of its kind and reflects the mood of Jamaica, where gays and lesbians are exposed to hatred and intolerance resulting in attacks and even murder.

According to JAGLA, by allowing Queen Ifrica whose given name is Ventrice Morgan, to perform in Toronto, the government is sending a message that murder music from anti-gay profilers is welcomed in Canada.

“The Canadian government now has the opportunity to send a clear signal to groups, countries and individuals who wish to incite intolerance against gays and lesbians through various forms” the statement continued.

JAGLA describes itself as a group comprising of Jamaican gays, lesbians and allies, living in the Diaspora.
During her performance at the Grand Gala, Queen Ifrica made statements glorifying male straightness, heterosexual marriage and the legalisation of marijuana.


She defended herself against statements made in a press release by the The Jamaica Forum of Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (JFLAG) in which they expressed disappointment over her anti-gay statements.
The group said her sentiments are an example of the constant prejudice that is being allowed to take prominence on the national stage and that the remarks she made bears some resemblance to statements fellow reggae recording artiste Tony Rebel made at the same event last year.
But in her response, Queen Ifrica explained that she merely expressed what she had believed in, and that it was unfair for them to make her into a villain.

“I am not homophobic,” Queen Ifrica insisted.

ENDS

With sentiments from sections of the LGBT community still not favourable following the not so tidy exclusion of some homeless men from the International Day Against Homophobia symposium on May 17th then the subsequent comments and stern criticisms from other seasoned advocates and a former Programs Manager the staff of the goodly J has chosen instead to remove themselves from Facebook groups that have such persons present apparently to absolve themselves of scrutiny and queries and so it appears to some even one time staunch defenders that they are more interested in personalities, the image of JFLAG on the international stage and self congratulatory gestures that addressing the real issues out there while more and more persons are arriving at a damning conclusion that the do not care about certain socio-economic classes really and making headlines with "expert" conferences are more important.

All of this fiasco is more that just about accusations and counter accusations it shows more clearly than ever that if JFLAG and others want to convince the public on reaching some semblance of tolerance (despite the non demonstrable evidence of same - case in point the perception the homeless were abandoned) they need to make their communications overall as simple as possible to reach a wider audience and stop the over intellectualizing; they seem to be on a frolic of their own, I hope they learn the lessen in all this and as for foreign based voices they need to get with it and carefully scan the ground before launching campaigns, this reminds me too much of the EGALE mishap in 2008/9 as well where they in Canada called for a tourism boycott and we ended up with a spike in homo-negative violence towards persons on the ground and a diplomatic nightmare. There are implications for public agitations that must not be ignored when decisions are made to launch such. Persons also need to be properly prepared before eagerly jumping to go on radio or other media and sounding stupid in the end.

See the Stop Murder Music Tab immediately below for previous entries.

Peace and tolerance

H

Additional stuff/video from 2007 with some former allies Dennis Carney and Peter Tatchell:

additional reading on Stop Murder Music from 2010:
Gays Move to Ban Reggae/Dancehall in Germany says the Xtranews where German authorities including a gay MP joined the discourse as reported in the now defunct XNews tabloid.

More Murder Music posts from GLBTQJA on Wordpress

UPDATE August 26, 2013
Nationwide radio's Emily Crooks during her What's On My Mind segment of her show gave her two cents alongside Naomi Francis co-host, I am total agreement with her, JAGLA over reached in this case: