How about Fox scheduling another celebrity boxing match to settle this once and for all? Buju Banton vs Jake Shears

"Walk like a champion! Talk like a champion!"

What the heck is he smoking out of?

a chalice

is this about speech or action? didnt i read an article about him assaulting a house full of gays and shouting homophobic slurs?

>>"In his rowdier past, Banton penned lyrics that suggested it would be a good idea to shoot homosexuals."

I'm under the impression from another recent article that he still performs this song. Whether or not when you "penned it" as a teenager and if it was in your "rowdier past" would then be irrelevant. Don't dimiss bigotry for silly rambunctiousness, Seattle PI.

>>"What might be defended by some on free-speech grounds has been deemed hate speech, mainly, it seems, because people are unnerved by Banton's presence in a gay-friendly neighborhood."

Woah. Let me quote that preluding sentence again: "lyrics that suggested it would be a good idea to shoot homosexuals." And that this is "deemed" "it seems" hatespeach? It *IS* hatespeach. Almost by definition. How is the ambiguity of condoning killing homosexuals not hate? Not that hatespeach should be illegalized, but don't have KKK rally in my backyard and not expect me to disagree.

>>"When you start to police artistic expression, you set a dangerous precedent."

Habeus Corpus on the other hand, well who gives a shit about precedent, eh? [a strawman, I know, but I'm quite furious over this "congress" of ours].

>>"Banton hasn't distanced himself from "Boom Bye Bye," a hit song in Jamaica where, not coincidentally, homophobia runs rampant."

Well, that's it aint it? If you are *still* advocating violence [implicit in his refusal to distance himself from his "rowdy" past] over a repressed people in your nation then maybe here in the [supposed] Land of Equality we should not support you. If the King of Dafur, or President, or whatever they have for a leader [I wouldn't rule out a XcensoredX] over there, came to the Merc to pimp his latest CD you betcha ass I'd not lay silent.

apologies for the drunken rant</sm

Boom Bye Bye's lyrics include shooting gays in the head, pouring acid over them and setting them on fire.

Boom Bye Bye Lyrics:

World is in trouble
Anytime Buju Banton come
Batty bwoy get up an run
At gunshot me head back
Hear I tell him now crew

(Its like) Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no nasty man
Dem haffi dead
Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no nasty man
Dem haffi dead

(Two man) Hitch up on an rub up on
An lay down inna bed
Hug up on another
Anna feel up leg
Send fi di matic an
Di Uzi instead
Shoot dem no come if we shot dem--
Don't want Jackie
Give dem Paul instead
Dem don't want di sweetness
Between di leg
Gal bend down backway
An accept di peg
An if it really hot
You know she still naw gon fled
A some man
Still don't want di
Panty raid
Pure batty business dem love

(Me say) Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote the nasty man
Dem haffi dead
Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no nasty man
Dem haffi dead

(Woman is di) Greatest thing
God ever put pon di land
Buju lovin dem from head
Down to foot bottom
But some man a turn around
Where dem get that from
Peter is not for Janet
Peter is for John
Suzette is not for Paul
Suzette is for Ann
Where the bobocloth
Dem get dat from
Here come the DJ
Name Buju Banton
(Come fi) ((Straighten yuh talk?))

(Boom boom boom) Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote the nasty man
Dem haffi dead
Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no batty man
Dem haffi dead

(Caw me say) Dis is not an bargain (Me say)
Dis is not a deal
Guy come near we
Then his skin must peel
Burn him up bad like an old tire wheel
gwaan buju banton yuh tough

(Me say) Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote the batty man
Dem haffi dead
Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no batty man
(Hear what now!)

(Two man) A hug up on an kiss up on
An lay down inna bed
Hug up on another
Anna rub dung leg
Send fi di matic an
Di Uzi instead
Shoot di batty boy come if we shot dem--
Dem don't want Jackie
Give dem Paul instead
Don't want di poom poom
Between Patsy leg
All dem want
Is the body from Fred
But dis is Buju Banton
Me say

(Me say) Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no nasty man
Dem haffi dead
Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no nasty man
Dem haffi dead

Caw woman is the prettiest thing
God ever put pon di land
Put pon di land (Pu-pu-put pon di land)
But some man a turn around
Where dem get dat from
Peter is not for Janet
Peter is for John
Suzette is not for Paul
Suzette is for Ann
Here come di DJ name Buju Banton (Come fi)
Give di massive
Satisfaction
Happy how yuh lovin (Ju fi)

(So just) Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no batty man
Dem haffi dead
Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no batty man
Dem haffi dead

All a di New York crew
Dem no promote Batty man
Jump an dance
Unno push up unno hand
All di Brooklyn girl
Dem no promote batty man
Jump an bogle
Anna wine yuh bottom
Canadian gals dem no like batty man
If yuh are not one
Yuh haffi push up

(Me say) Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no batty man
Dem haffi dead
Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no batty man
Dem haffi dead

Is that English?

Kudos to whoever can decipher that.

Boom Bye Bye translation:

Boom bye bye/Inna batty bwoy head
Boom [gun sound] goodbye, goodbye [e.g., you're dead]/In a queer's head

Rude bwoy no promote no nasty man
Rude boys don't promote no queer men

Dem haffi dead
They have to die

Send fi di matic an Di Uzi instead
Send for the automatic [gun] and The Uzi instead

Shoot dem no come if we shot dem
Shoot them, don't come [to help] if we shoot them

Guy come near we/ Then his skin must peel
If a gay man comes near me/Then his skin must peel [e.g., pour acid on him]

Burn him up bad like an old tire wheel
Burn him like you would burn an old tire wheel

Buju Banton can go fuck himself. What have homosexuals ever done to hurt society? It is not possible to promote peace and hate crimes at the same time. Jamaicans are a sad race of people.

Jamaicans are NOT a sad race of people. Do we really need to start a race related issue here? No. Homophobics are sad people - and that is the end of it.

First off I love reggae music and also Buju Banton. I think that everyone is entitled to there own opinion. Gay Bashing tho? This is just representing how one individual feels. Does anyone ever say how there's some gay men that truely hate women because they can't be one? Or lesbians that try so hard to be men that they try to bash men? Or the tricks that they play on heterosexual people? Tricking some in engaging in other activites(sex) then springing on that they are in fact someone of the same sex? Play with that

For the individual who commented by saying that: All Jamaicans are a sad race; you are a terribly ignorant person. Buju Banton is rightfully intitled to his own opiions, just as you are. His song in no way reflects the mind sets or thoughts of every Jamaican. You need to check yourself. Most of today's music push some type of controversal opinions that we either agree or disagree with. One song or artist cannot represent an entire group of people.

i can't believe u had the audacity to call jamaicans a sad race.....excuse who the fuck are you to criticize anyone. by the way iiiidddiiot jamaicans are not a race of people motherfucker....go pick up a book and do something more intelligent with ur life rather than pretending to be a fucking judge of all that is right.

Snowman, how can a song made by one man represent a whole race of people, as the people above me explained very well. Buju Banton wrote the song when he was 15, and there was a case of a man raping a young boy that was widely reported on at the time, and that was the "inspiration" for him writing this song. Even though I do not agree with the song, and do not condemn homosexuality, you have to put yourself in his position before making judgements about him as a person. As a young teenager, having feelings of hate towards gay people because the only ones he had heard of did horrible things (such as rape little boys), and having no one ever tell him that it was wrong to hate gay people, he was just indoctrined into this homophobic society. You cannot overlook all the great material about peace, and stopping violence, and other social commentary that he has made over the past decade-and-a-half or so since penning this song.

If an Asian man killed your mother, An Asian woman hit your sister with her car, two Asian men broke into your house and stole everything, and an Asian doctor made a mistake during the delivery of your baby and your baby died, I would find it hard to believe that you wouldn't have quite a few negative feelings towards Asians in general. Even if you knew that not all of them are bad, you would still prejudge each and every one of them. This is a very extreme example that would (hopefully) never happen, but hopefully you can understand my point that if all you associate with a certain group of people are negative things, and you have never heard anything positive about them, and you are a young teenager, it might be hard to write lyrics to a song about such a touchy subject, and have everybody be happy about them.

there it is, I said it

Rasta mon nah apologize to no batty bwoy if you dis King Selassie I Den mi gun shot cha bwoy.

Buju Banton To Play Madison Square Garden May 6th, 2007..is there any protest action scheduled for this event?.

buju is my metho I LOVE BUJU`S MUSIC IF I CAN SEE BUJU ONE DAY AER WE BE VERY HAPPY.I LOVE THIS TRACK ONLY MAN AND CHAMPION SUDAN RADER HTAN RED AND MENING MORE OF BUJU .RESPCT MAN AM FROM NIGERIA BIG COUNRY MAN .CAN YOU COME TOO NIGERIA NO OR YES BACKER YAD IN JAMICA.RESPECT BUJU .MY NAME IS SIMPLE MAN

I do not in any way shape or form believe that same sex individuals should be together. I am actually disgusted by same sex couples. I don't think it is right. God placed us on this earth to procreate. Can a man and man procreate with out the help of a woman? I don't think so. Can a woman and woman procreate without the help of a man? Absolutely not. I am in no way bashing these same sex individuals who think it is okay to have sexual intercourse with each other. I simply do not agree with "homos" or "lesbians". Buju is a wonderful performer, and we cannot bash him for his thoughts or feelings. He is saying what he feels. A lot of people feel the way he does, but they refuse to voice their honest thoughts. I would rather have someone say they do not like me to my face than to be phony about it. Cancelling a concert does not change the song nor does it stop others from listening to it. I play that song every once in a while. I love all buju's music. Call me ignorant but no where in the bible does it say that homosexuality is okay. I respect your choices as people but I will never never never...agree with homosexuality. For all you people who are waiting to shred me to pieces, I have my opinions and you have yours. Please respect mine.

lisa

Dear Lisa:

How about you respect the fact that I am a man who has never in my life felt a "natural" desire to have sex with a woman? It doesn't matter if you approve or disapprove. It's the way I was born. And no amount of internal struggle and turmoil (thanks to people like you) ever changed that. Nor will it. So I don't respect your homophobia anymore than I respect racism or sexism. Homosexuality will never be a threat to humanity's survival. Ignorance like yours is far more dangerous.

Dear Anonymous,
If you read my post carefully, I said "I respect your choices as people but I will never never never...agree with homosexuality." I will never disrespect someone's choices; however, I do not have to agree with them. As you stated, "I am a man who has never in my life felt a "natural" desire to have sex with a woman?" I have never felt okay about people who are homosexuals. I don't hate you or others because of your decision to be homosexuals, but I don't agree with it. I respect your choices, so please respect mine.

Lisa

battyman fi DEAD!!!

Lisa-

It's not a decision. It's the way I am. But you decide to be a bigot, and I can't respect that. It's insane to me that you would spew your disgust at my love and then ask me to respect you for it. I hope your closely-held homophobia keeps you warm at night because it's not doing anybody else any good.