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Posted in music on January 21, 2008
NYC Forum on Anti-Gay Lyrics in Reggae Music
February 7th in Brooklyn, and then on TV....
Local New York City Television Program Organizes Forum to Address Issues Surrounding Anti-Gay Lyrics in Reggae MusicMany legendary and up coming reggae artists are banned in various places worldwide because of their use of violence-laced anti-gay lyrics in their music. Members of the LGBT community feel victimized by the lyrics, while the artists feel that they are being censored. Several artists have been asked to defend their position on homosexuality, but repeatedly back away from the topic. Consequently, concert promoters run the risk of having to cancel concerts because of the possibility of being rejected by certain venues when they book some of these acts. Meanwhile, there is no voice from the record labels that reap the benefits of album sales. So what are the boundaries of free speech? Where do we draw the line when anti-gay lyrics are used in reggae music?
ZYNC TV, organizer of the forum, has compiled a group of people from the reggae community, LGBT community, and higher education to open up a dialogue where they can address the myriad of issues surrounding this topic. While the historical and social context of homosexuality in Jamaican culture will be discussed, the panelists will tackle issues such as the double standard involved in banning reggae artists, race, and up-and-coming artists using anti-gay nuances in their music.Panelists include: poet and activist Staceyann Chin, Sirius Satellite radio personality and programmer Pat McKay, professor of Caribbean literature Dr. Kelly Baker Josephs, IRIE JAM 93.5 FM radio personality Roy Walters, Executive Director of the Anti-Discrimination Project at Gay Men of African Descent Donald Powell, Contributing Editor to Everybody's Magazine and producer/co-host of Reggae Roundtable on Labrish on WBAI Stan Evan Smith, and Reggae Carifest promoter/record producer D'Niscio Brooks.
The forum will be held at the Grand Army Plaza branch of the Brooklyn Public Library on Thursday, February 7, 2008 starting at 5:30pm with a reception to follow.
It will be videotaped by ZYNC TV and CARIBBEAN LIFESTYLE MEDIA (CLM TV) and broadcast over several weeks as a special series.
ZYNC TV started in 2005 as a Brooklyn-based community news and entertainment show that focuses on events and issues in New York City. From film festivals to celebrity interviews and everything in between, they also serve as a conduit for the exchange of cultural ideas and events from areas in the world that are influenced by the Afro-Caribbean culture. ZYNC TV's NEW YORK LINKZ, the weekly half-hour show, airs on NYC Channel 73 on Sunday afternoons at 12:30pm as part of the Caribbean International Network (CIN) programming, and on BCAT on Saturday nights at 11:30 pm on Cablevision Channel 69/Time Warner Channel 56.
CLM TV is a one-hour television program that showcases successful business entrepreneurs, overachievers and celebrities living in the USA. The show, which also airs on CIN Channel 73 on Sundays at 9:30am, has made a noteworthy impact in bringing forth the best of the Caribbean Diaspora.
Posted on January 21, 2008 11:42 AM
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Comments (19)
I and I hate Bounty Killer. Boy's bomba klaat trus!
Posted by Anonymous | January 21, 2008 12:32 PM
Reggaeton is even worse. I say we ban all music from third world nations with with overly religiously zealous populations.
Posted by Anonymous | January 21, 2008 12:37 PM
my understanding is that freedom of speech doesn't apply to music with guitars or organs played on the up beats. Can someone site precedent ?
Posted by andrew | January 21, 2008 12:45 PM
The problem isn't anti-gay lyrics in reggae music, but rather the widespread (and accepted) homophobia in the west indian and african american communities, which is a far bigger issue.
Posted by Anonymous | January 21, 2008 12:45 PM
my understanding is that freedom of speech doesn't apply to music with guitars or organs played on the up beats. Can someone site precedent ?
Posted by andrew | January 21, 2008 12:48 PM
Me man,Bredba. Yuh no see wha' demput inna de paper? Dem talk 'bout say fi apologize to batty-boy. Apologhize fuh wha'? Dem fi apologize to Jah! Gunshot dem fi get!
Posted by Sizzla | January 21, 2008 12:59 PM
Anon 12:45 - THAT'S RACIST! OMG! LOL! WTF!
Posted by Anonymous | January 21, 2008 2:43 PM
most of the comments on this site are sad to read. incorrect spelling, nothing positive to say, nothing even remotely intelligent on any of the topics... kind of takes the fun out of reading blogs.
Posted by Anonymous | January 21, 2008 4:54 PM
Reading blogs isn't supposed be fun. You sound like a batty-boy bamba klatt.
Posted by Anonymous | January 21, 2008 8:21 PM
4:54 your a jerkk and i hat u. i lovv this blogs like it yeah!
How could anything on the internet be done in anyway but remotely?
Posted by shadduppa you | January 21, 2008 8:31 PM
Andrew,
I believe that in The State of South Carolina vs. James Brown the downbeat was also found to be exempt from constitutional protection.
Posted by Not fun, not at all | January 21, 2008 8:39 PM
Not Fun, Not at all,
you are a golden god
Posted by andrew | January 22, 2008 12:12 AM
Well, the anti-dicrimination-war takes just another round. But you won't get the problem out by discussion. Maybe for a few weeks.
Posted by Roger Reggae | January 24, 2008 3:14 AM
Ya'll can check out my blog haha, here's the link:
http://thesilentdig.blogspot.com/
*especially Anonymous 4:54 January 21, 2008
Posted by Digby | February 8, 2008 9:36 PM
I made a whole website about homophobia in dancehall. It includes: songs & lyrics, history & news, roots of jamaican homophobia, comments from the industry, the Stop Murder Music campaign that was able to make over 100 concerts canceled. The Reggae Compassionate Act and much more information.
Posted by IrieItes | March 11, 2008 9:24 PM
The link is:
http://www.soulrebels.org/dancehall.htm
Posted by IrieItes | March 11, 2008 9:25 PM
Hi,
I'm not aware of this event (i'm leaving in france - so please appologize my english), I n I just wanna say that reggae music must carry good vibrations of peace and tolerance. Singing untolerant lyrics is a crime against reggae music.
ONE LOVE!
Posted by jahsoldia | April 11, 2008 5:12 AM
The question is not : Can we sing anti-gays lyrics without being censored? or can't we?
The question sould be : Do those lyrics respect people?
Posted by Anonymous | April 11, 2008 5:39 AM
Though I respect homosexuals, and think they are entitled to every right any person should have, including marriage and such - I also see why people are scared and alienated by them. The sexual act of male to male fornication is strange to most people. The idea of one man sleeping with another man makes many people sick - though I could care less what people do in the privacy of their homes. The religions of the book, and the true word of god, and apparently Jah also deem homosexuality to be unnatural. Thus the whole thing will probably never be resolved, much like the bigotry and hatred between Jews and Palestinians.
We just got to learn to live with each other without getting upset. Dont worry, about a thing. Because everything little thing, is gonna be all right.
Posted by sam | May 8, 2008 12:47 AM