Pink Paper 17 September 2004

Police in Jamaica have confirmed they wish to speak to reggae superstar Buju Banton in connection with a gay-bashing attack in Kingston in June.

The confirmation is likely to further fuel gay direct action group Outrage’s campaign against murder music as they turn their attention to getting his forthcoming concerts in London, Manchester and Milton Keynes banned.

Meanwhile, the activists’ strategy, which has seen gigs cancelled around the world, claimed a major success last week as the Music Of Black Origin Awards in London withdrew “best reggae” nominations for two other performers, Elephant Man and Vybz Kartel.

Banton, whose lyrics calling for gays to be shot in the head, is due to kick-off his UK tour with a gig at the Coronet, Elephant and Castle, South London this September. He then plans to perform at the Empire in Milton Keynes on 22 September and the Bierkeller in Piccadilly, Manchester, on 23 September.

Elsewhere, activists have lobbied police and venues to get the concerts cancelled in a bid to pressure the performers into dropping their hate-filled songs.

Outrage’s Peter Tatchell said: “[Banton’s song] Boom Bye Bye is probably the most murderous incitement recorded by any singer anywhere in the world.

“He still performs Boom Bye Bye, most recently on 8 August at the Smirnoff Festival in Jamaica. This record remains on sale. Banton is still making money from his incitement to kill gay people.”

In a separate development, Outrage has welcomed the decision by the MOBOs to drop the nominations for Kartel and Elephant Man.

“The MOBOs have taken a lead and we hope other promoters, sponsors and record companies will follow their positive example,” Tatchell said.

The move came after pressure from the activists and 12 months of talks between awards’ organisers, the Black Gay Men’s Advisory Group and the London mayor Ken Livingstone’s office.

Dennis Carney, chair of the advisory group, said: “As black people, we want to celebrate our culture, and the MOBOs are an excellent opportunity to do this, but homophobic lyrics in music normalise hatred towards black gay men.”

A spokesman for the mayor’s office added: “This is not about censorship or restricting freedom of speech. The central issue is that we should not tolerate artists who incite hatred and violence against lesbians and gay men and that we should work across the black communities to promote diversity and acceptance.”