Ziggy Marley Replaced By Foreign Reggae Acts

Published:Friday | June 17, 2016 | 11:44 PMCurtis Campbell

Contributed

Ziggy Marley

Grammy Award-winning reggae artiste Ziggy Marley has fallen from the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Reggae chart, after spending only two weeks on top with his self-titled album.

Marley's reign on top was terminated by Falling Into Place, released by Rebelution.

Rebelution is a roots-reggae music band formed in Santa Barbara, California, comprising Eric Rachmany, Rory Carey, Wesley Finley, Marley D Williams and Khris Royal.

The prince of reggae, Dennis Brown, had to settle for the No.4 spot this week, with the debut of his tribute album, We Remember Dennis Brown. The album features Chronixx, Raging Fyah, Romain Virgo and Jah Cure, among others.

Alkaline's debut dancehall project, New Level Unlocked, remains the only effort from the genre still in the top 10 and currently sits at No. 7 moving up from No. 9 last week.

Sean Paul is the highest-charting Jamaican artiste this week on the Billboard Hot 100, as his collaboration with foreign artiste Sia, titled Cheap Thrills, climbed to the No. 13 spot. Billboard also noted that the single is this week's biggest gainer in airplay.

Drake's Controlla, which features a Beenie Man sample, now sits at No. 25 on the Hot 100. Interestingly, Vybz Kartel's highly publicised King of The Dancehall album is not on the Billboard chart this week, despite several discussions on social media about the album's supposed success.

entertainment@gleanerjm.com

Sizzla Kalonji US Visa Revoked, Jamaican Gay Rights Group Celebrate

Reggae/dancehall star Sizzla Kalonji was hit with a major setback this week when the United States Embassy revoked his work visa.
The development resulted in a cancellation of his upcoming US Tour.
WATCH: Official Video: Sizzla – Good Love
Jamaican gay rights group Jamaica Association of Gays and Lesbians Abroad (JAGLA) are celebrating the news calling it a victory for gays.
“This is the result of the “Fyah Bun” anti-gay lyrics. If you hate gays so much, why desire to perform in countries that protect the rights of members of the LGBT community? Hypocrisy,” the group wrote on their Facebook page.
“Thanks to members of the LGBT community in the USA who lobbied against Sizzla’s Tour! Big Unnu Self,” the group added.
The promoters of Sizzla’s tour are not giving up on their effort to bring the reggae veteran to the United States.
In a statement sent to Urban Islandz, Stephen Brush of International Artists Agency says the tour is postponed until February.
“It is not a dead issue, but I am no longer comfortable waiting and seeing,” Brush said. “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.”
The tour was scheduled to run from November 21st through to December 22 with seven shows in Virginia, Washington D.C., New York and Colorado.
Sizzla has not performed in the United States in over 5 years after his visa was revoked in 2008.

Beenie Man U.S. Work Permit Reinstated

Dancehall star Beenie Man recently got his United States work permit reinstated three years after it was revoked.

(Repost From http://urbanislandz.com)

Beenie Man along with several other dancehall stars including Mavado, Aidonia, Sizzla, Bounty Killer, among others had their U.S. work visa revoked in 2009 for unknown reasons. However, Beenie Man and Mavado have since had their visas reinstated after some hard work from their legal teams.

Beenie Man acquired a U.S. visiting visa last year, but was unable to perform in that country due to the restrictions. Beenie will headline the upcoming “Groovin In the Park” concert in New York on July 1.
“I am extremely excited to announce that our booking agent here in New York was able to secure a work permit for the Dancehall king, Beenie Man to be a headline performer at this year’s ‘Groovin In the Park’ concert on July 1,” a statement from Beenie Man’s camp reads.

“Music fans in the tri-state area have been waiting for a very long time for the opportunity to see Beenie Man perform live here in the USA again. I am glad we were instrumental in making it happen for the fans. Beenie Man is an extremely talented entertainer and we are happy that he will be again able to showcase his talents on stage in New York,” the statement added.

The good news for Beenie Man comes just weeks after he issued a public apology to the gay community for lyrics in some of his previous songs.

Beenie Man pulled from NZ show

Beenie Man was officially pulled off the line-up for Big Day Out, which will be held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in January. Beenie Man was billed to perform in Auckland, New Zealand.
Gay activists in New Zealand have been protesting on the Internet, in local newspapers and on air against the performance of Beenie Man in New Zealand due to anti-gay lyrics he had recorded in the past. He was the only reggae/dancehall act billed to perform on the show.
However, the promoter yielded to pressure and decided to remove Beenie Man from the line-up. In a release on the event's website, the promoters said: "Although aware of the controversial nature of Beenie Man and his previous lyrics that have caused offence with the gay and lesbian and wider community, the producers understood that the artiste had renounced these sentiments and no longer expresses those views."
Big Day Out It continued: "Notwithstanding claims of a commitment to the Reggae Compassionate Act, which he signed in 2007 and a promise of adherence to peaceful and humanistic values for the dates here by Beenie Man, the depth of feeling and hurt amongst these groups has convinced us that for us to proceed with his Big Day Out appearances was, and would continue to be, divisive amongst our audience members and would mar the enjoyment of the event for many. For this reason, we have decided not to proceed."
Although there were protests, Beenie Man's brother and manager, Rohan 'Blue' Smith, said the artiste was not officially booked for the show. He said contractual arrangements were still ongoing because they were not comfortable with some aspects of the agreement. He, however, said that if the contractual matters were sorted out, Beenie Man would have been willing to perform.
Repost from: JAMAICA STAR

Reigns of Power - Transfer Complete

Reggae Music as we have known, loved and embraced it is no more - The almighty forces behind international capital have won out yet again. What pains me most is that the battle was not even lost it was given over as the troops put down their arms silently in the face of what they assumed to be a superior power, without even really trying, really. The few voices of resistance were so small, feeble, and few and far between they may as well have not existed. The question remains though, now that little Reggae has been conquered and the artists voices silenced, what does it really mean to the gay community now? Are they any more empowered by subjugating a group that pretty much admitted it was no match? Tried as I might to reignite the sparks of old that sustained the early battles our forerunners had fought to uphold truth and rights at all costs, the point is now moot, and so I too rest my case.

It takes a nation of millions, they say, and we definitely had that. What we did not manifest was the will to win and moreover not even any real will to fight. Furthermore just like the panthers, the nation, garveyites, and others of the early pioneers of truths and rights, the defeat came from within as divide and conquer proved its efficacy in history yet again also.

The black West Indian gays alligned themselves with the powerful gay agenda and flipped the script on their indigenous culture which, not unlike black culture in America on the whole, frowned, to put it mildly, on what is deemed in the Caribbean, and many other places I might add, as being deviant, homosexuality.

And so they sang. The artists in their defiance of "nastiness" sang the glories of Ital living...but in the end what did it really mean when it seems for the most part they sang in jest in large measure. With few exceptions, many of the most militant artists embraced the very vices they decried in their lyrics. Not that all artists have to be role models, but imagination of artists as practicing what they preached might well have been equally moot.

If you think about the lifestyle choices in general of many artist and hangers on in the genre, one can not actually take them seriously. Just look at their lifestyles. I mean its all rhetoric, the truth and roots, with only rare exceptions. It would take retiring to the hills in a literal sense to transcend the business side of the runnins, which is what rules.

Nevertheless its a done deal in any case, and my words, this blog, the Reggae by the Bay that once offered rich, historical culture to overflowing crowds, its all moot now, the passing of an era. What remains are only the memories. Its clear the downturn started with the crack epidemic in the mid eighties and so the end should not be a surprise since its been a long time coming.

It's official now. Outrage cosigned on the dotted line. The almightly euro/dollar "rises" highest again...

BEENIE MAN, SIZZLA, & CAPLETON STEP UP TO STOP HOMOPHOBIC LYRICS IN REGGAE
Category: News and Politics

Reggae stars Beenie Man, Sizzla, and Capleton have taken the lead in pushing reggae artists to stop releasing anti-gay hate songs.

According to Britain's Pink News, the three reggae stars were the first to sign the Reggae Compassionate Act in a deal that was brokered by reggae promoters and Stop Murder Music activists.

The Act reads, in part, "It must be clear there's no space in the music community for hatred and prejudice, including no place for racism, violence, sexism or homophobia. We do not encourage nor minister to HATE but rather uphold a philosophy of LOVE, RESPECT and UNDERSTANDING towards all human beings as the cornerstone of reggae. We agree to not make statements or perform songs that incite hatred or violence against anyone from any community."

The deal culminates a three-year-long campaign by the Stop Murder Music activists, which resulted from the cancellations of shows and several sponsors pulling their support of reggae acts.

Peter Tatchell, the Stop Murder Music worldwide coordinator, said, "The singers' rejection of homophobia and sexism is an important milestone. We rejoice at their new commitment to music without prejudice. This deal will have a huge, positive impact in Jamaica and the Caribbean. The media coverage will generate public awareness and debate, breaking down ignorance and undermining homophobia."

The campaign against the three reggae stars will be suspended but Tatchell will continue his campaign against the other acts. He said, "The other five murder music artists - Elephant Man, TOK, Bounty Killa, Vybz Kartel and Buju Banton - have not signed the Reggae Compassionate Act."

In the past, Beenie Man has shared his frustration that reggae music was being singled out especially during the second to last season of the Sopranos when a homosexual mobster was killed because of his sexual orientation. The Grammy Award winner said: "They never attack hip-hop. They never attack the comedians. They never attack none of the moviemakers, none of that. Look at the Sopranos right now, you know, so they not coming under no attack for that, you know. That's it."

from Nikki Woods - - CEO of 360° Media and Entertainment Corp.

Buju Breaks Under Pressure?

Buju breaks under pressure?

reposted from Jamaica Observer: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/Entertainment/html/20091013T230000-0500_161734_OBS_BUJU_BREAKS_UNDER_PRESSURE_.asp

Deejay holds meeting with gays

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Deejay Buju Banton yesterday met with four members of San Francisco's gay community in what is being seen as a move to discuss the continued cancellations of the gigs at various points on his Rasta Got Soul tour of the United States, due to pressure from gay rights groups.

This was reportedly Buju's first meeting ever with gay advocates, to put an end to the controversy that continues to plague him due to his song, Boom Bye Bye, which
he recorded years ago while still a teen.

Back row from left: Buju's PR representative Jonathan Mack, , Bevan Dufty, Andrea Shorter, Eric Mar, Rebecca Rolfe and Tracii McGregor of Gargamel Music. Front row, Michael Petrelis and Buju. (Photo courtesy of Michael Petrelis)

Present at the meeting were gay leaders' supervisor Bevan Dufty, who arranged the meeting, Rebecca Rolfe, executive director of the San Francisco gay community centre, Andrea Shorter of Equality California and advocate Michael Petrelis. Also present was supervisor Eric Mar, a straight leader in the Asian community, Buju, members of his PR team and president of his music company, Gagamel Music, Tracii McGregor.

Advocate Michael Petrelis, who was part of the meeting, was quoted on his blog as saying, "the meeting was very civil and productive, even though at times I had to play the "bad cop" activist, especially when Buju was dominating the discussion, and we made several suggestions for him to consider, in order to start to undo some of the problems he has in the gay community because of his past anti-gay lyrics."

Among the items on the list of demands the gay rights lobbyists put forward was that Buju think about making statements in Jamaica calling for love toward gays; donate to the JFLAG group; hold a town hall meeting in Kingston about the need to respect gays and sing about loving gay people. All the suggestions were rejected by Buju, which is said to have infuriated the lobbyists present.

Petrelis also stated that although the meeting was a beneficial first step, the gay community will want more concrete steps taken, before their actions against Buju's concerts will cease.

Straight Pride NYC - August 2008 - B. There.

STRAIGHT PRIDE--It’s about damn time! Thank you NY!!!

There are reasons NYC is home to one of the most sophisticated, cosmopolitan, and enlightened populations on planet earth today. Below is only one of them. And while I won't rehash all I've said in these blogs over time again, I will say that I am changing ALL my plans to head to New York for Labor Day this year. You should too. Here's why: (Reposted: Yardflex.com)

July 12, 2008

Heterosexual Pride to be celebrated in New York

A Straight Pride Parade will roll out on August 31, 2008 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, just one day ahead of the annual Caribbean Labor Day Parade.

In a press release sent out recently by members of the reggae community, who have organized this event as a response to gay groups coming down hard on some dancehall music; the parade was justified as being, "...a chance for Heterosexuals to gather together and proudly embrace their sexuality. The Parade will also allow reggae and dancehall fans who are in New York City for the Labor Day celebrations to get together and celebrate reggae, dancehall and family in love and unity. Adults are encouraged to bring their children along for the celebrations, as the event will be family oriented."

Not only have gay groups launched massive global advocacies against what they call reggae's long history of gay intolerance, they have also been successful in hitting artists hard, in the pocket, by pushing for show cancellations. Their aim is reportedly to stop reggae and dancehall artists from promoting anti-gay violence, harassment and bigotry through lyrics.

The release said further: "Gay friends and gay relatives must be left at home or worse kept in the closet."

Posted by yardFlex at July 12, 2008 01:57 PM

Now there is a template...let's take a page from NY's book and take this thing global. The culture I was raised on and still embrace deserves at least as much. Hope to see you in NY...B. There. If you Care.

One.

-A

For the record, let me just say that I never said gays don't have the right to be gay. All I'm saying is they definitely don't have the right to try and impose their will on everyone else. They definitely don't have the right to attempt to try and GLOBALLY discredit another culture, just because they disagree with its precepts, nor should they be given reign to unjustly and viciously smear reggae artists unfairly for practicing their inspired craft.

Agree? Disagree?

Speak on it then.

NYC Carifest 2008 - CANCELLED!!! One Year after 2007 gay protest

The Reggae Compassionate Act, Sizzla cancelling European Tours, Sponsors defecting leftnright, decades running shows disappearing overnight...things that make you go hmmmmm right??? If not, it should. I hate to be a one to say I told you so..., BUT, the truth just is. It seems what started in the West done str8 saddled to the East.

Let me honestly just say... I saw this coming from at least 2003, the first year Capleton got banned from his annual, highly anticipated, presence at the former Reggae In the Park, another long running show that exists no more. It used to arrive every summer to S.F.'s Golden Gate Park, where enthralled thousands of Capleton's formerly adoring fans used to wait all year for him to bless us with his gift. He headlined at least three years running, every year, and amidst zero complaints. He always slaked our thirst for that raggamuffin roughness...never once dissappointing, and then not only was he cancelled, but after falling attendance and garbage pail line ups in the post capelton years, so was the show.

We recently lost Reggae on the River, though their lineups could be hit or miss near the end of their run too. It's replacement, Reggae Rising, put Sizzla on this year to help, but unlike Reggae on the River in the past, which nearly sold out a year in advance, they still got plenty tickets to sell less than a month out now. I want to go just to see how Sizzla perform in this new RCA climate. These ARE the F-n dayz.

With so much powerful inspiration how is it no one is taking this on. I think it has to begin with the born Jamaicans. It's your thing, on a level, But you know you got major backative, myself included, anyway it goes down.

This Gay v. Reggae thing has now steamrolled around the globe and landed squarely in NYC, and yet there is still no organized, effective, collective response from the Massive itself to deal wid the matter proper. What gives? I was sure that when this crud hit in places like New York, with its large nos. of WIs, we would start to see sumthin go. It early still, since the shit just hit the fan. I guess people there just startin to really analyze what's really goin down.
I'll just say take a page from the Bay Area experience, the activities of which I've been profiling in these blogs and otherwise for years now. Act big NOW, or, like us in the gay Yay, get used to seein groups like Slightly Stoopid, and other hippieish imitations of the real thing, start replace the people's choice artists we'd all prefer to be seeing in regular rotation.

See Press Release Below (where they try to blame it on the dang weather...yeah, right.):

It is with enormous regret that Reggae-Carifest N.Y., Inc. announces the cancellation of the Carifest C.A.R.E.S. AIDS Awareness Benefit Concert for Keep A Child Alive scheduled for Sunday July 6th at the USTA National Tennis Center. Due to the economic recession and very bad weather forecasts for the day of the concert, very few tickets for the concert have been sold. Accordingly, the only conclusion is that the concert must be cancelled. Moving forward with the concert under these circumstances will in no way benefit the cause. Reggae-Carifest N.Y., Inc. apologizes to all patrons who purchased tickets and assures that full refunds will be made. All ticket holders can return to point of purchase to receive a full refund.Thank you,Carifest C.A.R.E.

Repost from Rastainoz.com

http://rastainoz.com/blog//index.php/reggae/2008/04/05/gay_civil_rights_call_for_boycott_of_anyBy

Richard Burnettrburnett@hour.ca

"I hate it when people call me a hero," Gareth Henry, leader of the Kingston-based gay civil rights group Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG), told me over breakfast last October while in Montreal to lecture at Concordia. "I have to do what I do. My rights as a Jamaican citizen have been violated, so we must challenge the Jamaican government to do something [about widespread anti-gay violence in Jamaica]. It's true the chances of my being attacked are inevitable. But that's why I must go back."

Then, on his way to the office last November - after 13 of his gay friends were murdered since 2005 - two thugs approached him and threatened his life. "We know who you are and we're going to kill you," they told him.

Says Gareth today, "So I didn't go back home. I called my mother to collect my things."
On Jan. 26, Gareth returned to Canada and claimed refugee status. This time he hopes he won't have to return to Jamaica. "I prefer to live."

Gareth, British activist Peter Tatchell, myself and others have long documented how anti-gay dancehall reggae by the likes of Buju Banton, Sizzla and other dancehall stars fuels the anti-gay hate and violence in Jamaica, a nation Time magazine in 2006 called "the Most Homophobic Place on Earth."

Despite cancelled concerts worldwide, however, these dancehall dons remain unrepentant. So Stop Murder Music Canada (SMMC), along with Canada's national gay lobby group Égale and the international Metropolitan Community Church, are launching an international tourism boycott of Jamaica, as well as a boycott of all Jamaican goods and services, beginning on May 17, International Day Against Homophobia, if Jamaica doesn't repeal its buggery laws and introduce a national pro-gay education campaign.

In Toronto, the coalition has twice met with Jamaica's Consul General, Anne-Marie Bonner.
"We've asked the Jamaican government to respond by May 12," says SMMC founder Akim Ade Larcher. "This boycott will [also] include [all] reggae performers."
"We didn't go into this lightly," says Égale executive director Helen Kennedy. "It took a long time to get to this point. I'm cautiously optimistic they will do the right thing and denounce the escalating violence against gay people in Jamaica."

Others, like Montreal dub DJ Moss Man - who flew to Jamaica this week to film the new feature film Get Rock to Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae, which will culminate with an April 19 concert with old-school superstars Ken Boothe, Judy Mowatt, Derrick Morgan, Leroy Sibbles, Marcia Griffiths, The Tamlins, Dawn Penn, U-Roy and others - have reservations about the boycott.
"I sympathize with the movement but I say a boycott might just backfire and make people more angry [against gay people]," Moss Man told me. "Boycotting Jamaicans won't make a difference anyway - they're already dirt fucking poor. Maybe they should target foreign nationals and rich Jamaicans."

"I think it's stupid to boycott an entire country over a specific issue that should be solved internally in Jamaica," says Cezar Brumeanu, manager of Montreal's House of Reggae nightclub and executive director of the Montreal International Reggae Festival. "Only Americans seem to get involved in other countries' internal affairs, and look where it got them: They're hated by everyone. I say let the Jamaicans solve their own problems internally, not by outside forces. As for the festival, we are not in the boycott business, we are in the reggae music business for everyone who likes to enjoy it."

Even the Fort Lauderdale-based International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association doesn't support the tourism boycott. In a statement, the IGLTA claims it "is in complete solidarity with Jamaica's own LGBT leadership, J-FLAG. Therefore, like J-FLAG, it is not our intention to provoke reprisals or political condemnation in Jamaica by supporting a global tourism boycott. We understand [a boycott] could be counterproductive to making true progress in that Caribbean nation, and instead we will focus on education, publicity and market competition to highlight and help curb these terrible abuses."

But Akim Ade Larcher is having none of that. "I have not seen the IGLTA take part in any education or awareness of homophobia in the Caribbean. For them to come in at this late date saying they don't support a tourism boycott is not in the best interest of effecting change in Jamaica. As for J-FLAG, strategically they can't [publicly] call for an international boycott - it puts their members' lives on the line."
Even J-FLAG's former co-chair, Gareth Henry, told me last October before he escaped to Canada that he would support a tourism boycott of Jamaica. "The violence against gay people is still increasing," Gareth told me this week.

As for my L.A.-based friend Roger Steffens, chair of the Grammy Awards reggae committee, personally dubbed "Ras Rojah" by Bob Marley and whose massive reggae archives were recently acquired by Jamaica to become the National Museum of Jamaican Popular Music, he says, "I think Bob [Marley] would be terribly upset about all of this and say that reggae music is positive and constructive. You can't go around killing people just because they live a life different than yours."

The Jamaican boycott goes into effect on May 17 on International Day Against Homophobia.

Red Stripe Pulls Out Thousands in Sponsorship from Sting and Sumfest 2008 after gay protest

I don't know when the reggae fraternity is going to finally get behind this issue en masse, but it seems that the will is just not there. Meanwhile the gay community is steamrolling all over reggae music to shape and form it into an image they want to own, and it is having an impact on artists. I saw Capelton in Long Beach recently, as one example, the Fyah man, and I'm telling you the man was just a shadow of his former self. I am sure the only reason he was even ALLOWED to perform was because he had already signed that Reggae Compassionate Act. I don't know what he does in shows in Miami or JA or NYC, but I definitely felt the difference. He was just so, I don't know how to describe it really, so silenced. I was like how many time he gon ask for lighters and he aint saying nothing to make that happen. It was kind of painful for me to even watch and just downright sad.

What I don't get is why this silence form the fans. I mean, I kind of get it that the gays are pretty much runnin things at a high high level in places, but, no matter, I still believe in the power of the people. Seriously, if gays are attacking little reggae, why they don't attack Christianity and Islam both of which disavow the homo lifestyle. Or that would be to aim to big for them I guess. But the message in reggae is no different from those. If I could find even 10 people willing to stand firm for the basic right to free speech, even in the face of the gay onslaught, there could be a powerful movement born since to most of those in this music is more than just music; it is life, despite what anyone outside might think or know of it... Unfortunately, as it stands, EVERYONE I have spoken to about this has opted out of the fight.

Maybe it's immigration issues or the fact of gay power in high places or whatever, but Oh well, in that case, all I can say is that based on the San Francisco/Bay Area, as just one of many other examples, where we saw our community wiped out completely and still dead today in terms of live performers, don't be surprised to wake up to find that the artists you most want to enjoy have been banned where you are too, or at least censored down to invisibility. We can't even post flyers when certain artists try to come to town. It's all underground now, and THAT only if they even brave to try and play here. In most cases they just don't bother come. All we get now is Culture, and Sista Carol in regular rotation, but zero new top artists and zero large venues, which Capeleton, for one, used to pack out here. It's one thing to say dem cyaan stop reggae music no matter what and quite another to stand up and make sure that is really the case.

In one sense, I see the music growing internationally but why is it A-OK to bow down to the dictates of somebody outside the community who has elected themselves culture police in order to demand of the artists dem what can and can't be said. Whose music is this anyway? Where did it originate, and to whom does it ultimately belong, the gays? Hard questions, yes, but there are easy answers if we keepin it real....One thing is for sure: when this stuff goes full circle, and it is moving forward faster and faster every time, listening certain reggae songs will not only be illegal but it will be made into a chargeable offense and a one way ticket to jail, mark my words. We ARE living in a police state in case yall haven't noticed.

Anyone even remember Get up, Stand up?

And as for Red Stripe, it might be brewed in JA but don't believe the hype; it's a European OWNED company.(Switzerland, I think, or somewhere like that)..see my previous blog on the perils of not owning our own...Peace Out.

Repost from Street Knowledge Media:

http://streetknowledge.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/red-stripe-pulls-plug-on-reggae-concerts-over-gay-protests/

In a repeat of a trend that reached its heights last year, mounting protest continues to dog the summer concert curcuit for Reggae artists. This time around one of the largest sponsors, Red Stripe is pulling out amidst protests about a rise in violent, homophobic lyrics. Last year gay activist groups mounted successful campaigns to shut down artists like Buju Banton (Mr. Boom Bye Bye) and Bounty Killer (People Dead!!!), who they identified as two of the more vocal advocates of violence against homosexuals. Red Stripe is retracting thousands in sponsorship money for "Sting" and "Reggae Sumfest."

Mun-Ga Hon-No-RAY-Ble?

What is Honorable about this guy? Can someone please enlighten me? I musta been high or something because I can't for the life of me figure out why this guy is the new hot *isth*. It's possible I missed it, but when I listen to this guy I'm hearing all manner of gunman bizness a gwan, an Capleton a touchin stage wit him? "Bad from mi born?" Is that not a social PROBLEM, And NOT something to celebrate in the youth? I'm sorry, but I'm still on I-Wayne's "Book of Life" so this Munga business is like a shock to my system.

He litterally singing praises to his Tek 9!!! WTF? I mean what is that gon get us but more dead bodies? Haven't we got enough of those already? Ok, am I getting old or wha? Me nuh kno, but I am a kinda youngish old school, and I'm all about UPLIFTING the people and not lowin 'em wit glock. Munga is like the hottest thing since sliced bread in the dance, but when I check it out, he aint got *isht* to say. Why Jamaicans blowin this guy up so? With all the stuff dealing wit a yard?

Call me dense, but I'm definitely not feeling this one. But it does take all kinds I suppose. And several conscious artists today started out on a similar path, so maybe there is hope yet that he will use his celebrity for somethin positive soon instead of encouraging a downtrodden people to kill each other.

I know I can count on my wise soldiers to edumacate me on this one. I want to big up the youth in this business but come on now. They at least got to be conscious! The young Fyah blazin on my page is definitely one to watch on the flip side. And he is yet to be signed. Let's get priorities str8 y'all. I ain't tryna preach, but we have to be mindful of to who and to what we lendin our support in these times. One.

Tarrus Riley...Raising the Bar on Consciousness

Reposted From http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog&pop=1

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

This for some may be like those most dreaded words in journalism: old news. If not, please do yourself a favor and check for Taurus Riley's Parables asap. I straight slept on this guy. Despite some earlier industry buzz, it wasn't until recently that I truly picked up Tarrus Riley on my higher ites radar. It didn't take me long to notice either, once I slowed down enough to appreciate, that here, not unlike with I-Wayne, was something and someone extra special in this music. I was literally stopped in my tracks once I put "parables" in regular rotation. Having always been partial to the conscious artists of any genre, whether reggae, hip-hop, rnb, or whatever, I was immediately drawn to listen more keenly and for some reason have not been able to stop doing so yet. It's now my daily routine to start off at around 6am with a medley of tracks like Stay with You, Something Strong, Lion Paw, Parables, and Africa Awaits, as I set my final mood before heading out my front door almost an hour later. It's crazy, but this is one of the most captivating artists I've heard. Similar to Bob, Tarrus is so positive I just automatically keep goin back for more. It's like an addiction where I simply cannot get enough...lol! I have since come to overstand too that one of the goals behind this sophmore effort from Riley, (he actually has another cd out already) was his desire to bring healing to the sick souls of the people. If my transformation in the morning, from dead tired to brimming with joy, is any indication, then it is safe to assume it is highly probable the brother will likely succeed in meeting his goal. He's become for me so far something like that soothing balm in Gilead that I like to refer to...Part of the reason I listen in the morning is that it helps me to steel myself against the blows awaiting my daily sojourn outside my front door, especially the Beware track - wicked. It's to the point that I'm getting a higher capacity mp3 player so I can take a ton more Tarrus tracks with me everywhere for more mental reinforcements throughout the day. It's obvious to me also that many of the Parable tracks are of potential legendary status on par with some of the greatest tracks of all times in Reggae Music. Though I've been extremely busy trying to complete my program at Cal, even that didn't keep me from stopping for Tarrus, and, if you know anything about Cal, that's saying a whole lot. But seriously, if you haven't checked for Tarrus Riley and the Parables, you'll be missing a great one. So go deh Str8! Ya dun know! And don't sleep, like I almost did...One.

Gay Protest at Carifest 2007 NYC

Reigns of Power - Transfer Complete

Thursday, June 14, 2007


Reggae Music as we have known, loved and embraced it is no more - The almighty forces behind international capital have won out yet again. What pains me most is that the battle was not even lost it was given over as the troops put down their arms silently in the face of what they assumed to be a superior power, without even really trying, really. The few voices of resistance were so small, feeble, and few and far between they may as well have not existed. The question remains though, now that little Reggae has been conquered and the artists voices silenced, what does it really mean to the gay community now? Are they any more empowered by subjugating a group that pretty much admitted it was no match? Tried as I might to reignite the sparks of old that sustained the early battles our forerunners had fought to uphold truth and rights at all costs, the point is now moot, and so I too rest my case.

It takes a nation of millions, they say, and we definitely had that. What we did not manifest was the will to win and moreover not even any real will to fight. Furthermore just like the panthers, the nation, garveyites, and others of the early pioneers of truths and rights, the defeat came from within as divide and conquer proved its efficacy in history yet again also.

The black West Indian gays alligned themselves with the powerful gay agenda and flipped the script on their indigenous culture which, not unlike black culture in America on the whole, frowned, to put it mildly, on what is deemed in the Caribbean, and many other places I might add, as being deviant, homosexuality.

And so they sang. The artists in their defiance of "nastiness" sang the glories of Ital living...but in the end what did it really mean when it seems for the most part they sang in jest in large measure. With few exceptions, many of the most militant artists embraced the very vices they decried in their lyrics. Not that all artists have to be role models, but imagination of artists as practicing what they preached might well have been equally moot.

If you think about the lifestyle choices in general of many artist and hangers on in the genre, one can not actually take them seriously. Just look at their lifestyles. I mean its all rhetoric, the truth and roots, with only rare exceptions. It would take retiring to the hills in a literal sense to transcend the business side of the runnins, which is what rules.

Nevertheless its a done deal in any case, and my words, this blog, the Reggae by the Bay that once offered rich, historical culture to overflowing crowds, its all moot now, the passing of an era. What remains are only the memories. Its clear the downturn started with the crack epidemic in the mid eighties and so the end should not be a surprise since its been a long time coming.

It's official now. Outrage cosigned on the dotted line. The almightly euro/dollar "rises" highest again...

BEENIE MAN, SIZZLA, & CAPLETON STEP UP TO STOP HOMOPHOBIC LYRICS IN REGGAE
Category: News and Politics

Reggae stars Beenie Man, Sizzla, and Capleton have taken the lead in pushing reggae artists to stop releasing anti-gay hate songs.

According to Britain's Pink News, the three reggae stars were the first to sign the Reggae Compassionate Act in a deal that was brokered by reggae promoters and Stop Murder Music activists.

The Act reads, in part, "It must be clear there's no space in the music community for hatred and prejudice, including no place for racism, violence, sexism or homophobia. We do not encourage nor minister to HATE but rather uphold a philosophy of LOVE, RESPECT and UNDERSTANDING towards all human beings as the cornerstone of reggae. We agree to not make statements or perform songs that incite hatred or violence against anyone from any community."

The deal culminates a three-year-long campaign by the Stop Murder Music activists, which resulted from the cancellations of shows and several sponsors pulling their support of reggae acts.

Peter Tatchell, the Stop Murder Music worldwide coordinator, said, "The singers' rejection of homophobia and sexism is an important milestone. We rejoice at their new commitment to music without prejudice. This deal will have a huge, positive impact in Jamaica and the Caribbean. The media coverage will generate public awareness and debate, breaking down ignorance and undermining homophobia."

The campaign against the three reggae stars will be suspended but Tatchell will continue his campaign against the other acts. He said, "The other five murder music artists - Elephant Man, TOK, Bounty Killa, Vybz Kartel and Buju Banton - have not signed the Reggae Compassionate Act."

In the past, Beenie Man has shared his frustration that reggae music was being singled out especially during the second to last season of the Sopranos when a homosexual mobster was killed because of his sexual orientation. The Grammy Award winner said: "They never attack hip-hop. They never attack the comedians. They never attack none of the moviemakers, none of that. Look at the Sopranos right now, you know, so they not coming under no attack for that, you know. That's it."

from Nikki Woods - - CEO of 360° Media and Entertainment Corp.

To Oakland City Council on Cancelling Buju Banton

Greetings in the name of the Oakland BAY AREA REGGAE MASSIVE (Community). Please know that the Buju Banton show went on as scheduled last night without a hitch. It was jammed packed to the rafters and our beloved Buju Banton's performance was PHENOMENAL. This community is not broke which worked well for the little venue that agreed to host Buju after it was cancelled in both San Francisco and Oakland. YOUR LOSS. With demand that high it was inevitable that SOMEBODY would be willing to cash in somewhere.

Your approval of the Buju Banton show cancellation in Oakland was as baseless a decision as has ever been made by anyone anywhere ever. It is utter insanity to assume a law abiding group of music fans would purposely go out of their way to attack the LGBT community. For What? This is utter lunacy! For future reference, please educate yourself in matters before making a decision. This jumping on the bandwagon without any foundation in reality is folly, plain and simple, and it is a bad reflection on you and your colleagues over in the City Council.

I have been a part of a thriving reggae music scene in Oakland for YEARS and I have NEVER heard anyone even imagining what you suggested when you wrote as your rationale for cancelling the Buju Banton show originally scheduled for the Historic Sweets Ballroom last night that:

"There are several LGBT venues near this concert venue and we must be sure that no possible fanatic followers might try to harm them."

No disrespect but....WTF? Let's be real here.

How could you possibly make such a leap? Because the LGBT is so utterly ignorant of what we are all about, this baseless conclusion is totally and completely absurd and is insulting, demeaning, disrespectful, and dare I say racist, since many Buju Banton fans and members of the Oakland Reggae Community are of African, African-American, or Afro-Caribbean descent.

Let me try and set the record straight for you and yours.

First of all try and get your facts straight before making snap judgements that affect so many people. There is a huge contingent of Conscious (Spiritual) Reggae Music Fans around the globe to whom Buju Banton is the next best thing to Jesus Christ. To those for whom this music is religion and culture, Buju burning out a chichi is not to be taken litterally. He like many of his contemporaries say burn out dirty religion, burn bad parenting, burn out bad mind, burn out filthiness, burn out wickedness, in deference to religious teachings gleaned from the Bible and Christian religion. A post from a different blog explains this further saying:

'As for Boom Bye Bye [the song causing all this insanity] that was made in 1989 when he was 15, it is the norm that whatever is seen as a negative an artist will speak in Hyperbole so as to represent the ending of a concept that one has been shown as wrong. So it would be said in a very extreme manner.

So if you wanted to say Apartheid must end in a song you would sey "Botha Fi get gunshot!"

or for Big Business to stop exploiting poor people - "Jacket and Tie fi DEAD!"

CIA to stop doing what they do "CIA fi get BOMB up!"

An end to Hypocrisy "Hypocrits fi get shot inna dem head!"

And yes it is a belief that the activity of homosexualty is wrong in Jamaica so "Boom Bye Bye"

Now Buju at 15 was following what he saw around him but once he got into his own he has made nothing but some of the most uplifting, inspiring and uniting music to ever come out of any form of Music, the album 'Til Shiloh is one of the greatest albums ever put out by any artist.

He sees himself as a descendant of Zulus, Marcus Garvey and Peter Tosh, so his mission while on this earth is to help those who are oppressed and downtrodden.

As a matter of fact he is the only Jamaican artist to start an AIDS hospice in Jamaica that gets money for those afflicted with AIDS and cannot afford treatment, it is funded by those same shows that the Gay community wants to boycott, in a time when AIDS is ravaging Jamaica and the Caribbean and unfortunately just like the AIDS relief concert in New York that Beenie Man was to perform on the Gay groups are getting them shut down and money is needed badly to deal with the epidemic.'

So hopefully this helps you to see the error of your ways and do a little homework next time. In all my years on the scene, I can't say I've witnessed a more futile, innane waste of time as with these efforts to attack these artists for something they did not start and with whose demise not a single thing will be accomplished in any real sense.

Honestly, I work very hard trying to survive in the expensive and elite Bay Area and am ecstatic at an opportunity to witness an artists of the caliber of a Buju Banton right in my back yard in Oakland as I am always somewhat miffed that the cream of the crop artists in the genre who I most want to see all avoid playing the Bay Area like the plague preferring to play all over the world without incident. Even in Europe they play more large, successful shows than you would believe. I know because I have been there, especially in France and Germany. Could it be the community you defend is more sophisitcated over there and disdains to get too involved with what they don't see as any real problem, but I digress.

Despite the little Capleton, Beanie Man UK riff, this music can not be stopped. In fact it is growing, especially in Italy and Germany, not to mention its mind boggling success in Japan. Rastafari, can't be stopped. Clean up your hearts and come. You will see the fans are as peaceful as you would find anywhere and most don't have the time or the inclination to leave a nice and pleasant, spiritually uplifting, musical stage show that inspires pride and respect for our history and go out and hunt gays...I mean for what? That, like this frivilous campaign to cancel these music concerts, would be an utter waste. In the end what does it really accomplish for the gays, the fact that they proved a point? We'll that goes far I'm sure in getting them the right to marry. I am tired of having to drive 6 hours to LA or flying to Atlanta or New York or Europe to get a chance to enjoy the best artists in the genre that I and my family embrace as a culture. Give us a break will you. We don't care enough about the gays in general to invest the time or the energy to rise up against them in a litteral sense. Speaking for myself...to each his own. Simply take Buju and kin for what they are, performers in reggae music. If the gays really want to defend their community they need to march on Washington or something, the seats of real power, if their issue is that serious. As for Buju and his purported 'threat', see also his wonderful performance on Def Poetry Jam Season 3 and get a real clue. The guy is a poet for goodness sake! Buju Banton is the least of the LGBT's problems.

I hope that after all the hoopla surrounding this madness you get more emails like this one and take them seriously because the next time a show is cancelled on such a baseless foundation, it may become more of a problem than the city of Oakland ever imagined. Our community is quiet in general and we mind our own business, but with this attack on our culture we are determined to unite and speak out, protest, email, write letters and march on Oakland if it comes to that. We can send emails and make phone calls just as well as the LGBTs can. AND WE VOTE TOO! So let this serve as notice that THE MOVEMENT TO SUPPORT REGGAE IN OAKLAND HAS STARTED!!!

See also posts on:

http://sf.metblogs.com/archives/2006/09/buju_banton_in_sf_not_so_fast.phtml

and

http://www.femmenoir.net/2006/09/on_again_off_againbuju_banton.php

Capleton Rips S.F. (On the low)

Well folks, I gotta hand it to Angel Magik. Johnny Mack and crew has done it again. Not only did they manage to pull off Buju after the gay community got him cancelled and moved and cancelled and moved again, but they went and outdid themselves and got Capleton to hit us up right in the capital of the gay world! I am so proud of Angel Majik. He's definitely puttin' in real work for the cause in the Bay, and, as a fellow Cal Bear too, I support him to the fullest!

I was also proud to have had an opportunity to meet Capleton. Not that I ever doubted it, but I can say of a certainty now that he is a King of the highest order, full of kindness, humility, wisdom, and strength. I can't say enough about the fire man in terms of pure niceness, and the show itself...well, there are simply no words that can do it justice, especially considering the circumstances under which the show went on. The hostile environment of a place that cancelled Capelton in 2004, for all intents and purposes, banning him by the overshadowing movement that has been trying to stop him and other culture artists ever since, was soundly defeated in its own back yard last Thursday, February 8, 2007. This show was on the under. There were no posters, no radio announcements, no big marketing campaigns at all, aside from a few little flyers sparingly handed out to those who needed to know. Subsequently, there were no gay protests and no gay community activists out to try and spoil it for us, at least not that I ever heard or saw.

Capleton took the stage at about 12:20am and stayed there for over two hours straight and all the while dazzling us all with his trademark high-energy, jump-up style. I mean he burned all kinda fire up in that place that night. And we were loving every single minute of it, even stood there waiting for more when it was really over and done. It was an overflow turnout so everyone was packed in as tight as sardines, and it was difficult to even move from one side of the room to the other, let alone in your own space. I know there must have been some kind of fire code violation going on. It was too packed and it was HOT!!! But nevertheless, by some mystical force beyond the super integrated crowd's control, there was only peaceful coexistence going on in the room. It was like a dove had descended on the place despite the extremely limited personal space available to everyone and just brought down peace and unity. The vibe, like the artist himself, was just pure oneness. By the end of it, my mental was so over stimulated, you know how Capleton drops that serious knowledge, I was left speechless, completely absorbed in my thoughts about the way he put things. He reminds me of another West Indian who does that to me also with his poetic stingers, Leon Damas. They have a way of droppin bombs directly on your soul and moving you to somehow respond. Capleton had us all under that kind of spell the whole set as he ran straight through hit after hit, both old and new mentally challenging us to consider our world all the while.

I think the people were just so greatful to get a chance to take in Capleton live that they dealt with the overcrowding and the heat in the place just because they didn't want to mess up their one and only chance to experience Capleton again for god-only-knows how long. We had already waited for this show for at least three years now. Capleton was in full regalia, you know his trademarked phenomenal fashion sense that coordinates everything from the head wrap to the shoes, and his set was tight like a noose. What was cool too was that it was all him. No filler acts beyond the short opener, whose name I don't recall. I, as well as everyone else, went out in the cold pouring rain for only one reason, and the promoters knew that and didn't waste our time. It was packed and hot and uncomfortable inside, but we all stood our ground and waited for the man of the hour. And Capleton, for his part, did not disappoint. After the show, I got to meet this wonderfully intelligent and powerful artist who, by the way, is my all-time favorite in Reggae - bar none, and tell him what I thought. I have never witnessed this kind of proud humility in any world-renowned superstar. He was being true to himself. It was truly uncanny. He has a regal air about him, a grace and style and wit that is beyond impressive. One can see in him that he is truly blessed on many different levels. He is a special human being, and of this I am sure. I am convinced of that fact, despite what I heard from a fellow Reggae journalist who said her experience with Capleton was, well, let's just say...suspect. But I can't say this was a most reliable source either.

In any case, I enjoyed Capleton the man and the artist and have to admit being changed by the experience. I feel somehow empowered to know that there is a Capleton in the world who WILL NOT BOW. I love him to pieces for that and for being real, down-to-earth, grounded, and secure in himself. I haven't stopped listening to Capleton since the show, and it will probably be a long while before I come down from the space he elevated us all to that night. For me at least, the show was just that powerful. I know it was an accomplishment for all of us to have Capleton play again in San Francsico, the place that explicitly banned him a few years earlier, but I had to rep my side of the Bay and asked him to play in Oakland next time, where many of our folks live.

Standing Firm On Lava Ground

By Ashanti © 2005

It appears a culture revolution is underway in Reggae Dancehall and that I-Wayne is quickly becoming one of its most illuminating new points of light. Making his West Coast debut as a solo artist on August 4, 2005, I-Wayne appeared for the first time at Jamaica Live inside Hollywood’s Dragonfly club on Santa Monica Blvd. before a crowd of fans that circled several blocks and waited several long hours to get inside. Their efforts were finally rewarded when the object of their anticipation graced the stage with his trademark falsettos nearly 3 hours later at 1:31 a.m. But to the crowd’s delight, he ran straight though one after another of his widely rotated current hits including the title track from his debut CD release Lava Ground on the VP Records label, "Living in Love", and "One Man Can’t Satisfy Her. He went on to appear two days later at Northern California’s Reggae on the River where he reportedly spit even more fire.

Hearing I-Wayne’s cool-as-a-breeze, harmonic, clarion tones for the first time, one might be inclined, or more likely compelled, to float along with this enchanting sound. But don’t let the smooth taste fool you. This same voice is as multifaceted as they come and erupts like thunderclaps at sporadic intervals with "lightening", "earthquake", and most notoriously "Lava", before launching into acapella entreaties to the black woman in particular to "irie up and live", "stop bleach", and "dash way", or give up, her inclinations toward suggestive clothing and promiscuity. And while he quickly returns to singing as sweetly as a black angel on high, suddenly he erupts again with an unexpected "Hotta", or "Fire Red", or some other emphatic admonition to "burn out dirty living" in all its forms.

It is with this unique harmonic sound, characterized by hard then soft, falsetto and tenor vocal circumnavigations over the revived one-drop riddims that he peppers with angelic odes to the black woman that I-Wayne is being propelled to the top of his game. His passion is infectious as he routinely captivates large crowds with an uncanny ability to miraculously quiet them to silence with only a gentle "shhhhhhhhhh" while touching a single index finger to his lips and admonishing them to listen keenly and learn from the wisdom carried on the winds of his voice.

At the tender age of 25, I-Wayne says he is inspired by the wind to which he says it is important to quiet and listen. By such inspiration, he delivers some of the most lucid and powerful, provocative and compelling lyrical content in the genre with the pace and wisdom of a wise old sage skillfully articulating his message with candid flair, "burning out" immorality, bad parenting, politricking, criminal behavior, and all manner of "bad mind".

For the longest time Dancehall has been saturated by hard-hitting, electronically digitized, hypnotic syncopations encouraging intense winding machinations against a barrage of some of the most extreme and explicit lyrics conceivable. Nowadays, I-Wayne and his crew, Loyal Soldiers, are single-handedly changing up the scene by popularizing culture and one-drop riddims in the Dancehall again, enticing audiences away from the empty pursuit of illicit liaisons and towards listening and learning the ancient wisdom and cleaning up their lives to live uprightly within the tenets of Rastafari. Their message is simply, "burn fire red on all nastiness", as I-Wayne routinely warns in his invectives before, during, or even after his songs. And the fans are responding, as if to ask, "What took you so long to bring this much needed relief from the now mundane, overtly sex-centric focus that has ruled in Dancehall for as long as we can remember?"

It remains to be seen whether this current return to culture and one-drop will make further inroads into the consciousness of the nowadays massive and cause the demise of the currently dominant, highly sexual, bad man mentality, or whether one camp will ever win out over the other, or if elements of both will just coexist indefinitely. All that can be said for certain is that I-Wayne is not only a budding, up-and-coming new form of Dancehall artist, but he, along with Loyal Soldiers, Jah Cure, Fanton Mojah, and Bascom X are quickly becoming the next "Big Thing" to watch for in the new culture Dancehall.