Beenie Man concert axed over homophobia fears

The Guardian ^ | June 25, 2004 | Tania Branigan

[ijcr]

A London nightclub cancelled a concert last night by the Jamaican reggae artist Beenie Man after officers from Scotland Yard stopped him at Heathrow airport to discuss his allegedly homophobic lyrics. The singer, real name Anthony Davis, had flown to London as part of a European tour.

He is one of the biggest stars of the dancehall genre but he has attracted increasing criticism from human rights campaigners who claim that songs such as Bad Man Chi Chi [Queer] Man incite the murder of gay men.

Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll, head of the racial and violent crime taskforce for the Metropolitan police, met Beenie Man on his arrival in London after being contacted by Outrage!, the gay rights group.

"The advice of the Crown Prosecution Service is that it doesn't believe, on the evidence of the lyrics presented to them, that offences have been committed," said Mr Driscoll.

"However, it did point out that our duty [as police officers] is to protect people. As a result of that, I spoke to Beenie Man asking him not to sing lyrics which were homophobic or promoted violence. He was extremely reasonable."

Mr Driscoll said he did not offer any advice to Ocean, merely alerting the club to the OutRage! concerns.

But in a statement, the Hackney venue said it cancelled the concert "due to concerns for public safety and following discussions with the Metropolitan police".

It added: "Jamaican music has a special place in British culture and even more so in Hackney and at Ocean. We maintain a commitment to Jamaican music and will continue to try to book the most exciting and cutting edge artists from the islands."

However, a spokeswoman said the venue was unlikely to invite Beenie Man back.

Mr Driscoll said his meeting was part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged incitement of violence by dancehall stars. "We do have a massive obligation to protect people and if people are frightened that cannot be right. But we do not want to interfere with freedom of speech," he said.

Sarah Green, spokeswoman for Amnesty International, which is campaigning against homophobia in Jamaica, said: "We are very concerned that hateful lyrics have helped to create a culture and atmosphere of violence."

Only a fortnight ago a prominent gay rights activist was hacked to death in Kingston. OutRage! also fears that homophobic lyrics are encouraging attacks in the UK.

Beenie Man's record label, Virgin, said it would bring him back to the UK to perform.

[WestCoastGal]

Ohhhhhh that Barney. lol

I like my cowboy better. ;~)

[Vision Thing]

Fear of homophobia? Wouldn't that be homophobia-phobia?

It could be normalphobia.

[swilhelm73]

The lyrics. I can't make any sense of it.

LYRICS:
Intro:
Bredrin, don't tell mi nuh crap bout yuh neva know
Three weeks before time yuh get di video
Mr. Warlord a yuh test a any show
See deh now yuh go have a man go go

Chorus:
If yuh nuh chi chi man wave yuh right hand and (NO!!!)
If yuh nuh lesbian wave yuh right hand and (NO!!!)
Some bwoy will go a jail fi kill man tun bad man chi chi man!!!
Zagga zow, and mi sex off Mona, Lisa and (NO!!!)
And mi breed off Keisha, Lisa, and (NO!!!)
Some bwoy will go a jail fi murda tun badman chi chi man!!!

Verse 1:
Like for instance, Miss Ivey likkle wash belly one deh
Who mi a talk now di long mout one deh
Di pants song I called man chi chi man
When mi see him inna video wid a naked man (What!!!)
So mi know seh oonu DJ a fraud (Fraud dem!!!)
Yuh by yuh civic and mi buy mi accord
Inna cruise a crash a now pon PG's garage
Yet still yuh a chase like you all a wear draws
Tell mi, sumfest it should a be a showdown
Yuh seem to run off a stage like a clown (Kill Dem DJ!!!)
But anytime mi buck again yuh must lose yuh crown
Cause this a one DJ yuh caan throw down cau

Chorus:
If yuh nuh chi chi man wave yuh right hand and (NO!!!)
If yuh nuh lesbian wave yuh right hand and (NO!!!)
Some bwoy will go a jail fi kill man dem a bad man chi chi man!!!
And mi sex off Mona, Lisa and
And mi breed off Keisha, Lisa, and
Some bwoy will go a jail fi murda tun badman chi chi man!!!

Verse 2:
Yo! Well mi seh everybody dead yuh neva know a your time
Yuh see mi wid mi grammy waan one like a mine
Yuh don't got nuh talent and yuh soon waan resign
So yuh link up wid No Doubt wid a white man a whine
Dat mean yuh waan link up pon di chi chi man line
Dat mean seh yuh a badman wid a chi chi man mind
And di ruffest yuh just vestigate yuh song or design
Mi nah stop fi sing song fi hit di billboard
And yuh seh chi chi man have one special code
Now we see yuh inna video and a naked man pose
Yuh all a gi him money fi tek off him clothes
Dat mean yuh waan tek di back road, anyway mi seh

Chorus:
If yuh nuh chi chi man wave yuh right hand and (NO!!!)
If yuh nuh lesbian wave yuh right hand and (NO!!!)
Some bwoy will go a jail fi kill man dem bad man chi chi man!!!
Zagga zow, and mi sex off Mona, Lisa and
And mi breed off Keisha, Lisa, and
Some bwoy will go a jail fi murda tun badman chi chi man!!! YO!!!

Repeat Verse 1 & Chorus till end

[Vision]

A London nightclub cancelled a concert last night by the Jamaican reggae artist Beenie Man after officers from Scotland Yard stopped him at Heathrow airport to discuss his allegedly homophobic lyrics.

WTF

[isom35]

the beenie man:

http://www.speakjamaican.com/beenieman4.jpg

[valkyrieanne]

Meanwhile, every Friday evening all over Great Britain, virulently anti-British and anti-Western mullahs spew their hate. Why doesn't anyone investigate *them* for "homophobia?"

[vetvetdoug]

The British PC police probably would not let David Allen Coe even land his plane if they had a copy of his album, Brand X.

[The Red Zone]

Let me get this right, they can rap about icing the police and nobody cares, but if they do it about gays... WHOOP! KATY BAR THE DOOR!

[Cultural Jihad]

The article doesn't say whether the leading suspect in the murder is a homosexual.

No one said it did, just that homosexual activists try to silence their critics by claiming those opposed to homosexual behaviors are "homophobic" and must themselves be repressed homosexuals, as if to say that God Himself is "homophobic," apparently.

[walford]

Notice that these 'homophobic' lyrics are not quoted. I'll see if there are any out on the 'net. In the meantime, let me offer this: reject the term 'homophobia' -- it is bogus.

'Homophobia' is a blanket term assigned to anyone who considers homosexuality to be wrong. Tt means is that certain people are irrationally afraid of their own latent homosexuality, so they react to it by being hostile/violent toward homosexuals. That way they can assure themselves that the are straight.

In other words, anyone who is against homosexuality is mentally ill. Consider the arrogance of that position.

[cherry]

"God forbid they stop the persecution and killing of Christians and Jews in Muslim nations, they must protect the fancy boys drinking Red Stripe..."

LOL.....

and exactly right on target...

same can be said of white folk......the rappers can preach killing white people with impunity, and nothing is ever done....

[Cultural Jihad]

In other words, anyone who is against homosexuality is mentally ill. Consider the arrogance of that position.

Or consider this other Orwellian word they use: "gay" to denote miserable people.

[azhenfud]

They refuse the words of the Bible. Romans chapter one describes them perfectly....and why they are given over to their corruption.

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;"