Dear Editor,
“Boom bye bye [gun shot sounds]
Inna batty bwoy [gay boy] head
Rude bwoy no promote no nasty man
Dem haffi dead”
These are some of the infamous lyrics of Jamaican dancehall singer, Buju Banton, who is slated to perform in Guyana under the auspices of the GT Entertainment Group. Banton’s lyrics go on to gleefully promote pouring acid over gay men and setting them on fire. Buju Banton is one of the most notorious of a gang of Jamaican dancehall singers whose lyrics call for the killing and maiming of gay and lesbian people, in no uncertain terms. It is precisely for this reason that major sponsors have pulled out of concerts featuring Buju Banton in Europe and North America. Banton has never apologized for his murderously homophobic lyrics and has been documented in video by Jasmyne Cannick as still performing and leading an audience sing-a-long of his infamous song “Boom Bye Bye” as recently as May 29, 2006 (see ).
The Guyana National AIDS Committee, in a December 2005 press release condemning the murder of gay Jamaican AIDS activist Steve Harvey, called for Caribbean Community to reject the violence perpetuated by the likes of Banton. The Caribbean has suffered from serious problems with growing violence in recent years.
This development is mirrored in the growth of dancehall music that promotes extreme violence – known as ‘murder music.’ Dancehall murder music singers like Banton have been at the forefront of the homophobic campaign in Jamaica which has led to the murder and maiming of men and women presumed to be gay or lesbian.
There are many other dancehall/reggae artistes whose lyrics are tolerant, respectful and non-discriminatory who can provide the entertainment for the Guyanese public which the GT Entertainment group seems to want to provide. Leading Jamaican female international recording dancehall/reggae artist, Tanya Stephens in her 2006 “Rebelution” album offers these lyrics in a song titled “Do You Still” Care”:
“… He was rescued by a car with plates that said ‘Gay Pride,’
It would have been fatal, a shot in your head, They saved your life, though you always said “chi-chi [gay] Fi Dead!
