The LA Gay and Lesbian Center is protesting the news that homophobic Jamaican musician Buju Banton has received a 2009 Grammy nomination, the fourth of his career."We're shocked that Buju Banton, a singer with a long record of performing a song that glorifies the murder of gay people, would be honored with a Grammy nomination, regardless of the artistic merit of any of his work.Just a few weeks ago MadProfessah joined the Center's Executive Director Lorri Jean protesting Buju Banton's performance in Hollywood. The controversy has not gone unnoticed in the mainstream media.Throughout his career, Banton has performed music that promotes a culture of violence against lesbian and gay people; he sings in "Boom, Bye Bye" that "faggots get up and run" when he comes, that "they have to die," and that he will shoot them in the head or "burn them up bad."
He is completely unrepentant, refuses to stop performing the song, and recently said, "There is no end to the war between me and faggots."
Banton's music has helped foster such an anti-gay culture in his home country of Jamaica-where several prominent gay activists and many other LGBT people have been murdered-that Time magazine recently asked, 'Is Jamaica the most homophobic place on Earth?' Banton himself was charged with a violent anti-gay hate crime.
It's an affront to LGBT people, and to all fair-minded people around the world, that Buju Banton was even nominated. We certainly hope the members of the Recording Academy will not bestow the prestigious honor of a Grammy on someone whose music promotes murder."
will there be another protest?
ReplyDeleteThis is Buju Banton's fourth Grammy nomination! Whether he wins the award is up to the Grammy voters.
ReplyDeleteDo you think there might be some LGBT people amongst the Grammy voters?
If he does win, this will be an excellent opportunity for an informational picket, at least!
While Buju Banton claims that he has never sung "Boom Bye Bye" in the U.S. and that the song has never been part of his live performances, there is evidence on the internet that he performed it up to around 2004.
He's got a new anti gay routine which you can see at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WEfFFsnwGA Listen for the line "there is no end to the war between me and faggots." If you listen closely, there is more anti gay stuff in the routine.
He didn't perform this newer anti gay routine on his 2009 tour in the U.S., but the video was recorded in New Jersey, USA in October 2008.
Buju Banton is as virulently homophobic now as he was in 1992, when "Boom Bye Bye" was released.
More information: http://cancelbujubanton.wetpaint.com/ and http://tinyurl.com/ye8paw2
"Boom Bye Bye" is a paraphrase of Leviticus 20:13.
ReplyDeleteBuju Banton is a religious man. Listen for the line in "Boom Bye Bye:" "Here come religion and Buju Banton."
He sometimes performs religious songs, such as "The Lord's Prayer," during his live performances (12/31/07 at Camp Fire 2007 in Jamaica).