LGBT advocacy campaign
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Stop Murder Music
is a campaign to oppose Caribbean artists who produce music with lyrics alleged to glorify murder of
homosexual men
.
[1]
[2]
[3]
The campaign was mainly against
Jamaican
musicians, primarily
dancehall
and
reggae
artists such as
Buju Banton
,
Bounty Killer
, and the
Bobo Ashanti
Rastafarians
Sizzla
and
Capleton
.
[4]
The campaign accuses these artists of promoting
violence against LGBT people
through the
lyrics
in their music and attempts to stop this. Stop Murder Music is jointly run by
OutRage!
, the
Black Gay Men's Advisory Group
, and
J-Flag
.
[5]
The term was coined by British
gay rights
activist
Peter Tatchell
in 1992.
Reggae Compassionate Act
[
edit
]
The Jamaican dancehall group
T.O.K.
were among several artists who refused to sign the Reggae Compassionate Act.
The Reggae Compassionate Act was an agreement
[
further explanation needed
]
signed in 2007 by artists including
Beenie Man
,
Capleton
, and
Sizzla
.
[6]
[7]
It has now been somewhat discredited as some artists have felt it was badly worded,
[8]
while others have denied signing it.
[9]
Others (including
Elephant Man
,
T.O.K.
,
Bounty Killa
, and
Vybz Kartel
) have simply refused to sign it.
[10]
Local campaigns
[
edit
]
Canada
[
edit
]
Stop Murder Music (Canada) is an independent branch of the organization in Canada, founded by Akim Ade Larcher, after learning at a local
West Indian
store about a Canadian Tour by Elephant Man. Larcher, a Canadian/Saint Lucian, brought together over 20 organizations from the African and Caribbean communities in Canada to form the group.
[11]
Despite not causing any artists to be denied entry visas, the campaign was able to get concert venues cancelled,
[12]
and also get iTunes to remove some tracks by Buju Banton, Elephant Man and TOK that they deemed contrary to their standards.
[13]
United Kingdom
[
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]
The
Green Party of England and Wales
and
OutRage!
campaigned on behalf of the stop murder music campaign, including petitioning the United Kingdom
Home Secretary
in 2004.
[14]
Arguments for and against
[
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]
Tatchell has called for laws against homophobic music and the Campaign participated in protests outside concerts. The Campaign has especially objected to lyrics which they allege to support violence, including allegedly murder, towards gay men. Dennis Carney, chair of the Black Gay Men's Advisory Group, argued in 2004 that the
MOBO Awards
had a responsibility to exclude anti-gay artists because, "homophobic lyrics in music normalise hatred towards black gay men."
[15]
The UK International Development Minister
Gareth Thomas
argued in a speech that, "A number of artists [such as Sizzla and Buju Banton] are effectively contributing to the spread of HIV by producing reggae and rap songs actually encouraging discrimination against those who have AIDS and encouraging violence against minority groups such as men who have sex with men...Yes, we believe in free speech, but nobody in a democracy should be able to incite violence against minorities."
[16]
[17]
He cited John King and the
Mighty Gabby
as examples of musicians who are positive role models against violence and discrimination.
[18]
Criticism
[
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]
Tatchell and the Stop Murder Music campaign have been criticised by The Black Music Council, a British organisation formed in 2004 in response to the campaign by the president of Blacker Dread Records, Blacker Dread, in order "to protect the rights of the eight artists placed on the OutRage! hit list".
[19]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Silencing Jamaican musicians fuels censorship debate
Archived
2012-12-01 at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
"Homophobia in Jamaica's dancehall music industry"
.
The Guardian
. 2004-12-10.
Archived
from the original on 2023-06-27.
- ^
Archive copy of "Can music incite murder?"
,
The Black Music Council Site
at the
Internet Archive
. Report Date:15 Dec 2004.
- ^
Alexis Petridis (Friday 10 December 2004).
"Pride and prejudice"
,
Guardian.co.uk
.
- ^
Burrell, Ian (2005).
"'Murder music' silenced by a tough operator"
,
Independent, The
(London), Mar 7, 2005.
- ^
Colin (2007).
"Reggae Stars Sign On To Cut Out Homophobic Lyrics"
, LOGOonline.com:
NewNowNext
, at the
Internet Archive
. June 13, 2007.
- ^
Andy (2007).
"Reggae Stars Renounce Homophobia, Condemn Anti-gay Violence"
,
Towelroad.com
. 13 June 2007.
- ^
"Reggae Compassionate Act needs revision"
Archived
2008-08-30 at the
Wayback Machine
,
ttgapers.com
.
- ^
Keril Wright (July 22, 2007).
Archive copy of "Beenie Man Denies Signing Deal with Gay Group"
,
Jamaican Observer
at the
Internet Archive
.
- ^
"Reggae tips"
.
The Guardian
. 2007-08-02.
Archived
from the original on 2022-06-05.
- ^
"Stop Murder Music (Canada) (SMMC) | Egale Canada's"
. Mygsa.ca. Archived from
the original
on 2012-04-25
. Retrieved
2012-07-04
.
- ^
Krishna Rau / Toronto / Thursday, October 11, 2007 (2007-10-11).
"Koolhaus cancels concerts amid queer outrage"
. Xtra.ca. Archived from
the original
on 2012-09-22
. Retrieved
2012-07-04
.
{{
cite web
}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link
) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link
)
- ^
(Jenna Wakani photo) (2008-04-07).
"iTunes Canada pulls anti-gay dancehall songs"
. Xtra.ca. Archived from
the original
on 2012-05-20
. Retrieved
2012-07-04
.
- ^
Reggae star barred from Britain.
"Sizzla Denied Visa"
. Peter Tatchell. Archived from
the original
on 2011-01-04
. Retrieved
2012-07-04
.
- ^
Graver, Mark (2004).
"Why homophobic lyrics in reggae music are a health issue for black gay men"
Archived
2010-12-22 at the
Wayback Machine
,
MedicalNewsToday.com
. Article Date: 10 Sep 2004 - 9:00 PDT.
- ^
(22 November 2004).
"HIV warning over reggae lyrics"
,
BBC News
.
- ^
Boseley, Sarah (22 November 2004).
"Reggae stars 'fuel spread of HIV'"
,
Guardian.co.uk
.
- ^
Gareth Thomas.
"Speech"
Archived
2013-10-29 at the
Wayback Machine
,
UK/CARICOM Champions For Change Conference.
- ^
Alicia Roache, Staff Reporter.
"Black Music Council Defends DJ’s"
Archived
2011-07-28 at the
Wayback Machine
,
The Sunday Gleaner
(sosjamaica.org). 13 December 2004.
glapn.org
.
External links
[
edit
]