Beenie Man

A report by gay rights activists, Outrage, says popular DJs, Beenie Man, Capleton and Sizzla Kalonji, have signed a deal to stop singing songs that incite violence against homosexuals.

The deal, dubbed 'the Reggae Compassionate Act', was brokered by music publicist Eddie Brown of Pride Music.
In the past, reggae tours of Europe and the United States involving these artistes were targeted by the Stop Murder Music Campaign who urged gays to picket in front of venues and harass promoters to drop the dancehall acts from their line-ups. The move resulted in financial loss and bad publicity for the artistes in countries where gays are allowed to practise their homosexuality freely.

The Stop Murder Music campaign consists of more than 60 organisations in over a dozen countries in Europe, North America and the Caribbean. The three main groups are Jamaican gay human rights group, J-Flag and the British-based Black Gay Mens Advisory Group and OutRage.

In a release to the press OutRage head, Peter Tatchell, indicated that the deal has been met with glee and means gays will stop their campaign against the three artistes.

"The Reggae Compassionate Act is a big breakthrough.
The singers' rejection of homophobia and sexism is an important milestone. We rejoice at their new commitment to music without prejudice," the release said.

"If these three singers abide by their signed statements to avoid homophobic words and lyrics worldwide, we have no objections to their concerts going ahead. We will call off the campaign to cancel their concerts, and advise all our constituent and allied groups around the world to do the same," the release stated.

To prove that their claim was no fluke, OutRage sent copies of the deal with signatures purporting to be that of Clifton Bailey (Capleton), Miguel Collins (Sizzla Kalonji) and Moses Davis (Beenie Man).

Under the act the artistes pledge to:

. Respect and uphold the rights of all individuals to live without fear of hatred and violence due to their religion, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity or gender and

. Not sing lyrics or make public statements, in Jamaica or anywhere else in the world, that incite prejudice, hatred or violence against lesbian and gay people.

Efforts to contact the artistes for comment on the issue were futile.

Sizzla is currently on tour in Europe, while both numbers for Capleton's manager, Claudette Kemp, rang unanswered and calls to Beenie Man's Mafia House office were repeatedly answered with the claim that the artiste/manager was 'unavailable'. A female representative at Mafia House, while acknowledging that she had seen the document said to bear the deejay's signature, declined to comment on the latest development.

However, Tatchell has expressed wariness that the artistes have signed the deal for commercial purposes and will not honour the contract.

"We are concerned that some singers are only signing the Reggae Compassionate Act for business and commercial reasons - not because they genuinely believe that homophobic hatred and violence are wrong," a note to the editor at the end of the release said.

The Stop Murder Music Campaign will now turn its attention to five other artistes who the organisers say have refused to yield and sign the act.

The five artistes, Buju Banton, Elephant Man, TOK, Vybz Kartel and Bounty Killer, will be pressured until they relent, Tatchell said.

"These singers have incited the murder of lesbians and gays. They should not be rewarded with concerts or sponsorship deals. The Stop Murder Music campaign urges organisations worldwide to intensify the campaign to cancel these five singers' concerts and their record, sponsorship and advertising deals," the release said.

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