Whilst terms like batty boy and chi chi man has always been a regular feature in the catalogues of certain Dancehall artists, in recent times it seems as if the deep-rooted homophobia in the genre is causing it more problems than ever before. Protests and debates continue to hinder concerts and parties in the US and UK. Currently perhaps the hottest debate topic within the German Dancehall community, the LSVD’s so-called ‘war on reggae’ is fast becoming the genre’s biggest obstacle in the premier European scene.
Boom Bye Bye: Is the Scene Still Paying the Consequences?
Although it has been years since the controversial, homophobic single ‘Boom Bye Bye,’ currently incarcerated Dancehall artist Buju Banton is still facing the repercussions for releasing the track as a teenager. Prior to his legal battle, the deejay faced constant struggle with US gay groups during the 2009 promotional tour for his Rasta Got Soul album. With constant cancellations of shows plaguing the tour, he even met with gay rights activists in San Francisco, although the outcome was not particularly constructive for either side.
Similarly, artists such as Sizzla and T.O.K. have faced similar difficulty with their European tours due to the resistance from gay groups, especially in Germany where the issue is particularly topical in recent times and widely covered by magazines, especially RIDDIM. Although it was ten years since the release of T.O.K.’s battyman tune ‘Chi Chi Man,’ the popular group still faced pressure over its German tour dates in early 2010.
Nuh Apologise: Business Vs Beliefs
Issues with touring and cancelled shows are not only detrimental to the local Dancehall scenes but also to the artists’ long-term earning potential. One the one hand it would be beneficial for the artists to separate their personal views from their music, but that could also certainly be considered a new form of internalised censorship. Whether or not you agree with the artists views on homosexuality, surely to ask them not to vocalise them would be to remove the same freedom of speech that allows gay groups to voice their concern in the first place.
No matter how detrimental it may be to all involved, asking artists to censor their views could be seen as the removal of their rights; after all freedom of expression is arguably just as important as the right to quality. With both sides set in their attitudes toward the other when it comes to the battle of Reggae versus the gay groups, surely the final remaining option would just be to respectfully agree to disagree?
Hannah O'Connor - With several years of experience, gaining a reputation as one of the hardest working and more creative young writers in hip hop ...
