iTunes tells Buju Banton to "Boom Bye Bye"
Not everybody hates Buju.
According to a story that came out in the Jamaica Star last week, Apple Inc has recently removed some songs deemed homophobic from their catalog. Buju Banton's "Boom Bye Bye" was one of those songs and according to this article, some Canadian gay rights organizations are happy the song was removed.
"This is an historic victory for the LGBT community here in Canada and in the Caribbean," Akim Larcher, founder of Stop Murder Music (Canada) was quoted in the article. "iTunes is exercising its corporate responsibility by pulling this murder music and raising the bar for other retailers and distributors to do the same."
In addition to "Boom Bye Bye", iTunes removed songs from T.O.K. and Elephant Man (but no other artists faced this censorship that I can tell) which makes it seem as if homophobia is strictly a dancehall problem.
The push behind this came from Stop Murder Music, a global non-profit gay rights organization that has lobbied for years to shut down reggae concerts (quite often successfully) for artists like Beenie Man, Capleton, and others.
There's a lot of debate that could and should come from this. Freedom of speech immediately comes to mind. And should other artists who use homophobic material in their music have their songs pulled...or will it just be dancehall artists only?
They've got some kinks to work out and if you've got something to say about this, please chime in.
16 comment(s) / Post a Comment
why stop at banning songs with homophobic references? why not ban songs that degrade women? why not ban songs that denounce so-called terrorists? i mean truly the list could go on and on and on. i find it quite interesting that the dancehall community is getting the bulk of censorship heat these days. why do you think that is?
Posted On: Tuesday, Apr. 22 2008 @ 4:16PMHey man...I agree.
There's a lot of wiggle room here that could use more explaining. It seems like dancehall artists ticked off the wrong people a few years back, and I'm not just talking about lyrics. It's personal. There's no bones about it. Somebody pissed off people with clout who have made a career out of getting dancehall artists banned in particular countries. Entire reggae tours get canceled when a phone call is made. But it's not like hip-hop and other genre's don't have problems like this. I hear "faggot" used in rap songs all the time. But there's no outcry like there is against dancehall. Homophobia needs to be wiped out period. But why only attack one genre?
i agree, but don't stop at homophobia being the only thing that our society could do without. We could ALL benefit from economic, social and environmental equity…perhaps some of these groups should take on more inclusive issues and push those agendas forward. Think about what a force they could be!
Sure words are offensive – so don’t listen, don’t buy, don’t endorse – but to ban…really?
Buju Banton's songs promote murdering LGBT persons. He continues to promote his genocidal views. The reason this is different than 'hip hop' homophobia is that Buju's glorification of murdering LGBT persons is occuring within the context of an avalanche of genocidal violence against LGBT Jamaicans. He and every single one of his enablers, fans, venue operators, promoters, and sponsors are aiding and abetting genocide in my opinion.
This isn't about same sex marriage. This is about murder. If you support Buju, you are supporting his glorification of lynching Gay people. Thats all he stands for in my opinion.
Posted On: Tuesday, Apr. 22 2008 @ 7:46PMFurthermore, Buju has the right to free speech. In Jamaica. Not here. Exactly why does Buju have a right to a US, Canadian, or EU visa? Gays also have the right to let venue operators, sponsors, commercial outlets, and promoters that we will not patronize anyone who assists Buju get his message of genocide out. Period.
To those who scream 'censorship'. Would you patronize a business providing a venue for a country music artist singing 'I'm Dreaming of a New Alabama, time to lynch all the ...." or a Punk artist singing 'I'm Dreaming of a New Germany, time to gas all the ....". How is Buju vis a vis the Gay community in Jamaica any different? Would you blame people who were offended by such lyrics? Buju is glorifying violence against LGBT Jamaicans within the context of violence against LGBT Jamaicans.
I'll be waiting for that answer.
No one's infringing on Buju's right to free speech, whether he has it or not under US law. But if someone acts like an ass, consumers and companies have the right to not support them. His music wasn't banned, it was removed from iTunes.
Now I'm all for letting the consumer make the choice, not mandating from above, but that's not usually how things work in this country. Last year Dog the Bounty Hunter was removed from television because he dropped the N bomb in a private conversation. Yes, we should strive to eradicate racism, sexism, and homophobia, but not at the cost of our own rights. It is interesting, though, to see who gets a pass and who doesn't. David Allen Coe is still touring his ass off, and he's one bigoted fucker.
The real truth is, your rights are bullshit anyway. The only real voices that get heard are the ones that get the approval of corporate America. Which is why we're a capitalist nation first, a "democracy" second. You vote with your dollar. Yet people don't think about that, they only examine these issues once they become buzz words and popular topics (see Going Green).
Posted On: Wednesday, Apr. 23 2008 @ 12:02PMthe issue of freedom of speech has been raised in this discussion. artists of all kinds do have freedom of speech, but businesses also have the right to decide what they want to and do not want to promote. no one is stopping buju from making records, or even having other songs of his on itunes. apple simply decided to remove a song that was not in line with their believes apparently. that is their right. why is seems that this has been targeted at dancehall artists, i do not know. however, i see no problem with apple deciding to remove this particular song.
Posted On: Wednesday, Apr. 23 2008 @ 4:29PMShe is a beauty. Some of her fans found her on a millionaire&celebs club called RichMatchMaking . com. She has a personal account there with her pictures, blog…In her friend circle, some other stars can be found there. It is said she is dating friends there.
Buju is also known for his "conscious reggae". I am enormous fan of BUju Banton; however, I dont like some of his dancehall cuts so I dont listen to them. There are many hip hop lyrics that extremely offensive to me. I dont listen to them. I have the choice.
Either we have freedom of speech in this country or not. The GLBT community fought loud and hard to be heard and to be seen. There are still many people who we prefer that we ALL (Gays & Lesbians) disappear.
Buju is a Rasta, a true Rasta and much like the Christian dynamic, his beliefs tell him that homosexuality is an abomination to God. There are preachers and ministers preaching hate from behind a pulpit to flocks of people every Sunday. If they have the right to voice out, so does Buju.
Dont forget --- if they start banning and censoring artists like Buju Banton, we lose the battle instantly because it will only be the beginning....of the end.
As a member of the GLBT community and a bredren to Buju Banton, I will fight for his right to be heard.....and I will fight for my right to be heard.
As an aside, I think Buju's appearance factors into this as well. Tall, lean, beautiful Black man with "locks of life"...in my opinion he looks like a warrior and that makes many people very uncomfortable.
Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 24 2008 @ 10:10AMCleo I agree with you 100%.I'm Jamaican and there are some songs Buju sings that I dont listen too. But atthe same time theres ones that I love.Same with every music I listen too.
Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 24 2008 @ 11:33AMBuju is not being protested because his lyrics oppose homosexuality. No one protests the Winans. He is being opposed because he flagrantly and directly encourages murdering Gay people. There is a difference here.
If Jamaican "Christians" and Rastas believe that their religion requires them to murder Gay Jamaicans, their leaders should come out and say that. Otherwise, how is Buju consistent with Christian beliefs.
Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 24 2008 @ 10:53PMWhat's really important is that Buju learns his lesson. He wrote that song when he was 15. He's 34 now. If he understands how pointless violence is now through maturity, then a victory is one.
But if he still performs, or at least teases the song in his concerts, then that's a problem.
homosexuality IS illegal in jamaica and will never change
this is the culture of Jamaica and others should not try
to change. Noone could stop America from going
in and invading Iraq... We should all leave the moral of
the Jamaican artistes alone and stop trying to Americanize
or Eurocentralize the island with beliefs. Maybe just show
more love to women that's it!
Try holding a gay parade in Jamaica....
Posted On: Tuesday, May. 27 2008 @ 5:26PMhomosexuality IS illegal in jamaica and will never change
this is the culture of Jamaica and others should not try
to change. Noone could stop America from going
in and invading Iraq... We should all leave the moral of
the Jamaican artistes alone and stop trying to Americanize
or Eurocentralize the island with beliefs. Maybe just show
more love to women that's it!
Try holding a gay parade in Jamaica....
Posted On: Tuesday, May. 27 2008 @ 5:26PMi think buju banton is a very good artist maybe he did make comments in his song but being gay is illigal in jamaica so if he has been bought up in a striaght country to be honest he obviuosly goin to be against gays f he has been bought up with no gay people around him so it is understandable and if everyone is so against the song why bring it out in a country that has gay people around buju banton music will also be good no matter if he make comment here and there
Posted On: Monday, Sep. 1 2008 @ 7:09AMyou guys..this kid was 18 yrs old at the time...what are you achieving by by still persecuitjng him 20 years later..what you are actually doing is making sure this guy has a blong career by constantly persuing him///look at his discography..get enlightened..get a life...god is watching you all..never mind buju....search your souls..
Posted On: Sunday, Oct. 12 2008 @ 11:10PM
