Will The Real B-Man Please Stand Up
By Keith Boykin, in sexuality
Thursday, July 26 2007, 11:31AM
Las Vegas, NV -- Over the past few weeks I've heard a lot of conflicting reports about homophobic reggae artists Beenie Man and Buju Banton signing a deal with activists to stop performing so-called "murder music." A report back in June suggested that several artists had signed a pact not to perform the controversial music, which advocates violence against gays and lesbians. Beenie Man, Sizzla and Capleton each reportedly signed that deal. Buju Banton's name was released later as a signer as well.
Then came word this week that Beenie Man denied signing the deal at all. "I do music," he told the Jamaica Observer newspaper. "Dancehall mi do, I can't promise nuh man dat. And mi neva sign it, yuh hear sah." And Banton also denied signing the agreement. Speaking to Radio Jamaica, Banton's manager Donovan Germaine claimed that Stop Murder Music, the group responsible for the pledge, had lied to boost their efforts.
But Peter Tachell, a British gay activist involved in the negotiations, disagreed, claiming that both Beenie Man and Buju Banton had inked the deal. Tachell even provided copies of the signed statements that seem to bear the two men's signatures. So what's going on here?
The original June statement said: "It must be clear there's no space in the music community for hatred and prejudice, including no place for racism, violence, sexism or homophobia...We do not encourage nor minister to HATE but rather uphold a philosophy of LOVE, RESPECT and UNDERSTANDING towards all human beings as the cornerstone of reggae. We agree to not make statements or perform songs that incite hatred or violence against anyone from any community."
After the statement was released, I said that I was "cautiously optimistic" about the agreement, citing the failure of a previous agreement years earlier as a reason for skepticism. "I can only hope that the artists will be true to their word this time," I wrote at the time. But it turns out they weren't.
This whole back-and-forth game about whether they did or did not sign an agreement that bears their signature is silly and childish. Maybe the artists are playing to the crowds back at home to prove that they weren't pushed around by the gay Europeans. But that's no excuse for going back on their word, assuming their word even means anything anymore.
For all the macho posturing in the homophobic world of some reggae artists, they seem to have lost sight of the true meaning of manhood. One of the most important parts of being a man is sticking by your word and honoring your commitments. And being a man is about treating others with dignity and respect. Maybe Beenie Man and Buju Banton didn't get that far in their Manhood 101 class.
Many of us who have watched this cat-and-mouse game are tired of all the antics. If these artists want to go on singing homophobic music and supporting anti-gay violence, then go ahead and do it. But be prepared for the inevitable consequences and at least be man enough to say it without talking out of both sides of your mouth. But if the artists want to move their careers forward and beyond all the controversy, then they should renounce the homophobia and the violence and the murder music publicly, visibly and repeatedly from their own mouths.
As I said in June -- and I still believe it now -- the best solution is to keep pressing the artists by educating them and others so that they understand that violence against gays and lesbians, or against any group of people, is not acceptable behavior in society. The artists need to know that all humans deserve dignity and respect.
The time for all the game playing and the backsliding has past. It's time for men to be men. Would the real Beenie Man and the real Buju Banton please stand up?
Comments conceal
Blue
July 26 2007, 12:11PM
From jump I thought this was a long shot and sounded suspect, so I am really not all that surprised to read any of this. Nothing that any of those folks do surprises me. I don't support reggae artists or Jamaica, so no matter what they do it's unlikely my view will change. This had more to do with purse strings than real tolerance anyway.
Derrick from Philly
July 26 2007, 1:05PM
Y'all ever notice that gay-bashers tend to be physically uglier than other straight (or DL) men. I've never been bashed by a pretty man. I wonder why?
Anonymous
July 26 2007, 1:13PM
Derrick from Philly:
My mother always said, God don't make no ugly.
Ronnie
July 26 2007, 1:26PM
These artists will continue to be successful as long as people in their hometown continue to buy their music. Until their government and the people change, homophobic reggae won't change. There's no difference between us. Look what goes on here with our rappers homophobic lyrics, and the beatings of homosexuals. Europeans, like wealthy or educated African Americans in this country cannot stop negativity in music.
The gay community on the islands need to in some way fight for their rights. It's going to be tought, but remember it was hard as hell for Rosa, Martin, and Malcolm.
Shabaka
July 26 2007, 1:49PM
Derrick from Philly and "Anonymous", y'all are too funny!! But yeah these artists need to stand up and say what they mean and mean what they say!! No back and forth!
cmoney
July 26 2007, 2:03PM
Derrick: You are right. They are always the most hideous trolls and are really mad that no gay man WOULD WANT THEM! I think that these guys re trying to play both sides of the street by attempting to appear non-homophobic in Europe and the US and then get back to their old gay bashing roots back home in Jamaica to "keep it real". They are full of it and we need to just boycott them and Jamaica until they get the message. Trolls.
Anton
July 26 2007, 2:22PM
Small quibble:
Keith says, "they seem to have lost sight of the true meaning of manhood. One of the most important parts of being a man is..."
Can we start, on this site,to change that language, which bothers me in the world-at-large. So often,these definitions of "being a man" and "manhood" go hand in hand with homophobic thoughts/comments...not inteded in this case, I'm sure.
But here's my two cents: let's start saying be an ADULT, not be a "man". I know my sisters, and foremothers have routinely "manned up".
-Tony
Cocoa Rican![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.keithboykin.com/blog2/nav-commenters.gif)
July 26 2007, 2:42PM
Keep having protests that ban these artists, boycott their music and basically show them the power of the all-mighty gay dollar. This is not a time for us (as a community) to half-step with hands to our pearls. Either you're with us OR your career is dead. Simple as that.
Stuffed Animal
July 26 2007, 2:56PM
What's going on here is that this agreement isn't worth the paper it was printed on. We need to stop making nicey-nice and get on with the business of a cultural and economic boycott. It's not just about genocidal songs, it's about genocidal acts being committed every day against Afro-Caribbean LGBT folk.
MidwestGuy
July 26 2007, 3:45PM
I couldn't get it from the article but is Beenie continuing to advocate violence against gays? Hopefully not.
-I won't hold him responsible for what people who listen to his music ultimately choose to do. I also won't hold an entire country responsible and boycott them for what some of their citizens do--unless it's Iraq lol. If that's the case then we should boycott every american city where gays have been the victims of violent crimes.
-I do think that we should stray away from imposing our views of what 'manhood' is. For many, all gay males are not real men. We are not indicative of what 'manhood' should be.
-It is very subjective and we all will have our views.
-I do know is that the whole hip-hop homophobia is not as accurate as is being projected.
Solo
July 26 2007, 3:53PM
Although I dont think that Beenie Man is as ugly as you queens seem to think. I have noticed that the men who turn out to be gay are usually the pretty ones. Curious, it seems to be the opposite for lesbians. It's the fattest and the most unattractive women that turn out to be lez! In my job I frequently drive by a lez club in New York and the women I see coming out of that place r seriously fugly! When I first laid eyes on Shemar Moore my first thought was, "there's no way this negro isn't gay"! I guess name really does fit him. "SHE"-Mar Moore!
Derrick from Philly
July 26 2007, 4:21PM
Uhm...Solo, I'm the only self-acknowledgd "queen" on this blog. The others are black gay men. I think you made a booboo, Brotha'...or as da Rasta' Man say, "Brudda'".
If Beenie Man and Bantu weren't so mean and evil then we might consider them to be more accepta...well, I mean, we wouldn't consider them to be so...oh, please, them some bad lookin' creatures. And skin complexion aint got a damn thing to do with it, it them marijuana burned lips.
Anonymous
July 26 2007, 5:52PM
Stop.
Stop. Right. Now.
Lord, chil', I must correct the hushin' in the pews.
One of my earliest mentors was Miss Avis Pendavis from the 80s (remember those years?). So I must be a queen too, Derrick from Philly.
...a butch queen, that is.
Warren
July 26 2007, 6:35PM
Personally I don't care what these two do or say at this point. That whole thing sounded like BS from the start and the entire gay media took the bait. I'm tired of us putting our stock in people that have little or no interest in treating us with respect.
J
July 26 2007, 6:45PM
Most of the people who support this genre don't consider sgl's to be human and GAY clubs blast this music. Good luck changing them.
Why do people focus so much on this genre or rather on Jamaica anyway? Did Jamaicans invent homophobia? Does homophobia only exist there?
WOW, Solo. Troll much?
Black
July 27 2007, 12:10AM
Anyone else have a problem with a white guy, Tatchell, telling a group of mostly Black men what they can and can't sing about?
Steve
July 27 2007, 8:47AM
Just don't buy their music. Continue to point out their hate speech to others. Demonstrate against their concerts. Drag them out of their closets, because everybody has one. Keep up the fight.
brucito
July 27 2007, 10:03AM
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE YOU ASK? I would like to know what happened to all of the outrage regarding the article you wrote that is still on this site about "Why is this man hiding?". The idea of people rapping about committing murder is one thing but when a porn star (Tiger Tyson) sends in a comment with a link directly his site showing very young black boys screwing each other in the ass and taking cum in their mouths and also stating that these dvd's are for sale and nothing is said about it only makes one wonder is there a double standard. Have all of you found your caves on this issue? Some of those kids on that site look like babies. It was suppose to be an issuew about a young black man dying of HIV. It is an insult to his death to have someone add trash like that in the disguise of expressing their condolence to his family.
Anonymous
July 27 2007, 11:05AM
brucito said: ...very young black boys screwing each other in the ass and taking cum in their mouths...
Hmmm...You must have actually looked at the videos to get that detailed description, which only means that you like sex like all the rest of us.
So stop exaggerating (these "boys" don't look "very young" to me; they look over eighteen as the law allows).
My problem is the sex isn't hyped enough in Tiger's Pitbull videos: I mean, sometimes, the guys don't appear aroused or engaged...they're just squeezing flaccid noodles and talkin' weak street trash sex talk to each other like, yeah, nicca, yeah...
Chil': calm down and enjoy your Friday for God's sake.
Life is too, too short to keep a mad on a for so long that it gives you canker sores and halitosis!
Blue
July 27 2007, 11:48AM
Derrick "burnt lips" LOL ... you are so damn funny. And I'm sorry, Beenie Man looks like a skid mark. He's ugly both inside and out. (And I LOVE chocolate brothers, so trust, skin tone aint the issue for me either!)
Myself
July 27 2007, 2:23PM
Midwest "Guy" it seems to me that you yourself have more of a problem accepting yourself as a 'real' man than most drag queens I see...Because no matter who thinks who's real or not if you know you are it doesnt matter man.
elg
July 27 2007, 2:33PM
re: brucito and anonymous, have either of you guys seen the 8-07 issue of "Out", a white oriented gay magazine. It has an interesting article about "barebacking" in gay porn today.
If I'm not mistaken (it's been several days since I saw the article in a book store) the article says that 50% (!) of the actors in gay porn are hiv-positive and upwards of a third of gay porn is now bareback - since this was reported in a white gay magazine I'm assuming these stats are in reference to white gay porn actors. In other words, barebacking is becoming the "norm" in gay porn regardless of color. The article emphasizes that straight porn does not allow hiv-positive actors in under any circumstances.
Not saying it's right or wrong but no one can stop consenting gay and/or bisexual male adults from doing what they want to do.
Derrick from Philly
July 27 2007, 3:36PM
Thanks, Anonymous, for mentioning Avis. I was too stupid and timid to visit New York during the 80's. But I've memorized almost every second of "Paris Is Burning", and I appreciate the contribution the "ball children" made in creating a very important part of black gay culture. And that brings up a point that some "mainstream" gay guys (and dl guys) believe is the reason Rappers, Reggae performers, etc. are so anti-gay: effeminacy. They believe that the effeminacy of the "queen" is the reason such hatred is directed at ALL black gay males. They believe that if you "masculinize" yourself you won't have to deal with such hatred, and if "queens" were to "disappear"-- so would the negative stereotypes of homosexual men. Well, we aint goin' no where. Go to any elementary school and observe--a new crop of "queens". We keepa' comin'.
There are "queens" who don't sashay down the street, who don't proposition straight guys, who don't start cat fights in public. You got good and bad in every group, right?
MidwestGuy
July 27 2007, 3:59PM
Myself I will accept that criticism as it is your opinion. A completely inaccurate depiction of me but again, it is your opinion. It is sort of puzzling that you were able to conclude such.
If drag queens were able accept themselves as men, I would think they wouldn't be so ready to portray themselves as women. All the makeup and wigs in the world can't hide the genetic fact that they are men.
As I said earlier, "it is very subjective and we all will have our views." In your effort to dismiss what I said, you must have missed that part.
We will all have our views.
brucito
July 27 2007, 4:29PM
Thank you elg for you comments. I will try to get a copy of that article. Keith obvious has a personal beef with this guy at Flava but that is between them. It is OK for Tiger to more or less do the same thing. When the subject of death and HIV comes up I am reminded of my friends that I buried back in the 80's. In Nov of 1987 I attended 6 funerals in a 13 day period. In Jan of 1988 I had to choose whose funeral I was going to attend because they were both held on the same night 76 miles apart. I still say it was wrong to take advantage of that article to promote trash. When I see these younger black gay kids blasting that rap-a-dap-dap music at full blast I often wonder have any of them lost someone that they honestly did love to disease or violence and are they really paying attention to the lyrics that they are bouncing their heads to.
Anonymous
July 27 2007, 5:12PM
Yes, indeed, Derrick from Philly....
Miss Avis (who was actually from DC originally) was an ebullient, motherly soul, and not the catty, caustic, un-witty queen that we see so much of today.
So many queens today (be they femme or butch) have forgotten the gracious, exacting, positive old ways.
After the sensationalism of "Paris Is Burning" some in the new generation turned more and more to activities and postures that defile elders like me. Some lusted for fame and turned private ways to public madness. The community expanded beyond texture, subtlety and grace.
Words for us were as exacting as dance (and for some today like Jay, Selwin, my dear departed Eric, Alvernian, Jack, words still are)...
Long before there was "DL" there were bangee boys in the 70s. Long before Jaye Alexander on "Top Model" Willi taught girls how to walk in the fashion industry.
"Paris Is Burning" is not the history. The history lies with the living elders like Parris (2 R's!), Erskine, Duchess: All are still here.
elg
July 28 2007, 8:26AM
Anonymous, you should do us all a favor and write a book about this history you speak of. You need to leave us (and the world) a record!
Brucito, those of us of a certain age remember those SAD (so sad they were sometimes surreal) times. But as anonymous said "calm down and enjoy your Friday [I know, it's Saturday already] for God's sake".
Anonymous
July 28 2007, 9:29AM
elg: Thank you so much, dearheart. Perhaps I am writing a book, by the grace of God.
About erotic videos: Most of my acquaintances died of AIDS. In the 80s and early 90s, I was not alone in feeling that a holocaust had descended around me, especially for talented black and latin homosexuals.
However, I still believe that erotic videos are a form of theatre, however poor their quality, and all theatre troubles the line between reality and fiction. All art deserves interpretation and not censorship.
I try to be reasonable (reason, generosity, and dignity are lost arts, you know):
- AIDS makes me vigilant about advocating for healthy choices;
- But it also makes me vigilant about advocating for the beauty of eroticism, sexual innovation, and visual pleasure.
Advocacy is the essence of reasonableness.
A holocaust wins when it kills our capacity for both discretion and pleasure.
Let's be reasonable.
Yes: we need shrill activism and agit-prop sometimes.
But, activists burn out.
Advocates survive.
triniman
July 28 2007, 11:41AM
hey guys,I am new here and find the discussions spirited and also funny.I agree with cmoney that said it was all a PR game. The main thing to remember is that jamiaca gets most of its income from tourism and we all know just as in entertainment and fashion and all the usual jobs we gays black and white are overrepresnted in the tourism industry. When we encourage a boycott against tourism to any country that doesnt protect all people and the US and euro dollars dry up then they will realize that gay bashing is not only wrong but causing them financial pain; more than they already have. I am from the caribbean and trust me its about a lack of education and downright ignorance.These days its about hitting them in the pocketbook where it hurts. peace bros.
Steve
July 28 2007, 11:02PM
Triniman - Excellent post. Let's all follow through, not only by boycotting, but also by writing letters to the official site of the Jamaica Tourist Board and write them a letter to explain why we hesitate to vacation in Jamaica. Here is a link to their website: http://www.visitjamaica.com/global/contact_us.aspx
Just copy, paste, and hit enter.
Anonymous
July 31 2007, 10:53PM
I believe they did sign the agreement in order to perform in Europe without the huge protests from Outrage, etc. Their management or labels there might have also 'encouraged' them to.
But take it from me, as someone who lives in Jamaica, they will never acknowledge having signed such an agreement to their Jamaican fans.
You have to have lived in Jamaica to understand the level of Homophobia here. Acknowledging their agreement to stop bashing gays is tantamount to ending their careers.
Saditty
August 20 2007, 6:44PM
Wow. As a gay man of Jamaican heritage, i'm so used to hearing this ignorance that I always forget how shocked others are to hear it. I'm a little late on reading this, but why wouldn't you support a whole country just because of some ignorant people. There are gay people in Jamaica, and I'd say they have it alot harder then we do.
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