By Nikisha Smith
Source: www.antiguasun.com

Reggae artiste Orville “Shaggy” Burrell spoke out against overt homophobia and violence in Jamaican dancehall lyrics, saying that artistes only suffer when they choose to go that route.

Speaking to the media before his performance at Antigua and Barbuda’s Romantic Rhythms festival, Shaggy said he believes there is too much emphasis being placed in song lyrics about homophobic behaviour and violence to be meted out to gays.

He said, “Dem have way more things a gwan than to sit down and wonder who is doing what and what they are doing, personally.”

The artiste said other more serious topics, such as child molestation, rape and domestic violence go under the radar because of the extended homophobic focus. Shaggy said that giving gay men attention empowers them, whether or not that is the intention of the singers.

“I just hope that the artistes can be smart about it and realise that it is a business, make up their mind and get past it,” he said.

A self-confessed ladies’ man who sings about more than what is happening in Jamaica’s backyard, Shaggy said he currently has the number one song, Feel the Rush, in Germany and Switzerland, while other artistes are having difficulties getting visas to even go perform in those same countries. “So who are the losers?” he asked.

Shaggy said the solution is to punish offending artistes through their pockets, fining them when they curse or sing anti-social lyrics or holding back portions of their performance fees until they successfully complete a show according to preset rules.

“I bet nobody woulda cuss. You start mess with an artistes’ money, believe me, dem man will walk the straight and narrow,” he said.

Shaggy said several top Jamaican artistes cannot get visas to perform either in the United States or Europe this summer because of their anti-gay lyrics. Some of those dancehall musicians who have been barred in the past for similar reasons include Capleton, Baby Cham and Beenie Man.

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