In the wake of cancellations of most of the show on his US tour, Jamaican dancehall singer Buju Banton, met yesterday for 40-minutes in San Francisco with gay right activist to discuss his differences with the LGBT community.
The meeting, organized by SF mayoral candidate and supervisor Bevan Dufty, also included, executive director of the SF gay community center Rebecca Rolfe, Equality California’s Andrea Shorter, SF Supervisor Eric Mar and activist Michael Petrelis.
The group explained that American gays are not singling Banton out, as they also advocate for gay tolerance in Jamaica, and have also applied pressure on the Jamaican government and business leaders to affect change that benefits gays across the island nation.
Petrelis said on his blog…
“The meeting was very civil and productive, even though at times I had to play the “bad cop” activist, especially when Buju was dominating the discussion, and we made several suggestions for him to consider, in order to start to undo some of the problems he has in the gay community because of his past anti-gay lyrics.”
Petrelis also said the group proposed that Banton think about making statements in Jamaica calling for love toward gays, donating to the JFLAG group, hold a town hall meeting in Kingston about the need to respect gays, and sing about loving gay people.
All of the groups’ suggestions were rejected by Banton and his people according to Petrelis. Banton was scheduled to perform in Chicago, Las Vegas, Dallas, Houston and other cities, however, after a campaign that was initially organized by the LA Gay & Lesbian Center, and the liberal website change.org against Banton, clubs began to cancel his appearances.
Source: lezgetreal
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Posted on October 13, 2009 20:48
Lolo...the gays must be crazy to think Buju will be singing to promote or love gay people in Jamaica. The furthest Buju should go, don't sing about them (gays) anymore in any negative light in his songs. I used to have the same view like Buju when I was growing up in Jamaica in the inner city.. My view was all gays were pedophile ( rich men from the hills and upper St.Andrew , who abuses street boys in Half Way Tree for money). With time come wisdom and living in North America , I come to be more tolerant...As long they don't mess in my house I don't care what they do behind close doors...And WHO TO JUDGE....leave the judging up to God.
Posted on October 13, 2009 21:02
Thats right Banton, Don't bow to dem or anyone!!! They cancel deh' shows but would NEVA be able to cancel JAH light!!!
Posted on October 13, 2009 22:25
LOL !!!! THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN, THE GARGAMEL WILL NEVA ACCEPT THESE TERMS NEVA !!
BUN FAGGOTS, LAVA !!
Posted on October 13, 2009 23:42
Buju ah act like him no gay when he knows he is one of di bigger b**ymen ina jamrock,GARGAMEL/BUJU,,,, GO put on yuh red green and gold ba**yrider and go sing fi di gays !yeew knooow yeeew wanna (spoken in my best ba**yman voice)
Killer: YOOW! KABOOM! Buju mi are have yer back!when I say yer back I mean yer 'BACK" that include yer butt too
Posted on October 14, 2009 00:02
"sing about loving gay people" lol that was the best part of the report sure jamaica would love to hear there favorite artist sing about loving gay people LOL
only franky paul can pull dat off get it pull that off lol
Posted on October 14, 2009 00:06
BUJU START BOW TO DEM. DEM DRAW HIM OUT. PON A NEXT WEBSITE, HIM ALL A TEK PICTURE WID DEM PEOPLE DEH. GARGAMEL YU RATINGS DEAD!!!!
Posted on October 14, 2009 07:18
HAHAHAAAAAY IF I LAUGH I DEAD.... DEM PPL YA REALLY A TEK DI PISS HAHAHHAAAY GO SI DI STEAM A COME OUTA BUJU HEAD HAHAAAY DIS YA ONE YA ""FUNNY"" AND HILLLLLLARIOUSZZZZZ NUH HELL
Posted on October 14, 2009 10:40
The rasta nah give in member that make then fish gwaan do what they are doing then can't stop the fire me boss see you in Dallas next Tuesday cAn stop how god bless no man curse member that.But see thing and time change because me remember growing up in Ja the land that I love so much all though Nuff things a gwaan when me don't like me remember back in the days you couldn't run no b*ttyman joke and this was around 2002 come 2009 a I bag a fish done there check mobay me never seen so much gay man 1 place me shock so yard change 2 because couple years ago nothing like that they would have 2 hide know there just out there like that
Posted on October 14, 2009 11:33
I'm glad that he refused their "suggestions." These aren't his fans asking him to sing about something different because they buy his music and want different lyrics. I'm sure even if he never sang another song about gay people, Bevan Dufty, Rebecca Rolfe, Eric Mar and Michael Petrelis wouldn't be supporting his music or any Jamaican artist. Also, THEY ARE SINGLING OUT JAMAICAN ARTISTS! Many WHITE hate groups in America, if not all, condemn and sing about killing gays (and are doing it), even if they are white like them. How come the gay rights groups don't approach the Skinheads and KKK with their "suggestions"? They are right here on US soil. You don't have to travel all the way to Jamaica where you don't live to change the island when you could easily focus on the hate crimes currently going on in your own backyard! I don't believe in violence against ANYONE, but at the same time I don't like how gay people are trying to portray all Jamaicans. Shame on them!
Posted on October 14, 2009 11:56
buju mi lose afa you,u should never go sit up wid chi chi man and a tek picture wid dem
Posted on October 14, 2009 14:11
Since they are pressuring Buju's shows and livelihood I understand the reason for the meeting. Nothing is wrong with sitting across the table with folks you dont like. They state their views and he stated his views, argument done.
Posted on October 14, 2009 14:46
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, HOW DARE THESE PEOPLE DICTATE WHAT SHOULD BE DONE IN J-A-M-A-I-C-A, DEM MADDD.
BUJU FI JUST GWAAN DO HIM TING NO PAY DEM NO MIND. DEM NAH BUY HIM MUSIC OR GO A HIM SHOW, SO DEM NO RELEVANT NEXT......
Posted on October 14, 2009 18:11
DEM GUYS DISS BUJU ..MI DONT CARE WHAT NOBODY SEH
BUJU BOW TO DEM FASSY...DEM DISS BUJU FI BRING THEM ARGUMENT TO HIM. WHEN DEM FASSYHOLE DJS IN JAMAICA A PLAY THE POP SONG " KISS THE GIRL" DEM NAH PREE THE DAMAGE DEM A DO TO THE ORDER OF NATURE.. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH THIS R*SS WORLD !!!!!!
Posted on October 15, 2009 13:00
Buju nah bow dung or aplogize to no b*tty bwoy n as far has dem wah buju fi help dem legalized b*ttymanism a jamaica dat nah go happen yuh musey wah ww3 bl**dcloth start........all dem a cancel yir show dem dough worry mi don cause a good ova evil n yardie we nah stop bun b*tty bwoy
Posted on October 15, 2009 15:47
BUN BA%%Y BWAY AND DEM FRIEND....TELL DEM BUJU AS WEH SLASH SAY "WI NAH CONDOLE IT NO BATTY BWAY CAH COME AROUND"...TELL DEM FI CANCEL DI SHOW DEM U DONE RICH ALREADY SO DEM CAH HOLD U DOWN...GUN SHOT
Posted on October 15, 2009 16:58
Buje - Stand up for what you believe in;don't bow to them. As long as you no sing nothing bout them they cant do you nothing and it is not fair for them to interfere with your concerts; since when gay people a dictate what anyone should sing in a them song; but what the hell is going on in a this world; they don't have to come to your concerts or listen to your songs if they dont like it; stand firm my Jamaican brother and remember who god bless not man curse. "One Love"
Posted on October 16, 2009 10:33
I think Buju just needs to stop making the hate music. He doesn't need to go by the LGBT guidelines [which I think are not even true].
Buju is a great artist, and his lyrics do not have to include killing people, albeit gay or straight.
Leave the hateful lyrics alone and sing something more meaningful.
Posted on October 16, 2009 14:05
dat mi say buju nuh teck nuh chat from nuh b*tty bway gun sh*t fi dem buot man fi dj love song fi dem, and a next ting how dem wah fi tell people wah fi do and say a jamaicans alone dem have strenght fa wah dem nuh go teck on di kk dem see if dem nuh get maad g*nshot.
Posted on October 20, 2009 17:28
Leave Buju alone , the only reason they picked on him is because he has no major label behind him, Buju only sings cultural and. Upliftung music. You can't. Force that man to sing about ish he don't want to. That same bull that gay people comoplain about they are doing to him . Leave that man alobe if he not messing with you leave him alone!