Discrimination Stance Creates Split, Dancehall Promoters' New Rules Not Welcomed By All

Davina Henry, Staff Reporter of the Gleaner wrote on Sunday last the article below, trouble is the supposed clauses are not really new as is reported in the piece but were not really enforced until recent times as pressure has been brought to bear on artists as promoters follow suit from their international counterparts. Have a read of the article below:

While some artistes have come under fire for openly discriminating against certain groups, promoters are now joining the cause through formal agreements. GT Taylor is one of those promoters to have taken a stance against intolerance.

"The world has changed. Live your life and let others live their lives. Entertainment is for the general public, so I don't think artistes should be on stage and be inciting violence against other groups. I don't think they should bash groups for their way of life. I put in the contracts that discrimination and indecent language are banned," Taylor told The Sunday Gleaner.

When prompted as to what punishment would be meted out to artistes who did not adhere to the contract, Taylor stated that the police would step in from there.

But Dexton Ennis, the promoter of the popular Follow the Arrow event, has put in place more stringent measures to dissuade artistes from discriminating.

"I am banning discrimination against any group, sect, or race at my event. Dancehall is already getting a beating and Corporate Jamaica is already pulling sponsorships from our shows," he said.

He further added that although corporate sponsorship was just one of the reasons he had taken this stance, he also had a responsibility to all his patrons.

"Bashing over the years has not changed anything! I have stipulated in my contracts that I will not tolerate indecent language or discrimination. Any artiste who breaches this contract will not be getting the remaining 50 per cent of their balance! It will instead be donated to the St Mary Infirmary," Ennis said.

NO CHANGE FOR ARTISTES

But while promoters are clamping down, some artistes are not welcoming the change.

According to I-Wayne, he has always been one to "bun out" discrimination, but at the same time, he cannot condone some things.

"We haffi burn wrongs. What is right is right, and what is wrong is wrong."

He added that if approached by a promoter to do an event with a contract that stipulated no discrimination, he would still perform at the show.

"I would do the show, but we burn filthiness same way. It all depends on how you deal with it. Discrimination is wrong, but if a man a burn out wrong, den dat is fi him ting," I Wayne said.

Ninja Man was much more vocal in his stance to decline shows banning discrimination.

"What they call discrimination a wha some people call the truth. Jamaica has gone to a stage where people a call dem self demon, gays a walk up and dung inna New Kingston, and people a cut off baby head. A nuh dat we come from. A nuh our culture dat. Mi nuh know wha di country gone to.

"No promoter cyaah sign contract wid me bout dat. Nobody cyaah stop me from bun destruction. Don't try stop people when dem a talk the truth. Stop force the artistes over the edge. Mi a one artiste whe a talk di truth, and who nuh like it can come defend it," Ninja Man told The Sunday Gleaner.

But while some artistes are not pleased with the new stance, Dane Lewis, executive director of J-FLAG, sees the move as positive.

"We know the influence music has on shaping society. This comes across as a very responsible and positive move by promoters. I am happy that they have taken a stance that will promote love, tolerance, and respect for equality," Lewis said.

ENDS

I-Wayne in the meantime has been consistent with his so called "bun out" stance I last reported on his release via this blog called "Bun Out Sodom which was an album track from his Lfe teachings CD.

The track sought to hit out at gay adoption, likening gay men to paedophiles and presenting a strong anti-homosexual stance overall.

Excerpts from the lyrics are clear what this song is about of course when one sees the words "Burn" and "Sodom" or "Fire" in the same sentence be they in song, written or the spoken word then look out there is bound to be trouble for same gender loving people. Lyrics on top/Translation immediately below.

Dem a drop dem fadda back, people good good pickney dem adopt
They are erasing their bloodline, not having own children but instead adopting other children (hinting at homosexualiisng children)

Baybylon you wrong you wrong you can't live long then
Babylon you're wrong you cant live long then (suggesting finality for gays)

Wicked promote the freaky girls and nasty man dem
The wicked are promoting freaky girls (lesbians) and nasty men (gays)

But righteous youths risen and hang them
But righteous youths rise up and hang them (risen is used instead of the present tense "rise in the rasta lexicon)

Burn out Sodom, I nuh cater wid dem wicked and dem nasty behaviour
Burn out Sodom I don't cater with their wicked and nasty behaviour

No slackness I nuh inna, forward I-press Itrina pon life scene yah
No slackness/lewdness I am not into, come in empress (rastafarian name for a woman or wife) Itrina on this life scene here

Burn down Sodom we a keep dem straight yah bugger dem caan escape yah
Burn down Sodom we're keeping it straight yes the buggers can't escape yeah

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Peace and tolerance

H