Dancehall DJ Tony Matterhorn gets backlash ... for posing in female wig on Instagram

Years ago if someone had told me I would see braggadocios DJs such as Tony Matterhorn in the misogynistic world of dancehall dawning a wig complete with realness I would have not believed it, shows how slowly persons seem to be getting comfortable with once tabooed practices especially owing to strong fear of feminization of any sort which is usually met with strong backlash.  This case shows forced and unforced feminization supposedly in the name of entertainment especially from this character who has a streak of effeminacy of his own it has sparked a major public response. The timing of this couldn't be more apt as the cross dressing matters of late be they associated with homeless MSM/Transgender persons, popular sports stars and drag queens in mainstream entertainment the discourse is on, will it soften the effemophobic position as associated with male homosexuality is another matter and Matterhorn's effeminacy does not suggest he is gay or at least on the face of it.

The Star News carried this today:

Tony Matterhorn

When sound system selector Tony Matterhorn decided to wear a female wig in an Instagram video posted recently, he may not have expected that the backlash would have been so great.

Matterhorn's wig-wearing stunt was done in an attempt to entertain his over 30,000 Instagram followers on his nightly Instagram show called After Dark.

The purpose was to show how a wig had the capability to conceal a female's true facial features when she was in a party and how females were not as beautiful when they slept in their wigs overnight.

However, unlike several of Tony Matterhorn's fans who found the wig wearing stunt hilarious, there was one fan who found it distasteful, and his utterances have led to an explosive war of words via social networks.

Florida-based DJ Nasheen Fire was that irate fan, and he made his thoughts abundantly clear via his Instagram profile by posting a self-made video in which he made disparaging comments about Tony Matterhorn's wig.

Tony Matterhorn then took Nasheen's comments to heart and retaliated by hurling several verbal blows at the DJ, during which he insulted Nasheen's mother and iconic dancehall artiste, Bounty Killer, who earlier, had shared Nasheen's video bashing Matterhorn's wig-wearing stunt.

strong female following

In one of his Instagram videos, Matterhorn said he wore the wig for entertainment and his fans were loving it. The selector also believes his detractors are only bashing him because he has a strong female following on social networks.

"Listen! Mi born March and mi nuh hate pon people, yu hear. Yu see After Dark, it's entertainment and mi keep it professional. Some a unno man vex because unno see gyal a comment and unno might like da girl deh. Then suppose unnu see mi messages them? Unno would a dead?," Tony Matterhorn questioned.

And as for his attack on the Florida-based DJ, he said: "Nasheen and Bounty Killer already know mi a sick head. Unno nuh waah mi guh back to wey mi used to duh. Just leave it alone. If unnu see mi a entertain and unno have a problem with it, pick a number and join the line. If yuh want some followers tell mi and mi mek unnu get some followers. Him talk bout a gyal alone talk up inna video and him duh six video pon him page ... talk up," Tony Matterhorn said.

When contacted, Nasheen told THE WEEKEND STAR that he had not intended to start a feud with Matterhorn but only wanted to make him aware that wearing a female wig did not look good for the gangster selector image that he so often portrayed.

"I want the world to know that I don't have a personal beef with Matterhorn, but from how I see he reacted, it's clear that he has a problem with me. I know Matterhorn for years and he and I both know that I'm not a follower and I speak my mind at anytime whenever I feel like. He was the one who blew this out of context when he made his first video dissing me saying I should gomy mother, and I would never dis Miss Maggie," said Nasheen.

dissing bounty killer

The DJ also said Matterhorn simply could not handle a taste of his own medicine and was out of line when he disrespected Bounty Killer, who had no part in the Instagram argument, except for sharing his (Nasheen's) video. He also wanted to remind Matterhorn about the contribution that Bounty Killer made to his career during his formative years.

"He is out of place for dissing Killer, but Matterhorn just feels guilty because he dissed Killer in a song last year, which he never responded to. So this is just another attempt to try get Killer to diss him back. Matterhorn just wants the attention that he is not getting.

Let me remind you, Bounty Killer is responsible for making the entire world know about Dufton Taylor a.k.a. Tony Matterhorn. Killer will never answer him on wax because him (Matterhorn) a lose him way. Not because you have a big female fan base you should do anything to keep them entertained. You control your fan base. Don't get caught up and let them control your mind till you start doing things you would not have done before," Nasheen said.

Nasheen Fire and his sound system, Innocent Sound, are now calling for a sound clash with Tony Matterhorn to settle the argument.

"Tony Matterhorn, I challenge you to a clash with my Innocent Sound and we can settle this musically. If not, shut yuh big mouth and go back to making skits with wigs and low selecting life. Big up Team Innocent Sound, Fada Taylor di boss, Juxxy Fire, Dappa lee-Neely and the whole squad," Nasheen said.

curtis.campbell@gleanerjm.com

ENDS

 He is known for controversial clashes with other DJs but he has never gone this far into transvestitism albeit dancehall as effemophobic as it is has had cross dressed characters as part of the landscape but not by the artists themselves save and except for Ninjaman who in his outfits will dawn a wig for his karate persona. 

Iconic DJ Ninjaman in costume .... he too has come in for some "faggy" backlash in times gone by

The infamous clash with himself and Supercat back in the day comes to mind as well where he removed the wig and twirled it in hand which had fans tongues wagging for weeks. Side show performances from the likes of "Granny" who was a fixture at teens splash sponsored by Pepsi with his (I mean her) padded posterior to various dancehall beats, had the audience laughing. But it was her rapid wig flipping and then removing the wig of some lady in the audience that had the howls reaching to the roof at times.

That photo above however I am unsure of the actual year but there are others such as that which indicate the change in aesthetics once in costume, check the finger "cocked off" suggesting some sort of femininity. 

Professor Nuts also employs feminized characterization in his performances sometimes

Another act who has employed some sort of effeminate characterization in their performances is the legend Professor Nuts who with his animated face, sometimes feminized vocals to match the subject matter/social commentary he delivers and props in a few instances he stands out and is respected for his ability to construct a piece on spot.

In a sense it is good to watch the very slow changes and smashing of taboos in dancehall will they be rebuilt is another question left to be answered over time. 

Additional reading also see from some years ago on being Homophobic yet homosocial in Jamaica and on Gay Jamaica Watch an older post: "I love you man" - J'can men afraid of saying it openly.

Peace and tolerance

H