http://www.mercurynews.co...214.htm?1c

MTV Bars Beenie Man As Gays Plan Protest

JOHN PAIN

Associated Press


MIAMI - Dancehall star Beenie Man, who has recorded anti-gay songs in the past, was yanked from a concert associated with the MTV Video Music Awards this weekend after gay groups planned a protest, the network said Wednesday.

MTV pulled the Jamaican singer from the roster Tuesday after South Florida gay activists announced plans to protest Saturday's concert in Miami over some of his past lyrics, including "I'm dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays" and "Queers must be killed."

"We don't want anything to overshadow what will be a great weekend of music events for South Floridians," MTV spokeswoman Marnie Black said Wednesday. She declined further comment.

The awards show is Sunday at the bayfront AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, the first time in the glam-filled event's 21-year history that it will take place outside New York and Los Angeles.

Beenie Man has had his concerts canceled in Europe over the last few weeks after angry gay groups protested. Although he has previously defended his lyrics, earlier this month, Beenie Man issued an apology for his previous songs, including "Bad Man Chi Chi Man (Bad Man, Queer Man).

"Certain lyrics and recordings I have made in the past may have caused distress and outrage among people whose identities and lifestyles are different from my own. ... I offer my sincerest apologies to those who might have been offended, threatened or hurt by my songs."

Other stars of dancehall, a sensuous, more contemporary form of reggae, have also recorded anti-gay songs and have been targeted by gay groups because of their lyrics, including Buju Banton.

Beenie Man's manager, Clyde McKenzie, said "in many instances the lyrics of dancehall artists are metaphorical."

"He has made it clear that he doesn't want to incite violence," he said of Beenie Man.

He said he understood MTV's actions.

"If their organization is being pressured they may not want anything to be distracting from their event," he said.

Heddy Pena, executive director of the Miami-based gay-rights group SAVE Dade, said: "We respectfully suggest that he use other metaphors." Her group had been organizing the protest.

"It's disappointing to see artists use their talents as a tool for hatred and bigotry," she said.

Beenie Man told The Miami Herald on Sunday that "I just smile, because I don't know what they're fussing about."

"I'm not here to cuss people. I make music. But at the same time I just want to teach people - my sons and my daughters - the right way of life," he said. Beenie Man was not available for comment Wednesday, his publicist said.

Beenie Man, born Anthony Moses Davis, is on a world tour promoting his new album, "Back to Basics." His songs include his recent hit, "Dude," "Girls Dem Sugar" and "Who Am I?" His album "Art and Life" won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2001.

He ends his tour in Miami on Nov. 8.

JANFAN4L said:

I'm trying to understand what kind of metaphor this is supposed to be an excuse for.

Although I guess on one level I applaud MTV/Viacom's sensitivity, I think that banning this guy and making such a ban public will only serve to boost Beenie Man's "outlaw" reputation. I'd much rather him be able to be part of the awards, and watch him get booed by the audience and read about him getting snubbed by his peers. I fear this move can only help his career and reinforce the "rebelliousness" of his homophobic messages.

FUCK Beenie Man... and de girls, dem suga!

hmmmm....and yet eminem is able to perform...anywhere....

fair is fair ya'll....if you gonna ban one...ban them all

Rhondab said:

But Eminem was put on blast by gay groups back in 2000. He didn't apologize, but he did perform with Elton John on the Grammys, so that killed a lot of the heat around him. If you notice, in his later records he didn't use as much anti-gay lyrics. Em knows a meal ticket (and when to keep it).

Beenie Man, however, is a different story. His record company issued the apology. Not him personally. Unless Beenie formally apologizes or does something to show he's not wholly homophobic (like perform with some LGBT personality or something) he's still gonna be in the heat.

MTV, post-Nipplegate, is in a very fragile place right now. They can't afford to have this show be blasted by protest groups. Soon, people will get off Beenie and try to ban MTV or Viacom if they didn't do that and they don't want that. Gay groups are already trying to get Beenie dropped from EMI.

I want to know why gay groups aren't knocking down BET's door trying to get them to take off the Beenie video. I still see the "King of Dancehall" video on rotation daily.
[This message was edited Wed Aug 25 15:51:19 2004 by JANFAN4L]

JANFAN4L said:

Eminem was also produced by Dr. Dre

but on the subject, Eddie Murphy had a lot of homophobic humor and had gay groups going crazy but as it turned out he liked to look at gay guys dressed up as women feet. I think whenever you make that big of a deal about something, you're trying to deflect attention away from yourself. As a straight guy i don't give a fuck about what gay people do. It doesn't effect me in anyway. The only people who get affected are the insecure ones who know they may be tempted to try that behavior by seeing it.

Anxiety said:

Do I get to do the red carpet thing?

tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...rmusic.htm

Rhondab said:

cue Pat Benatar's "Invincible"



sorry

.
[This message was edited Thu Aug 26 1:49:50 2004 by CalhounSq]

I totally agree. All this is going to do is help his career. Rebellion and controvery has made huge stars. Look how it has boosted Prince's and Madonna's careers. They are great artists anyway, but the rebellion and controversy pushed them straight to the top.

Let the damn idiot go on the awards show. He has his right to his opinion, even if it is filled with ignorance and hate. His ignorance will reach others who are just as ignorant as he is but it will not appeal to the masses. Look at how the talk shows like Geraldo and Sally Jesse Raphael have brought down the power and influence of the Ku Klux Klan. They let them go on the air and talk their ignorance. The world saw them for the stupid, uneducated, rednecks that they are. This same approach should be used for this idiot here.

He wants to get the gay groups' feathers ruffled. He thinks that shit is funny and it helps his records sell. The gay groups need to go after the real enemy, Jerry Springer (a wolf in sheep's clothing). He has gays come on in the most degrading way. They come on in a damn dress, twisting their ass, and popping their damned fingers. They are making a damned fool of themselves and the audience just eats it up. Then he has lesbians come on and kiss and all those ignorant men cheer. They are degrading themselves also. The whole time, Jerry Springer, poses as this liberal but he is promoting all this shit to stir up his bigoted audience.

Go after the real enemy, the ones that are doing real damage.

JANFAN4L said:

does he imply here that when you are homosexual you are not leading the the right way of life ?

You will NEVER get a genuine apology outta beenie man. Gay bashing/Ripping on 'batty boys' has become an inseperable part of ragga music and culture. After Buju Banton apologised, I have friends who saw him live MANY times after where he said that
1) he never apologised
2) he WOULD never apologise to 'batty boy'
The only way to give these guys pause is hit them where it hurts : BANK ACCOUNT
But do not expect these guys to recant and suddenly start recording music with Elton John and start going to gay pride marches. Hell would freeze over first.
I wish beenie man and others would devout as much energy to stopping the problems with gang violence in JA, as they do to gay bashing.

CalhounSq said:

enter Christian Slater.....as I walk down the street asking for $$ for my brothers scooter.

On second thought... I think we should also ask this question.

In 2000, when Eminem put out his most homophobic album ever, the Marshall Mathers LP. GLAAD threatened to protest if Eminem performed at the MTV VMAs. Yet the plug was never pulled and he still went on stage.

In 2004, just four years later, a black reggae singer, with much less record sales gets threatened by the same group and they threaten to protest the MTV VMAs. The plug gets pulled on him.

Do you think it's an issue of popularity and record sales or has MTV, in a four year span, magically become intolerant of homophobia on it's airwaves? Beenie Man is still a second-tier artist in many respects. He's not a household name. But do you think that MTV and Viacom are being unfairly harsh against Beenie? They should have barred Eminem, too. Do you think it's because he's a white entertainer with tons of record sales and fans?

.
[This message was edited Thu Aug 26 8:01:22 2004 by JANFAN4L]

The almighty dollar bill.
Does Beenie appearing or not appearing make or break this show?
I think not.
Eminem is a superstar. You can be sure that MANY, MANY people would have been watching, going to the show just based on him.
Beenie is not at that level. Being a black, fairly unknown reggae singer from the Caribbean who preaches murdering folks based on sexual preference will not endear to some folk. But trust me, to many in caribbean and some other places,that makes him a hero.....
what a world.....
[This message was edited Thu Aug 26 8:35:22 2004 by nikkhendrix]

Funny how they can ban Beenie Man, but roll out the red carpet for Eminem's crazy ass everytime. Boy, I tell you.

okaypimpn said:

JANFAN4L said:

This is what I was thinking when Rhondab first brought up Eminem. I believe that MTV is really just trying to do what's best for MTV. They needed Eminem in 2000 so that people would watch. The same could be said for the Grammys. They knew more folks would tune in if they allowed Em to perform.
I gotta admit, I myself tuned in, just in case somethin' was gonna go down.

Uhm, all of you who bring up the race issue (...), why are they sucking 50 Cent's cock (pun intended) while his lyrics (and statements) are equally offensive as Beenie's? Or is that because of Eminem also?

Btw, most of these guys are, in one way or another, preaching what their religion and culture tells them. It's not like Texas has an exclusive claim on gun-swinging bigotry and hatred under the cover of promoting "the right way of life".

SpcMs said:

In my opinion, 50 Cent is another artist that MTV sees as $valuable$, therefore they cater to his nonsense.