Live Nation, AEG Cancel Concerts by Anti-Gay Singer Buju Banton
After outrage from gay and lesbian groups, Live Nation has canceled four concerts by singer Buju Banton that were scheduled to take place at the House of Blues in Chicago, Las Vegas, Dallas, and Houston.
The controversy surrounding Banton stems primarily from a song called "Boom Boom Bye" in which he sings about shooting gay men in the head, pouring acid on them and burning them alive.
The Windy City Times reports: "In early August, Gay Liberation Network (Chicago) launched a campaign
for Live Nation and other promoters to cancel Banton's shows. Bob
Schwartz, a member of GLN, had written Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino. 'Live Nation, owner of four House of Blues
locations at which 'kill gays' singer Buju Banton was scheduled to
appear, has done the right thing and canceled the hate monger,'
Schwartz said in a statement.'These cancellations show the power of
protest to deliver the goods.'"
Banton is scheduled to perform for promoters AEG Live and Goldenvoice at Los Angeles' Nokia Club on October 14, in San Francisco on October 10 and in Philadelphia on September 12. It's unclear what action, if any, those promoters might take.
UPDATE: AEG Live and Goldenvoice have also canceled the Banton shows.
Listen to "Boom Boom Bye", AFTER THE JUMP...
This is fantastic news. Jamaica's tradition of anti-gay violence is disgusting, and the message must be sent loud and clear that it will not be tolerated here. Live Nation has done that.
The level of sympathy for the Jamaican anti-gay tradition among the hip-hop community can be disturbing at times, too. So it's really encouraging to see a major, very public rejection of homophobia like this. The only people talking about this more than we are is the hip-hop community, and that's the best news of all.
Thank you, Live Nation.
O, and I used to be a huge Buju fan. Really a great musician. His homophbia is really only on display in this song, maybe one more, out of like 9 albums. Of course I would never listen to the ignorant waste of space now, but I used to love him.
Posted by: JeffRob | Aug 28, 2009 10:39:10 AM
"Disgusting" isn't a strong enough word. I can't even think of word to discribe his awful SHIT.
Posted by: sonnie | Aug 28, 2009 10:55:37 AM
Buju Banton is a formwer rent boy. The great gay black British filmmaker Isaac Julien made a film about reggae homophobia
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106668/
In it he confronts Banton with the truth about himself.
You can imagine the creep's reaction.
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Aug 28, 2009 10:57:43 AM
Very cool, Ehrenstein. I had no idea. I'm gonna netflix it. Thanks.
Posted by: JeffRob | Aug 28, 2009 11:14:54 AM
If he plays here, he is gonna get jumped and his ass kicked. Fuck that shit.
Posted by: macscruff | Aug 28, 2009 11:27:48 AM
YES!
Posted by: Derek Washington | Aug 28, 2009 11:44:55 AM
How would this asshole feel IF some white Rapper decided to record songs about killing Blacks in this vile matter,or any matter? Do these people - ever put themselves in anothers shoes?
Posted by: Disgusted American | Aug 28, 2009 11:48:45 AM
"How would this asshole feel IF some white Rapper decided to record songs about killing Blacks in this vile matter,or any matter?"
If it were black gays to be killed then Buju would love the white Rapper for advocating it. That's because black gays are the main target of black Reggae singers' and black Rappers' violent bashing.
You still don't get it, do you, DISCUSTED AMERICAN. The gays being murdered because of Buju's recordings are black Jamaican Gays. Do you care about them, DISCUSTED AMERICAN? Maybe, a little? But if the victims were white gays you would care a little more, huh?
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Aug 28, 2009 1:50:15 PM
@derrick from philly. yeah, i think his analogy was pretty stupid too.
Posted by: omgyawu | Aug 28, 2009 2:40:26 PM
So if we're protesting this song,
why are we posting it here for viewing ?
Posted by: Austin | Aug 28, 2009 3:20:39 PM
fucking thank you derrick!
also dont know what you mean by "these people" disgusting american.
Posted by: sergio | Aug 28, 2009 3:23:03 PM
Derrick from Philly strikes again. EVERYTHING is about race for you. How the fuck do you fit through doorways with the size of the chip on your shoulder? Honest to god...
Posted by: Tom | Aug 29, 2009 3:01:28 AM
Hey Tom, you can try to negate his argument all you want with that "why is it always race with you people" all you want, but, I aint havin' it anymore. Derrick just makes you uncomfortable because he doesn't just sit back and let people get away with crap. Bravo to him.
Little example: On Thursday I was riding with a white friend and a couple of Mexican day laborers. My friend turns to one of them and say, "you're from Mexico a very religious country. You believe in God and you're a Catholic. How is it that Mexicans are such crooks always trying to rip White people off?" !!! Needless to say before the guy could answer I said, "Dude! That is such a racist question!" He then exclaimed, "Oh yeah, I forgot whenever Derek is in the car EVERYTHING is racist! You can never have a serious conversation without Derek making it about race!"
Sound familiar Tom? Just a little?
Posted by: Derek Washington | Aug 29, 2009 4:00:53 AM
The song says (more or less) 'kill faggots'...it doesn't say 'kill the black faggots only'. I'm sure Buju Banton is an equal opportunity bigot and would happily advocate the murder of LGBT irregardless to race, creed, color, national origin, gender, political affiliation, or beliefs.
Posted by: Wheezy | Aug 29, 2009 10:25:21 AM
"Derrick from Philly strikes again. EVERYTHING is about race for you. How the fuck do you fit through doorways with the size of the chip on your shoulder? Honest to god..."
Um, Tom, it wasn't Derrick who brought race into the discussion, it was DisgustedAmerican. Derrick was correctly pointing out that Banton is, in fact, recording songs about "killing Blacks": GAY blacks. Banton may not like us white fags any better, but it's black people who are getting murdered because of his disgusting homophobia. Derrick probably gets a bit tired of reading comments here (how many times have I read "all blacks are homophobes" on Towleroad) that imply that black people can't be gay and vice versa. Derrick and Derek keep it real, and some of us appreciate that.
Posted by: Ernie | Aug 29, 2009 12:15:14 PM
What was said to you in the car on Thursday was overtly racist. The actual contents of Disgusted American's comment was not racist at all. Reading the negative reaction to it made me think that one of two things has to be at play here:
(a) Disgusted American has said something else in an unrelated post in the past that I have not seen and which makes some posters conclude that they already know where he is going with this before he actually says anything racist,
or (b) some posters have experienced actual racism in real life and have become oversensitive about attributing racism where it does not exist.
I don't know which is the case, but there is nothing in DA's comment above that is racist in itself.
I have experienced real racism and homophobia in my life and take a stand when I see it. But I think it weakens our case and potentially loses us allies when we make unfounded accusations, and if DA has not said something racist in the past, that would apply here. Even if he has, the "racist" accusations appear to lose credibility when they are a response to a seemingly innocuous post.
Posted by: GregV | Aug 29, 2009 3:25:01 PM
The rapping asshole gets shafted at last! VERY good news... this moron should be given NO safe place to play here in the USA because his hate-speech is indefensible! What Jamaican heterosexual society has inflicted upon their gay brethren (which he perpetuates with his hate songs) is utterly appalling! This is why I will NEVER visit their country. No way I would spend money in a place that has all but officially sanctioned violence against their own gay population (and any other unfortunate gay person that end up on the receiving end of their hate)!
Posted by: CKNJ | Aug 29, 2009 6:29:41 PM
Jeez Derek---and you call this guy a friend? Sorry, but that's pretty bad.
Posted by: Paul R | Aug 30, 2009 1:00:16 AM
I am so happy that they have taken the responsible action to ban Buju. People like him should not be allowed to spread his hateful prejudices. This man not only 'preach' against gays, few years back he was involved in the wicked beatings of gays. If my memory serves me right, one of the victims was blinded, during the attack, but because Jamaica is so corrupted, he got off!!!
That is why I think civilized country should ban Jamaica's Prime Minister Bruce Golding, for that insensitive comment he made about, 'No gays in his cabinet,' on a BBC interview a year ago. Not only that, but one of his MPs had the nerve to blame Jamaica's sickening crime rate on gays! Jamaica needs to be blacklisted until they come to their senses and stop mistreating gays!!! So Hurrah to AEG for doing the honourable thing.
Posted by: Jeremy | Aug 31, 2009 5:52:48 AM
We just got his Oct. 3rd concert in Columbus, OH canceled.
Buju, fuku!
Posted by: Josh | Sep 11, 2009 7:30:08 PM