Jamaican reggae singer Sizzla, long famous for his murderously anti-gay lyrics, has had his upcoming Stockholm concert cancelled by promoters in response to a growing Swedish public outrage.
At issue are the 35-year-old reggae star’s lyrics, which in songs like “Boom Boom” and “Pump It Up” openly advocate the burning and killing of homosexuals.
A charming sample from “Pump It Up”: “Shot battybwoy, my big gun boom.” (Shoot queers, my big gun goes boom.)
Sizzla had been scheduled to perform on March 28 at Stockholm’s Hornstull Strand, but promoters ultimately agreed with the public that the performer has been in breach of the Reggae Compassionate Act, which he signed in 2007.
The singer has had concerts cancelled before on similar grounds — including in Canada in 2007, Spain in 2008, and Germany in 2009 and 2010 — but has steadfastly refused to express regret to the LGBT community for his lyrics.
“They can’t ask me to apologize,” he said in a 2004 BBC radio interview. “They’ve got to apologize to God because they break God’s law. ”
In 2010, Sizzla performed in Zimbabwe at the 86th birthday party for fellow rabid gay-hater President Robert Mugabe.
Photo by Caspiax
The Real Mike in Asheville
Good — vile bigots like this asshole shouldn’t be allowed out of their caves.
David
Speaking of gay-hating reggae singers, Nicki Minaj has a collaboration with BEENIE MAN on her new album. I was shocked by this because in the past, she said she was a big supporter of LGBT people, but know she’s on the side with the guy with lyrics like “shoot the lesbian, hang the gays”.
Cam
How long before this guy is caught with some male prostitute?
Kayo
@David
Nicki Minaj is really weird, I used to like her a lot, but she is “so with the gays” but collaborates with Eminem and now Beenie Man??! I mean, if she really cared for her gay following she wouldn’t do that. Of course some artists say things to more fans and money, as the gays are a good group of fans…
Now this guy Sizzla, should be banned from performing in any Western country, have his visa revoked. If he likes so much violence he should be confined to his hell-hole of a country.
People always use God as as mask to justify the hate and lust for blood they have.
John
@David: And Rihanna has worked with both Beenie Man and Sizzla, but that seems to get no attention.
evji108
did you look at his photo? That dude be one nasty piece of work! Except for the red
outfit he looks like the mug shot of a convicted murderer.
RomanHans
God, poor Queerty. There’s seriously at least one idiot commenter on every post. Onward and upward, evji108!
evji108
@RomanHans:
At least my comment has something to do with the article, you are just complaining without adding anything at all. Bite Me
DM
@David: She is openly bisexual….
DM
@Kayo: My sexual preference has nothing to do with my love of music. If someone disagrees with it they are entitled to do so.
Belize
His music is not that good anyway. The man is just doing this to get attention. I doubt that he’s even a man of God considering the fact that he’s not even using the brains God supposedly gave him.
Even if I stoop down to his moronic religious level, he’d still lose given the fact that it’s supposedly one of God’s commandments which condemns killing itself.
Ugh.
It’s so sad that such a beautiful continent like Africa can produce so many imbeciles.
Moving on.
@DM: Exactly. But can the same thing be said when we relate the music you like to your self-respect? That is, after all, the gist of Kayo’s comment.
Belize
@Belize: His music is not that good anyway… as far as my opinion is concerned.
the crustybastard
A religiously motivated murderous bigot?
NOWAI!
DM
@Belize: This is what is wrong with us living life. Why should you care what he thinks? I am simply not caught up with anyone else’s belief. It is not stopping me from being who I am. I still make the same money I made before and live my life. If that determines the way you act then so be it. I am not caught up and it is always the other person’s opinion. If you are ashamed of what you do or are…. change. Simple… deal with people that like you if that is what you feel you need to do to live. I don’t get bothered either way.
Laveaux Omolorisha
I like you queerty.com..but why have you NOT covered the Trayvon murder case in Florida? If we are to be as aunited community and want others behind you with bs like Martin Asshat on CNN, then why don’t you feature this atrocity of justice on your site? get 100 if your expecting 100 from peoples of Color who ARE your allies in this struggle.
As far the above idiot is concerned, let the Swiss do their thing and get it righteous on the hating piece of shit….or is the only worthwhile coverage of of melanin advantageous individuals worthy of just negative coverage from you?
Sincerely asking….
A Black Gay man of Colour who happens to LIKE Queerty.com
Palto
If everything in the bible were to be taken literally, his um, fugly as fuck individual (can’t think of that other word) would be a beaten slave right now.
Anton
This sends out another positive message. Those who call for violence and murder are not welcome in our society.
But there is still work to do. We still demand the cancellation of the remaining events. We demand the remaining locations withdraw their support of this artist. We say no to hate music! Together we can make a change!
http://www.change.org/petitions/say-no-to-hate-music-don-t-give-a-platform-to-singers-who-call-for-the-murder-of-lgbt-people
The Real Mike in Asheville
@Laveaux Omolorisha: While the Trayvon Martin case is a tragedy of racist violence against a kid, an outright hunt-murder so far as I can judge, I am confused as to why Queerty should be covering the story. This is a site covering GLBT related stories.
This story is about an anti-gay bigot who makes his money singing/writing/preforming songs that promote violence and murder against GLBT community. Trayvon, is sadly was adorably cute young man, was murdered for being black, not for being gay. It is an important story for another blog.
jason
Rihanna has also joined with murderously anti-gay musicians like Beenie Man.
jason
Nicki Minaj is not openly bisexual. She said she was bisexual to titillate sleazy straight guys. That marketing ploy was spent and is now history.
coalitiontoprotectreggae
For Immediate Release
March 21, 2012
To Whom It May Concern,
We work closely with many of the artists in the reggae scene and feel that that the constant attack by the certain Gay organizations against Sizzla other reggae artists and the musical genre is unfair and one sided. First of all, only one Sizzla show has been cancelled and we feel its is form of Censorship. Second he has not even begun to tour so these gay groups are giving misinformation to the public about him performing homophobic lyrics at 18 other shows in Europe recently. Thirdly, Sizzla is not booked to perform in Canada nor England but of course false information is being written to make the article look good.
Fourthly, Sizzla’s last tour, he may have sung Nah Apologize but he censored it. What happen to freedom of speech and freedom of expression? Fifthly Sizzla and other reggae artists are apart of a culture and nation that legally does not support or accept the lifestyle of the homosexual community. If you have an issue with that, take it up with the Government. Sizzla is a product of his own community and society that does not embrace nor promote such behavior. Sixthly, patois the language that Sizzla uses to express his music are forms of metaphoric expression so when he or any artists say burn, fire, or kill, they are not literal terms. In fact the words translate to mean several things depending on the context of its use. But for the most part it means to disagree with something.
Seven, the term battyman was derived from the rise of pedophiles and rape of young boys. That is why the term is battyman, so those that embrace this term, therefore embrace the raping and pedophiling of young boys. This is one of the main reasons why there is such an outcry against homosexuality because in many cases in Jamaica it has been done where young boys were raped or coerced by tourist into the lifestyle seeking to gain visa or better opportunities. This has also contributed to a rise in gay male prostitution in Jamaica and is prevelant amongst teenagers and youth.
Lastly, Sizzla never signed the Reggae Compassionat Act. It was a false signature and if you compare his signature to the paper, you will see it is not his signature. The man just recovered from a horrific accident where he almost lost his life. The Gay organizations have done enough damage to Reggae music and different artists career, they have made their point. We don’t see them attack Eminem or other musicians who make clear stances against this same issues in the hip hop, rock, and pop industry.
Just the fact that Sizzla has been censoring his own music during performances is proof that he is trying to respect others. Let us be clear majority of his music is uplifting, positive, speaks of family, empowerment, spirituality, and unity. At the same time he is a Rastafarian musician, what would Bob Marley be today if groups like yours tried to protest him, keep him in a box, and prevent him from expressing his views? If you don’t like Sizzla or any of the Reggae music, you don’t have to go to their shows, buy their music or listen to them on the radio. We must believe in safe spaces where people can be who they are but when you are in Rome, you must do what the Romans do. So when you are in Jamaica, you must respect Jamaican culture and not try to impose your beliefs on a society that does not embrace certain things.There are two sides to the stories, yes everyone is entitled to live and express themselves, but we must be respectful of all people values and principles including the rights of heterosexual people. Thanks
Coalition to Protect Reggae & Family Value
DM
@coalitiontoprotectreggae: I knew this was the case that is why I was not shocked by this site posting the negative side only. I do not fault him for his opinion. He is a good artist and that is all that matters. If he doesn’t agree with the lifestyle it is up to that person. We tend to be overly sensitive sometimes and just because a person doesn’t follow our beliefs we tend to state they are being unfair, homophobic and the sort etc…