When Coca-Cola sponsored a four-day Coke Zero Live concert in Montego Bay, Jamaica this past April they invited Sizzla, a “murder music” performer whose lyrics call for the murder of homosexuals—because nothing says low-calorie refreshment like a musician who advocates shooting fags in the back of the head.
Let’s take a look at some of Sizzla’s more heartwarming lyrics (complete with translations!):
From “Pump Up”:
Step up inna front line (Step up to the front line)
fire fi di man dem weh go ride man behind (burn the men who have sex with men from behind)
Shot battybwoy, my big gun boom (Shoot queers, my big gun goes boom)From “Boom Boom”:
Boom boom! Batty boy them fi dead (Boom boom! Queers must be killed)From “Get To Da Point”:
Sodomite and batty bwai mi seh a death fi dem (Sodomite and queers, I say death to them)
Mi no trust babylon fi a second yah so (I don’t trust Babylon for a second)
Mi a go shot batty bwai dem widdi weapon ya (I go and shoot queers with a weapon [as in gunshots])
Dance hall musicians Sizzla, Elephant Man, Bounty Killer, Capleton, TOK, Buju Banton and Baby Cham have all faced censorship and boycotts over their hate music. In fact Sizzla can no longer even find places to perform inside of the U.S. and the U.K. because of his hateful lyrics. Germany has banned his albums and some of his concerts have been canceled because of his anti-gay tunes.
While performing at a Chicago reggae concert in Chicago in April 2002, Sizzla even bragged that he kills queers, telling the audience: “mi nuh go tek back mi chat… mi kill sodomite and batty man dem bring aids and disease pon people… shot a kill dem, mi nuh go tek back mi chat” (I wont take back my words… I kill sodomites and queers, they bring AIDS and disease upon people… shoot and kill them, I won’t take back my words.)
The group AIDS-Free World and long time Jamaican activist Maurice Tomlinson wrote Steve Bucherati, Coca-Cola’s Chief Diversity Officer about Sizzla’s involvement in the Coke Zero live concert. Tomlinson says that Bucherati promised to submit an article to all Jamaican newspapers “apologizing for the Sizzla concert and announcing a new corporate policy.” But after months with no response, AIDS-Free World now says that Bucherati provided only a “protracted but unproductive written and phone communication” with no results or change.
So… does this mean we have to stop drinking Coke Zero?
It’s unclear whether AIDS-Free World or Tomlinson will continue to press the issue, but considering Jamaica’s horrible record on anti-LGBT violence, a worldwide corporation’s refusal to sponsor hateful artists like Sizzla would send dance hall artists of the island nation a powerful message.
Image via Chrysaora
the crustybastard
Jamaica is widely considered to be the most dangerous place in the world to be gay.
And the world includes Uganda.
Parson Thwackum
Jamaica is the most worthless place on earth. An island full of semi-retarded drug addicts who come up with fad after fad that always involves either raping women or killing gay men. If the whole country fell into the ocean tomorrow the world would be better off.
Fitz
@Parson Thwackum:
While in principle I am opposed to genocide, I think
you are right in this case. Spray that shit with
Round up, cover it with a plastic bag for a few years,
and then clean it up and turn it into something better.
jason
And to think that the British lauded reggae music in the form of Bob Marley. The Brits have a lot to answer for.
jason
Rihanna has collaborated with murder music proponent Sizzla.
Lefty
Why don’t they just cast this Jamaicaland out of the world and force it to fend for itself in the universe!!!???
And to think I once ate jerk chicken. I have a lot to answer for…
paulcanning
@jason: Pardon me?! I’m British and I don’t recall Bob Marley ever singing ‘Boom bye bye’ or anything like it. Reggae was about anything but what so much of it is about now, although not every artist is like Sizzla.
BTW, this is now front page in the Gleaner http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20111014/lead/lead8.html
paulcanning
@the crustybastard: No it’s not. That would be Mexico, Brazil … and Iraq.
Dan
I don’t think I’m gonna drink Diet Coke anymore.
jason
Rihanna has also been seen cosying up to Beenie Man very recently in a concert in the Caribbean. Beenie Man sings songs that call for the execution of gays and lesbians.
jason
Coca Cola is like shit in a bottle.
perdeep
Considering how Coca Cola has long been suspected of being involved in execution-style killings of union organisers and indigenous land owners in South America and the Phillippines, I don’t think we should be terribly shocked that they associate with not very nice people. killercoke.org
jason
Why hasn’t the mainstream media in America picked up on this? They’re slow and stupid, as usual.
Kev C
It’s ironic because Coke Zero is made from gay urine. That’s why it sparkles.
Remmyjas
Why is that pic displaying natural black…the majority of sizzlas songs have a positive massage i dont know why the whole of you are looking at a minority….u call them retards n u expect them 2 smile at you?love.
the crustybastard
@sinkiller:
Your Christian hope is for the suffering and death of nearly 10 million people? Wow. And in a different thread you want to beat someone with a stick?
Thanks for your fine demonstration of “Christian love.” It’s truly an example of everything that is wrong with your religion.
the crustybastard
@Remmyjas:
The majority of the Aryan Nations’ message is positive about the white race. I’m not sure why you are fixated on the minority of their messaging, the part that is anti-black.
See what I did there?
the crustybastard
@sinkiller:
I don’t “approve” of Parson’s statement. But it’s not quite so hypocritical as yours, seeing as he didn’t bother to give it the same loving Christian gloss you did.
Due to your poor grammar, I can’t be absolutely sure, but did you call me “Satan” for pointing out that you’d rejoice at the suffering and death of millions?
You Christians are just too much!
Kev C
@sinkiller: Does the Westboro Baptist Church also drink Coke Zero? Get a job, troll.
Pat Duffy
Stopped drinking the stuff decades ago. ‘Course, I also stopped drinking Florida OJ, eating Chilean grapes…..
Being Old and Aware means you stack up a lot of Boycotts over the decades;>!
Jerome
EVERYONE ABOVE ME IS A DUMB NIGGER. JAMAICA IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND IN THE WORLD. THE PEOPLE ARE ALL MORE SMART THAN YOU’D IMAGINE. SUCK A DICK FOR 2011 EVERYONE. GOODNIGHT.
Britanica876
I am a gay Jamaican and I must first of all stand up for my country as it is by no means a ‘pathetic place on Earth.’ It is a very lovely island but with good also comes bad….bad in the form of extreme homophobia and violence…the latter a discussion for another day. I was not at the Coke Zero concert but heard of Sizzla’s discriminatory remarks and I must admit it saddened my soul. It is hard being gay in Jamaica as you are at times the target of anti-gay remarks….but at the same time you do have the support of other like yourself as the gay community in Jamaica is rather caring. Until our national artists realise the level of hate, anger and most of all hurt that they cause upon gay/lesbian and transgender-ed people I suggest we boycott their music. That is the music of the artistes who perpetuate such hate as not all musicians support gay bashing. I love my country and just like you…I hate the discriminatory elements there…who hate us simply because they don’t nor do they try to understand us.
Britanica876
@The Crusty Bastard…..’Natural Black’ is the name of a Jamaican artiste….he’s the rastafarian in the picture at the top of the article…it was probably an error why his picture is there as I bet the picture was supposed to be that of Sizzla.
nahle mattar
From 1966 Coca-Cola has been a staunch supporter of Israel. In 1997 the Government of Israel Economic Mission honored Coca-Cola at the Israel Trade Award Dinner for its continued support of Israel for the last 30 years and for refusing to abide by the Arab League boycott of Israel.
http://wikizionism.blogspot.com/2011/09/coca-cola.html