International reggae singer Mista Majah P formerly known Major P may create history with the release of his new song “Rights.”
Mista Majah P was born in Kingston Jamaica, but migrated to Canada at an early age. He was the recipient of the Canadian Reggae music award on several occasions. P now resides in the United States.
Majah P is the first ever Reggae artist to make a song that promotes love for gays. The song “Rights” might create some controversy in the Reggae community, but Majah is an artist on a mission to change the face of reggae music, according to his manager Tony T.
“Rights” covers the touchy topic of gay rights versus reggae music, two sides that has been bitter enemies from as far back as Reggae/Dancehall music goes. But more so now that before, gays are stepping up their pressure against Reggae and Dancehall artist in what they called a campaign against “Murder Music.” This is causing a tremendous fallout in revenue for Reggae and Dancehall artists going on tours.
To further highlight the issue between gay rights activists and reggae artists; Buju Banton hit song “Boom Bye Bye” in the early 1990’s, created major controversies back then and could be seen as the song that single handedly triggered a global response from gay rights activist. Almost two decades later “Boom Bye Bye” is still affecting Buju Banton, since many of his tour dates late last year was cancelled due to protests by gay rights groups.
Just two weeks ago Urban Islandz reported to you that Capleton show in Chicago was cancelled because of gay rights pressure on the promoter. Additionally, last week we reported that dancehall artist Vybz Kartel whose real name is Adidja Palmer was forced to sign the Reggae Compassionate Act while on tour in Europe to avoid his shows from being cancelled.
Tony T said these are the main issues why Majah P was prompted to release the song “Rights.”
“What my artist hope to accomplish is to start a conversation between the gay community, the reggae artists and the world. The reason is my artist is tired of having door slam in his face and the face of all reggae artist and fellow Jamaican who get blame for what a few do or what they think or believe in. You have to remember that not all reggae artist or Jamaican hate or discriminate against gays. My artist biggest problem is he believes he is being stereotype by certain people or certain organization saying that you got dread and you come from Jamaica, right away they single you out saying there is another Jamaican who is using his music to spread hate and death and that has to stop.”
Tony also added, “The motivation behind this song is Mista Majah P believes that these artist who are talking so strongly and discriminating against gays are hypocrites, they say one thing in Jamaica and do another thing when they are out of Jamaica, when they come and perform in Canada or the state, especially in California ninety per cent of their audience is gay, or the club they are performing in is own by the gay community, they close their eye and collect the money and go back to Jamaica or where they come from and pretend and to me that is a double standard. Don’t spew hate and death on gays and close your eye and take there money. That is not right”
Without doubts, the song is expected to create some controversies in the Reggae community. Urban Islandz took the opportunity to ask some Reggae fans how do they feel about the song?
One outspoken fan said, “I don’t think the gay community problem is reggae music, they should focus on their real issues which is the message they are portraying in society and leave Reggae artists alone. This new song by this artist is trying to change Reggae music culture.”
Another fan expresses that, “the song is sending the right message where reggae music and the gay community is concern, and it’s time to deviate from hate lyrics and make amends with the gays and move the music forward.”
Obviously there will be fans who take both sides of the divide, so we ask Tony how Majah P plans to deal with the controversies that will arise as a result of the song.
“If there is controversy and i am sure there will be Mista Majah P and his camp can deal with that Mista Majah P is a very intelligent person plus he is very diplomatic and also he is a born leader he has a silver tongue he is a politician in the making.”
Tony T said they are already receiving positive response from promoters in the United States since the release of the video on Youtube.
“After releasing this video on Youtube we got a call from a promoter asking permission to use the video to promote his label and his reggae show telling us that he was having a very hard time because club and shop owner would not allow him to put up or leave flyer with artist from Jamaica or any body doing any form of reggae show because reggae was now murder music and they will not promote nothing like that can you believe that.”
The question now is, what response does the rest of Reggae artists have for this song?
Post your comments below.
reggae artist promotes equal rights and justice and we bun gays koz they go against jahjah way and rape innocent kids bun dem mi sey…
Gays should be hypocrites for fighting the music that calls for their kill
(yes, a lot of Chi Chi music in dance hall today – Elephant Man e.g.)
Buju choosed to keep performing his dance hall (s)hit Boom Bye Bye as artistic freedom,
even he claims he became spiritual and Rasta. No Rasta ever made such a public call,
find roots reggae tune that does so!
Bad thing that gay community did is acussing all Rastas and reggae artists (e.g. name of
campaign “Rasta got hate”)
So, this is the right step.
And Tanya Stephens from Jamaica sings this days:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcYR-1R23R8
Bigga was hustling on the corner, makin some cash, When he bumped into some beef that he? had from the past, He watched the guns raise and the bullets fly in disbelief, As his friends all jumped in? their rides, Left him in the gutter didnt care if he died, He was rescued by a car with plates that said ‘Gay Pride’, It would have been fatal, A shot in your head, They saved your life, though you always said “Chi-chi fi dead!!”
True rootsman stance: NO MURDER MUSIC
its a step in the right direction for reggae and dancehall music
kill da singa as well as those dutty boogers an lezes
fiyah bun dem!!!!!!!!!!!
This article is ok, but i just did an interveiw with Mista Majah P on my radio show so you can here it str8 from the mans mouth and not his manager if you like. you can find the podcast here, the interveiw starts at about one hour and five minutes in, it was quite interesting and refreshing, bless
http://reggaerevival.podomatic.com
And the US statistics show that when most gay people get beat up, it is mostly by a gay lover. Google it!
@Real
G your right about that cuz even in Jamaica majority of gay violence are done between gay lovers. Just recently i heard about a case in Jamaica where one gay lover stab another one in his eyes because he found out he was cheating with another gay.
Artist have to decide on whether they want to get their message (whatever it is) out or if it’s just about the money. Gay people are very intolerant of anyone who is not gay. They feel threatened by non-gays I guess. the Reggae artist know that reggae is a form of expression (of whatever you want to express) and they have to realize that changing your words is a suppression of that freedom. I don’t care for any lyrics of anyone hating anyone else, but I would rather have a negative true raw expression than slave music.
REPLY TO YAADY
Just want to know what you would write down just here concerning musicians having freedom of specch who would write hatred sons against black people, unfaithful men to their wife of people who want to come out in the public with locks and wollen caps
New generation would join you to say : I never heard of any music murdering anyone.
If both of you ever hear a speech by a Ku Klux Klan activist, sure you’ll say : I never heard of any speech murdering anyone
And dear Pamela would think about black people over reacting the whole situation. She’s among the one who thought that black back in the fifties and sixties ” over reacted ” …
@Gemini57
Klu Klux Klan and reggae artists are two big big different issue. KKK people hate black people and would literally murder black people for what I don’t know. On the other hand, reggae artists simply don’t support what gays stand for, but would not literally kill a gay man. Gays are over reacting and I agree with @Pamela. Reggae is an art and people express themselves through art, Gays find it offensive because reggae artist shed a light on them that no other art form does.
finally a reggae song that deals with gay rights. Big up for Mista Majah P. I’m gonna purchase your album to support you. For those reading this article who are not fully in touch of the seriousness of this problem, take a few moment and visit the website I’ve created:
I think the gays are over reacting the whole situation but i do agree that reggae and dancehall artists emphasize too much on gays. I dont think Jamaica is the most homophobic country in the world either because i dont hear gays protesting in the islamic nations or saying much about them. what are they afraid of them? my 2 cents
Yaady..i couldn’t have said it better myself…it’s all about freedom of speech, freedom of rights but they themselves do not want others to express their rights to free speech through their music..their level of double standard is through the roof..it’s ridiculous!
Precisely my point, there is pure hypocrisy in the gay community cuz look at whats happening with bishop eddie long and also the singer Raz B and Marques Houston. You don’t hear no one from the gay community coming out and protesting against these gay men that took away lil boys innocence.
Thats why i say they should leave reggae artists alone and go deal with their real problems which is themselves.
@Yaady
You would never heard of gays protesting when they rape lil boys and when they bring certain type of immoral behavior out into the public. Gays are the biggest hypocrites and until they take a rain check people will always look down on them.
That’s a first step but the most expected one is the response from the reggae artists in Jamaica.
I heard that Fidel Castro has shown self reproach for having prosecuted gays. I do beleive in his feeling but I will keep a doubt for a while about reggae artists in jamaica changing of speech…
The gay community is not anti-reggae or anti free-speech. It DOES object to performers profiting off of songs telling people to take Uzi machine guns and kill us. It also objects to lies from promoters, gay or straight, who will apparently do or say anything to make a buck. Mista Majah P’s song is an enormous step forward, moving reggae back in the direction of love, peace, and justice, and away from hate and discrimination. Thank you. Right on. Blessings.
You gay people should leave the reggae artists them alone. What about freedom of speach. If musician are not allowed to express themselves in the music then you guys should not be allowed to come out in the public with gay behaviors. You guys want freedom to do whatever ya’ll want in public and then the reggae artists can’t say anything about it. Furthermore what is the definition of murder music? i never heard of any music murdering anyone.
This sounds like a step in the right direction. To comply with the Reggae Compa$$ionate Act agreement, a performer promises not to promote hatred and violence. This agreement is broken if a performer promotes hatred or violence in Jamaica or anywhere in the world.
Capleton sings songs about equal rights and justice. But he is known for his history of writing songs that call for LGBT people to be killed and for making comments that LGBT people must be killed from the stage. He did this after he signed his RCA agreement. This is why his performances are being protested.
The Reggae Compa$$ionate Act agreement promotes “One Love.”
So far Capleton has been canceled in Chicago and Houston and in two different clubs in Albuquerque.
For details see: http://bit.ly/bpQEj5