No Rock And Roll Fun

OUTRAGE COME TO TERMS WITH 'MURDER' MUSIC: It looks like the long campaign against those few reggae artists who sing songs about murdering gay men and women is over, with news of a 'peace deal' between the Outrage/Black Gay Men's Advisory Group's Stop Murder Music committee and US and UK concert promoters and labels.

A "music strategist" called Glen Yearwood has been representing the British and American arms of the reggae industry is very pleased with the result, while OutRage's Brett Lock is equally delighted:

"We welcome this framework agreement and are suspending the Stop Murder Music campaign. We are giving the singers and the music industry an opportunity to draw a line under the promotion of lyrics that incite violence against lesbians and gay men.
"Providing the singers do not in future encourage violent attacks on gay people, the campaign will remain suspended.

The curious thing, though, is that the "deal" - which Scotland Yard also had a hand in - is little more than a climbdown by Outrage. The labels have promised that they won't release any more stuff that contains violently homophobic sentiments - but then, it's unlikely they would have attempted do so anyway - but stuff that is already out there won't be withdrawn; and since we've seen situations in the past where labels have claimed their artists have apologised for their homophobic lyrics, only to see the artists turn round and say "Bugger that" (for want of a better phrase), it's a little ominous that this deal has been cut totally with people who have financial interests in clearing the way for the artists to be able to tour again in the UK and US. Not a word in any of the reports suggests that the artists at the heart of the row haven't had any input into the process, nor made a single concession. In short, it's got all the permanence of a promise from a mother to a headmaster that her Stanley won't cause any trouble, even as he sets fire to a first-former outside the headmaster's office.

Wasn't the whole point of the campaign to try and help stop attacks on gay men in Jamaica? It's not clear to see how this is going to have any effect on those attacks.

music reggae outrage homophobia