FILE PHOTOS -
Solid Agency accepts bookings for both Bounty Killer and Vybz Kartel.
THE LONG-STANDING battle between foreign gay rights activists and local reggae/dancehall artistes took an interesting turn last week, with a reported 'ceasefire' agreement brokered between the gay activists and major reggae record labels, along with overseas-based concert promoters. Late last week, a press release was sent to local media houses indicating that the protests against the dancehall artistes would be called off because of the outcome of a meeting between a select set of United Kingdom and United States record labels, as well as concert promoters, and some gay rights groups.
Almost immediately, international print news corporations began running stories stating that under the agreement, 'The Reggae Industry' would not release any more records or stage any more shows which featured homophobic songs, because of the 'global deal' which was struck with the groups. Several global print news services stated throughout last week that a 'truce' had been called between gay activists and the reggae industry, under which no more anti-gay tracks would be released on reggae record labels and neither would homophobic lyrics be performed at concerts.
VERBAL FISTICUFFS
While this put an unexpected spin to the series of verbal fisticuffs which erupted between the opposing parties, based on the feedback from England and the local industry, this war seems only part finished.
The release states in part that "...the Stop Murder Music coalition (SMM) has suspended their campaign with immediate effect, after reaching a satisfactory understanding with the reggae music industry. The parties have acknowledged each other's concerns and have agreed to create a framework for conflict resolution, which will include a series of on-going meetings to evaluate progress".
Dennis Carney, head of Black Gay Men's Advisory Group and spokesperson for the SMM coalition, was quoted as saying "this is the first step in an important process."
In a perfect world such a deal would be wonderful, but there seems to be fervent opposition brewing to the reported agreement, with the twist in the plot being that it seems to be coming from both the pro and anti-gay sides of the fence.
For one, it is reported that Peter Tatchell of Outrage! walked out of the meeting before the agreement was reached. Tatchell heads Outrage!, the vocal English-based pro-gay group which has led a valiant fight against the dancehall artistes.
INTERACTIVE SITE
In a report posted on the Black Information Link (Blink) website (www.blink.org.uk), an interactive site dedicated to black communities, concerns were raised about whether or not Outrage! will be supportive of the venture and actually cease their dramatic protests now that an agreement has been reached.
"Blink has learnt Tatchell walked out of negotiations between black gay campaigners and reggae promoters before the talks concluded," reads an excerpt from the site.
When Outrage! was contacted by The Sunday Gleaner for clarification, a spokesperson for the group, David Allison, denied having any knowledge of the consortium, and said their campaign against reggae artistes would indeed continue.
"No, we're certainly not stopping our campaign. There is no truth in that. It (the campaign against reggae artistes) continues onwards," he firmly stated.
On the other side of the fence, one of dancehall's chief supporters, Steve 'Blacker Dread' Martin, who heads the Black Music Council in England, stated that he was not a part of that much heralded meeting either.
He could not confirm the report that Tatchell walked out, but stated that just like him, Tatchell was not invited.
"He did not walk out; they would not allow him into the meeting because he is like us.
He is militant towards his cause," stated Martin when contacted this week. "He is not bowing and just like us he is not backing down. Is only when Tatchell came out of the meeting that they could come to an arrangement."
Martin does not agree with the meeting's outcome totally. He feels that the record labels were quick to compromise only because their profits were dwindling due to the international heat the artistes on their labels faced. He told The Sunday Gleaner that the entire agreement was a shame.
"It is a sell-out and a shame and disgrace to our music and you can quote me on that," he tersely said.
TYPE OF MUSIC
In Martin's view, a small group of people will now dictate what type of music is created and what type of music can be performed at specific places, effectively trampling on any concept of free speech that they may have had.
While his views may reflect that of many Jamaicans, there are people here who see the development as a chance for Jamaican music to move on from the current wave of protests and concert cancellations which gripped the industry for most of last year. Several shows headlined by some leading reggae/dancehall acts were cancelled and millions of dollars in revenue were lost. The impact not only damaged artistes, but the entire team which usually benefits from the tours. Band members, technical teams and support staff all felt the pinch.
CHANCE FOR DANCEHALL MUSIC
Donovan Germain, head of the Penthouse Record Label, which represents Buju Banton, told The Sunday Gleaner that this was the chance for dancehall music to move forward. He was aware of the meetings and welcomed the outcome for the music business to make a fresh start.
"I think it is a compromise and everybody should take it and run with it right now," he said. "Everybody is starting over from scratch, so we should start over and move forward with the music. The industry is in a no-win situation and we have seen enough of the topic;, let us move on now," Germain concluded.
Sharon Burke, head of Solid Agency, which accepts bookings for Bounty Killer and Vybz Kartel, among others, stated that she knew of the meetings as well, though her artistes were never invited. She offered no comment. Capleton's manager Claudette Kemp said she had no official knowledge of the meeting and offered no comment either.
'Blacker Dread' Martin, however, spared no words in speaking with The Sunday Gleaner. He does not see the agreement as pushing reggae music forward immediately.
"It won't further the cause of reggae music," he stated. "What it has done is open up the eyes of a lot of people towards the circumstances of the music. In the long term we will have to see, cause none of the sponsors have come out yet and said anything. Right now, it's only beneficial to the record companies and the promoters, cause now they can keep their shows without protest."
"Most of the people I have spoken to have said that it's a sell-out. My phone has not stopped ringing with people saying that I am a sell-out. We have to keep telling people that we did not have anything to do with the meeting; it was done by the Home Office, the Metropolitan Police and the record companies in private. They never felt that we should have anything to do with it, seeing that we were the only people who stood up."
The future, at best ,seems uncertain. Economic laws often dictate the policies of record labels, so their desire to quell the disturbances is understandable. On the artistes' side however, the economics of losing money may just allow them to call it quits and curb their lyrics to please their parent companies.
