Anti-Gay Singer Gets Nominated for a Grammy Award

Reggae singer Buju Banton has been nominated for a Grammy even after many protests across the country for his music that advocates the murder of gay men.

Banton was scheduled to sing in San Jose this fall until OutNow made the community aware of his music. The outcry from the community convinced the bar owners where he was scheduled to sing to cancel the concert. But he did hold a concert in Berkeley and San Francisco.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has condemed the Recording Academy for nominating Banton becaue of the hate lyics in his songs.

Banton has long a history of advocating the killing of gay people. In a popular song released in 1988 entitled “Boom Bye Bye,” Banton repeats the anti-gay ‘f-word’ and says that “f-----s have to die” and he will “shoot them in the head” or “burn them.” The Associated Press has reported that the song “Batty Rider” from Banton’s 1993 record “Mr. Mention” glorifies the shooting of gay men.

In October 2009 Banton was quoted in news reports as saying “This is a fight, and as I said in one of my songs 'there is no end to the war between me and f----t' and it's clear.”

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