Sony Music posted a clip of Saucy Santana’s bop which seems to take shots at the Jamaican culture by appropriating the language and mentioning rastafari directly in one line of the song.
The song “Shisha” featuring the City Girls has a particular line where the beat is lowered and a rasta reference made. “Sigh, rastafari, BUST RUSS BUST D*ck make me pum cry Botty boy p*ssy make em feel high D*ck so good make me pum lie,” sings Santana.
Over the years the gay community and Jamaican artists have been at odds with songs and lyrics chastising homosexuals for their lifestyles.
As a result music labels and Tv shows have had a tumultuous relationship navigating their interests in Jamaican music with homophobic lyrics and some artists were even banned from venues in North America including Beenie Man, Sizzla, Buju Banton and Shabba Ranks.
Shabba was unceremoniously dethroned from international stardom after he made remarks on the U.K’s Channel 4 The Word. The “Mr. Loverman” deejay was asked to give his thoughts on the subject of Buju Banton hit song, “Boom Bye Bye.” Shabba held a copy of a Bible and stated that the “word of God” advocated the “crucifixion of homosexuals”.
His was condemned swiftly for his comments by presenter Mark Lamarr, who said, “That’s absolute crap and you know it.”
At the time he was signed to Epic Records, whose parent company is Sony Music Entertainment. The following year he released a statement apologizing for his remarks after his shows were being cancelled.
Ranks was dropped from a Bobby Brown concert and a rift with his label Sony Music ensued along with a campaign to ban his music from BBC Radio 1. His UK career dwindled but in Jamaica, the two time Grammy winner has always received a hero’s welcome.
After his release from prison in 2019, Buju pulled Boom Bye Bye from all streaming platforms and announced that going forward his music will be inclusive and welcoming all people.
“I recognize that the song has caused much pain to listeners, as well as to my fans, my family and myself. After all the adversity we’ve been through I am determined to put this song in the past and continue moving forward as an artist and as a man. I affirm once and for all that everyone has the right to live as they so choose. In the words of the great Dennis Brown, ‘Love and hate can never be friends.’ I welcome everyone to my shows in a spirit of peace and love. Please come join me in that same spirit,” Buju’s statement said.
More recently however, Dancehall selector Footahype lashed out against Spice after Dancehall Mag broke news of a gay pride event she is scheduled to perform. He expressed disappointment in the move by the “Send It Up” singer.
“In all my 20+ years as an established product of Jamaica and dancehall and reggae music this is the first time I feel completely defeated ashamed embarrassed weak betrayed in my subconscious mind I was confident that two ppl i would never live to see do this was @spiceofficial and @grunggaadzilla this now drives a serious fear in my consciousness that all hope is lost this submission to the devil has become the new thing for dancehall artiste the new norm for our culture based on what I see going is that moral values are no longer important the only thing that matters is MONEY the preservation of our music , culture and righteous values don’t count . Honestly on the name of the almighty I was banking on hope that no matter what @spiceofficial would never give in to something like I guess I was dead wrong . This is a big L for the ancestors of Jamaica and the music given to us by the almighty money has officially poisoned and crippled our industry, we’ll maybe this is a band show if not it would be sad that @spiceoffial wouldn’t consider the wellbeing and career of her dj after this , shame a kill mi God know.”
Grammy nominated, Rastafarian reggae artist Sizzla also came out with strong words against Spice for her scheduled appearance at Toronto’s Pride 2022 Festival celebrations in June.
The ‘Dry Cry’ singer posted on his Instagram a photo of Spice with the screen grab Dancehall Mag Headline, graffitied with the words “Don’t Do The Show”.
‘Da Real Thing’ singer has a well documented history of lashing out against the gay community both on and offstage.
Sizzla also posted another image with the caption: “None a dem nastiness bout yah unuh gweh. You’ll not corrupt our children anymore”.
In 2006 Time Magazine called Jamaica “the most homophic place on earth,” as a result of artist who insight violence against gays but last year two female dancehall/reggae artists- Lila Ike and Jada Kingdom announced that they are “into women”.
