Beenie Man had a number of US concert venue cancellations over his kill-fags songs, and the record companies are seeing this as hurting profits.

Jamaica is a very dangerous place to be gay, possibly the worst in this hemisphere.

It's tough for me too, especially to hear artists like Sizzla who have wonderful songs about peace and love and pride turn around and advocate the hurt of gays.

I adore reggae despite all its foibles. If you are a reggae lover, do some in-depth reading into the history of Jamaica. It's a fascinating subject.

"Beenie Man had a number of US concert venue cancellations over his kill-fags songs, and the record companies are seeing this as hurting profits."

That's the way to do it; hit them where the pockets hurt!

I wonder why it's hurting someone like Beenie Man but successful for someone like Eminem?

Yes, that is a really good point. Why can Eminem win a grammy even though he blatantly has songs about domestic violence? I support artistic integrity and freedom of speech, but a line must be drawn when lyrics advocate violence. I often wonder, if Eminem were not white, would he be afforded the same privilegde. Or if the majority of his listnership were not white...And again, the artist is just a reflection of the society, so until violence against marginalized groups becomes unacceptable, I think violent lyrics wont seem that strange to the public.

I happened to read an interview with a dancehall msuician (in XLR8R) where they touched on the subject of violently homophobic lyrics in dancehall, and I can't remember the artist's name, but he claimed that his sect of rastafarian religion explicitly condemns homosexuality, and hence the lyrics.
I don't claim to know a lot about this subject of homophobia in dancehall lyrics, but I'm a big fan of ska, rocksteady, and dub, and I've been torn on several occassions by misogynistic lyrics in songs, most notably Prince Buster's The Ten Commandments of Prince Buster, wherein he lays out his commandments, handed down from man to woman, which entitles him to sleep around on his lady and to KILL her if she does the same to him, among other inequities.
I am curious how others deal with this? It's difficult to believe that music I love can be so out of step with my core beliefs....

I think Eminem and similar artists' lyrics are largly ignored because American's are so used to lyrical misogyny...

Nothing 'should be done' about anyone's lyrics...it's art. I don't care if they talk about gays, raping women, or killing babies...it doesn't matter. Bottom line, it's art. And if you don't like it don't buy it...the artist has no responsibility to the people. I expected better from those who comment on this site. To even hear the words 'something should be done' scares the shit out of me...and I shouldn't be hearing it from any of you ladies.

Tommy Gun: rtists should own the messages they make public. "Art" that has such messages is not above criticism. If we want people to know what artists are really saying, and choose not to spend our money on them, it's our prerogative.

That first sentence should read "Artists should own..."

I may be wrong about the artist, but I think Beenie Man (could be someone else) was refused entry to the UK for his performances because of his lyrics.

Eminem did back off from his anti-gay lyrics -- remember when he performed with elton john? And he's modified his misogyny too in a bid for mainstream stardom (8 mile was very careful in its protrayal of women). I don't think his lyrics were ever on the extreme end of rap -- more par for the course. So I don't think he was spared outrage because he is white and his fans are white. Whites are a huge part of the fan base of all rap. Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe about 75 percent of all rap is bought by whites.
The reggae songs at issue actually urged the murder of gays -- it was way beyond garden-variety homophobia. And there was at least one murder that was attributed to the songs.
I believe in freedom of speech, but the first amendment does not protect speech that incites specific violence.

Well, both white people AND people of color buy lots of rap. but most people in US are white-- so naturally they would make up a high proportion of the rap fan base. Both black and white America enjoy messages of misogyny and violence. You see that in many areas of the culture, and you can't single out one ethnicity or race to blame it on. To my mind the degradation of women in rap is a particularly dramatic example of misogyny, violence and crass materialism, but it is hardly the only such element in American pop culture. Heavy metal was no valentine to women.
To what do I attribute it? Well, among many other reasons, I think many teenage boys and men are deeply resentful of the minimal progress women have made. Some have been able to adjust to a more egalitarian sexual landscape, but others have become more openly contemptuous and predatory. They see their privileges eroding, and they also see the economic and legal base that underwrote those privileges eroding -- whether its men's new vulnerability to charges of date rape or the decline of the good union jobs etc that once underwrote male economic dominance in the upper level of the working class or having to compete with women in the classroom and office. So instead of the romanticism that fuelled rock, r& b and wonderful wonderful Motown, there is the fantasy of becoming a big time criminal --a drug dealer, a pimp, a 'thug" --or a star, and gaining sexual power over women that way. There are just not too many rap songs about how much the rapper loves his girl friend, and how pretty she is, and how he will always remember last night!
As for women's role as performers in degrading videos, or purchasers of misogynistic rap, and excusers of same, well you tell me! the performers I can understand, because it's a job, and maybe they don't have a lot of options if they want to get ahead in the business, but to voluntarily listen to some rant about hos and bitches and sadistic sex...well I find it quite mysterious, except as evidence of female masochism and low self-esteem.
Men make the music because they think women have come too far, and women put up with it/ listen to it because they haven't come so far after all?
it's a theory.

"Although the artists themselves haven't said anything, the record companies have pledged not to release or re-release any offensive songs ."

And this is called..............?

And what, exactly is "garden variety homophobia"?

"Men make the music because they think women have come too far, and women put up with it/ listen to it because they haven't come so far after all?"

I'd like to suggest that men make the music because it's what sells, provided it's not censored to appease (so-called) marginal groups.

I appreciate all your commentary. I wasn't blaming one particular ethnic group, just merely noting that there is a difference when looking at violence and mysogyny based on which ethnic/racial group you are talking about. White folks relationship to rap is very different then that of people of color. Mainly due to divergent histories and moments of marginalization.
Which is why I really can't relate to your comment about women who listen to rap that has mysogynist messages, are regressive etc. I personally think that it is a culturally specific thing and many women I know, myself included DO listen to rap that often times contains negative portrayals of women. This is not my favorite rap usually, and if it is super violent I can't really get into it. But we are comfortable confronting the sexism imbedded in it, oftentimes with these "thugs" you so lovingly talk about. Furthermore, these women, myself included, do not have low-self esteem or are masochistic. If anything they are soldiers who must constantly negotiate between a racist/sexist world, picking and choosing our battles and alliances.

You should check out a book called "Black Noise." The author Tricia Rose discusses some of these negotiations. Also, please check out some not so popular hip hop. You'd be suprised how many love hip hop tracks are out there.

Samhita, I did not say men who listen to gangsta rap ARE thugs -- I said that was the fantasy, ie the fantasy presented in the music. Thug is a word that comes up rather often in gangsta rap, it's not my word.
As for love songs in hip hop -- well, I was talking about gangsta rap, not the whole hip hop world.
I'll check out tricia rose-- thanks for the tip.