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Reggae label announces 'Straight Pride Parade'

Murder Music's rap sheet grows

Monday, 28 July 2008

The ever growing rap sheet that accompanies so called ‘murder music’ grew in length again this month as TCOOO Productions www.imeem.com/tcooo/
the label behind the ‘18 Karat Reggae’ CD series, announced the first ever Straight Pride Parade is to take place in Brooklyn, New York on August 31st.

In response to what they claim is continuing attacks on reggae music by the Stop Murder Music campaign, Peter Tatchell and other gay activists, TCOOO stated “they hoped the event will unify the reggae community who has seen many reggae events cancelled across the United States, Europe and the Caribbean”. Reggae artist and label star Stapler, whose song ‘Hit them Hard’ was banned recently, said of the march. "It is like we are not allowed to talk about the importance of a family anymore".

Responding to news of the event Peter Tatchell of Outrage said “The US is a free country. Let them have their misnamed Straight Pride Parade. They say it is a celebration of heterosexuality, but really it's a promotion of straight supremacism, driven by a homophobic agenda. They defend artists who incite hatred and violence against LGBT people.”

"They falsely claim that the Stop Murder Music campaign is an attack on reggae music. Nonsense. It is an attack on a small number of reggae singers who have perverted reggae's message of peace, love and justice….hijacking the genre to turn it into an anthem of homophobic hatred and violence. They are encouraging civil war in the black community. They want black straight people to kill black lesbians and gay men.”

With lyrics like “Jah Jah gonna hit them hard, all the men who visit men backyard, leaving all the women to starve, one thunder ball and all of them pause” perhaps it is up to us to take pride and teach the world to sing to a new tune.

For more information on the Stop Murder Music campaign www.petertatchell.net