News: NYC Reggae Concert Canceled After Protests
Organizers for the Hearts & Voices AIDS Benefit concert have cancelled their sixth show, due to concerns of potential violence after protesters complained two of the scheduled performers were anti-gay.
LIFEbeat, the concert series' organizers, have recently come under fire by black gay activists and bloggers after it was announced that Jamaican dancehall artists Beenie Man and the group T.O.K. were scheduled to perform during a concert next week at Webster Hall.
The protesters have requested that the artists either be dropped of forced to not perform some of their most controversial lyrics.
Well, LIFEbeat did not drop the artists from the show line-up, instead they canceled the event all together.
"The possibility of violence at the concert from the firestorm incited by a select group of activists makes canceling the event the only responsible action," the organizers said in a released statement. "It is very unfortunate, however, that the intended good that could result from bringing this community together around this potentially groundbreaking event will not be realized."
The artists in question - Beenie Man and T.O.K. - have songs in their catalogs that degrade gays using slang. According to reports, one Beenie Man song calls for a lesbian hanging, and a T.O.K tune suggests gay men be burned.
The Hearts & Voices Benefit concert was scheduled to take place on July 18 at New York's Webster Hall. Confirmed performers included Beenie Man, Wayne Wonder, TOK, Sasha and Kulcha Don, as well as a special performance by Foxy Brown. www.ballerstatus.net |
