BOOM BYE-BYE: Murder Music Star Buju Banton Sentenced To Ten Years

This morning reggae superstar Buju Banton was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for cocaine trafficking. Banton's particular style of reggae was dubbed "murder music" for lyrics that often called for the murders of gay men. In recent years his concert appearances were picketed by LGBT activists who sometimes convinced promoters to cancel the shows entirely. Banton's supporters claim that his drug arrest was a conspiracy set up between the DEA and gay activists.

RELATED: In February 2011, Banton won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album despite protests over having even been nominated.

MIAMI: Anti-Gay Murder Music Star Buju Banton Found Guilty Of Drug Trafficking

Grammy winning reggae star Buju Banton, whose work has been called "murder music" for its calls for the executions of gay men, has been found guilty of three federal counts of conspiracy to traffic cocaine. Via the Jamaican Observer:

The artiste was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilogrammes of cocaine, attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and using the wires to facilitate a drug-trafficking offence. However he was found not guilty of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offence. The artiste hugged his lawyer David Markus when the verdict was read. Many of the artiste's supporters left the courtroom crying. He has been detained and has had his bail revoked.

Banton's supporters and some of the Jamaican press have alleged that the drug charges came out of a conspiracy between the DEA and LGBT activists. The date for his sentencing has not been announced. Last week Banton won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, stunning activists who last year published full-page music industry ads denouncing his nomination.

VIDEO: One of Banton's biggest hits, Boom Bye Bye, advocates shooting "nasty batty boys" in the head.

Murder Music Star Buju Banton Wins Grammy, Begins Drug Trafficking Trial

Last night reggae star Buju Banton, whose "murder music" calls for the executions of gay men, won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album. Banton's win came as a shocker to LGBT activists who last year took out full-page music industry ads denouncing his nomination. Today his cocaine trafficking retrial begins in Miami after a previous trial resulted in a hung jury. Banton's supporters in Jamaica and elsewhere claim that gay activists conspired with the DEA to frame him. He faces a life sentence on charges that he attempted to purchase several kilos of cocaine for resale.

FLORIDA: Mistrial For Murder Music Reggae Star Buju Banton

The cocaine trafficking trial of reggae/dancehall superstar Buju Banton has resulted in a hung jury. Banton is part of a reggae niche called "murder music" for its lyrical calls for the brutal murders of homosexuals. Banton was charged with conspiring to sell eleven pounds of cocaine.

Banton, a Jamaican national, maintained he had been entrapped by a paid police informant whom he believed had music industry connections. During the four-day trial which ended last week, prosecutors played audio recordings in which Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, and the informant discussed drugs, ideas for shipping drugs, and dollar amounts. Prosecutors said the tapes showed Banton wanted to finance drug deals. The 37-year-old performer testified he only talked about drugs with the informant in order to impress him. Questioned by Banton's lawyer, the informant, Alexander Johnson, acknowledged Banton had never given him money.

Banton's concerts had been protested worldwide by LGBT activists who often succeeded in convincing promoters and venues to cancel his shows. Some reggae music bloggers and even legitimate Jamaican news outlets have reported claims that Banton's arrest was a "set up" by an international conspiracy of gays bent on retribution for his music. Similar claims resulted when Banton failed to win the Grammy for Best Reggae Album earlier this year. For now Banton remains in custody pending a bail application. He is expected to be retried.

RELATED: Murder music fans flooded to this JMG post to rain down death threats after this year's Grammy Awards.

Buju Banton: Grammy Loser

We'll never know if GLAAD's campaign against murder music star Buju Banton's Grammy nomination is at least partially to credit for his loss tonight, but the happy fact is that there will be no celebration in Banton's Florida prison cell tonight where he awaits trial for conspiracy to traffic eleven pounds of cocaine.

GLAAD Takes Out Full-Page Variety Ad Protesting Buju Banton's Grammy Nom

GLAAD has published out a full-page ad in the current issue of Variety to protest murder music reggae star Buju Banton's nomination for Best Reggae Album.

In an advert in Hollywood show business paper Daily Variety, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center urged Grammy organizers to use Sunday's televised ceremony to denounce music "that promotes or celebrates violence against any group of people." The lyrics of Banton's most controversial song "Boom, Bye Bye" in 1988, promote the murder of gay men by shooting or burning. Several of Banton's U.S. concerts were canceled by promoters last year after an outcry over his lyrics. Banton was quoted late last year as saying he saw "no end to the war" between himself and gay men. The Recording Academy has said that the Grammy Awards honor musical achievement "regardless of politics" and that artists from many different political and cultural perspectives have been nominated over the years.

Banton is presently in jail in Florida awaiting trial for conspiracy to traffic cocaine. He faces 30 years years in federal prison after attempting to purchase 11 pounds of the drug from undercover DEA officers.

Buju Banton Pleads Not Guilty

Yesterday anti-gay "murder music" reggae star Buju Banton plead not guilty to federal drug charges in a Tampa court. Banton is accused of conspiring to buy 11 pounds of cocaine from an undercover federal agent. His attorney says that Banton is innocent and will not be seeking a plea arrangement. Banton faces up to thirty years in prison. He will certainly not be available for the Grammy Awards ceremony on January 31st, where he is nominated for Best Reggae Album.

Reggae Fans Blame Gays For Arrest Of Murder Music Star Buju Banton

As evidenced by some angry and hate-filled comments on my post about the arrest of Buju Banton, a number of reggae fans in Jamaica and the U.S. are claiming that his bust for attempting to buy eleven pounds of cocaine is payback from the LGBT community. Because we totally control the DEA. From the Miami Herald:

On Monday, in South Florida and Jamaica, callers burned up radio airwaves, calling the arrest a "conspiracy'' to get him after his recent controversy that included protests by local gay-rights advocates over a Halloween concert in downtown Miami. "They are convinced it's directly connected to the concert he had recently,'' said Winston Barnes, a Miramar city commissioner and host of a popular Jamaican talk show on WAVS (1170-AM). "What they are saying is that he got off that time and they are fixing him now.'' Barnes tried without success to reason with callers, most of whom also viewed the arrest as an attack on reggae music. "It is one big mess.'' In Jamaica, people clamored for details of the arrest, decrying it on radio and on street corners. "A lot of people are wondering if it has any links with the fight against him,'' well-known Jamaican dub poet Mutabaruka said from Kingston. "We are trying to get more information.'' Last fall, several of Banton's concerts were canceled in U.S. cities amid protests from gays and lesbians. Even a face-to-face meeting with some gay-rights activists in San Francisco in October failed to end the protests.

Banton faces a 20-30 year minimum sentence in federal prison. A criminal defense lawyer contacted about possibly representing Banton tells the Miami Herald that he advises a plea-bargain deal in which Banton gives up his co-conspirators.

MIAMI: Murder Music Star Buju Banton Busted By Feds For Cocaine Dealing

Notorious "murder music" reggae star Buju Banton, whose hit records include calls for the murder of gay men, has been busted by federal agents in Miami for intent to distribute cocaine.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents say Banton, real name Mark Anthony Myrie, has been in custody since Thursday and will soon be transferred to Tampa, where the U.S. Attorney is charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilos of cocaine. Banton has homes both in Jamaica and Tamarac [FL]. While legions of dancehall reggae enthusiasts view Banton as one of the most prolific voices of Jamaica's poor masses, critics say he's a gay basher whose lyrics incite violence by calling for attacking and torturing homosexuals. His song Boom Bye Bye, a dance-hall hit released in the 1990s, advocates shooting gays in the head and setting them on fire.

I guess that puts an end to the campaign to force promoters to cancel Banton's concert tours! (For the next 10-to-20, anyway. Hee haw.) Now let's see what this arrest does for GLAAD's petition to get his 2009 Grammy nomination revoked.

Grammy Nom For Murder Music Singer Buju Banton Sparks Growing Outrage

Jamaican reggae singer Buju Banton, whose songs have openly called for the murder of gay men, received a Grammy nomination last week, much to the growing outrage and condemnation of the LGBT community.

Los Angeles LGBT Center:

Throughout his career, Banton has performed music that promotes a culture of violence against lesbian and gay people; he sings in “Boom, Bye Bye” that “faggots get up and run” when he comes, that “they have to die,” and that he will shoot them in the head or “burn them up bad.” Banton is completely unrepentant, refuses to stop performing the song, and recently said, “There is no end to the war between me and faggots." “It’s an affront to LGBT people, and to all fair-minded people around the world, that Buju Banton was nominated,” says Center Chief Public Affairs Officer Jim Key. “We certainly hope the members of the Recording Academy will not bestow the prestigious honor of a Grammy on someone whose music promotes murder.”

GLAAD:

Earlier this year, a series of Buju Banton concerts in the U.S. were canceled after protests from the LGBT community. Despite meeting with LGBT leaders in San Francisco in October, Banton later claimed that “there is no end to the war between me and f****t.” While we are disappointed that the Recording Academy has chosen to honor Banton’s album, “Rasta Got Soul,” with a nomination the highest honor in music, we are hopeful that the Grammy voters will chose to bestow the Grammy for Best Reggae Album on one of the other nominees who manage to record reggae that does not condone hate.

The other nominees for Best Reggae Album are Gregory Issacs, Sean Paul, Julian Marley, and Stephen Marley.

Live Nation Cancels Buju Banton Tour

Congratulations to all those who followed the links to complain about murder music star Buju Banton, as Live Nation has now canceled his national tour of the United States.

Banton was scheduled to perform in October at House of Blues venues in Chicago, Las Vegas, Dallas, and Houston, among other dates and locations. However, last week, activists began contacting the Beverly Hills-based Live Nation to express their dismay because of his violent antigay lyrics. In songs such as “Boom, Bye Bye,” from 1988, Banton calls for the torture and murder of gay men. “If a guy comes near me,” he sings, “then his skin must peel. Burn him up bad like an old tire wheel.” Live Nation announced plainly that the concerts by Banton were cancelled, and that refunds would be available to ticket holders. Banton has long been opposed by LGBT activists because of his antigay lyrics and alleged behavior. In 2006, he was acquitted of charges that he assaulted a group of gay men in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica. In 2007, he signed the Reggae Compassionate Act, in which artists vow to refrain from singing antigay lyrics or making homophobic statements, but he later denied that he took the pledge.

A very nice win to end this week!

UPDATE: JMG reader Jeff B. points out that another promoter, AEG, is publicizing a second set of Banton shows. Go to the LA LGBT Center's page to put a stop to those too.

UPDATE II: That was fast. AEG has canceled their shows too.

Live Nation Promoting Murder Music

Buju Banton, the dancehall/reggae artist whose work has been characterized as "murder music" for lyrics that call for the brutal murders of gay men, is launching a national U.S. tour via American music label and concert promoter Live Nation. A sample of Banton's lyrics:

Anytime Buju Banton comes, faggots get up and run. Boom (gun shot) bye bye (Goodbye, as in you're dead), in a faggot's head. Rude boy don't promote any nasty (queer) man, They have to die...Send for the automatic and the Uzi instead. Shoot them, don't come (to help them) if we shoot them...If a guy comes near me, then his skin must peel. Burn him up bad like an old tire wheel.

Banton's 20-city tour includes San Francisco, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Four of his tour dates are at House of Blues venues. Activists request your letters of complaint to that chain and Live Nation. Live Nation also represents Madonna, U2, Jay-Z and Shakira.