2010 Controversy
Buju Banton's (real name Mark Anthony Myrie) nomination for the 2010 award sparked controversy and protest due to homophobic lyrics within his music. Banton's most controversial song, released in 1988, is "Boom, Bye Bye", which "promote the murder of gay men by shooting or burning". Following the artist's nomination, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center placed an advertisement in the Daily Variety encouraging Grammy officials to denounce music that "promotes or celebrates violence against any group of people". The advertisement, which took the form of a letter signed by gay rights and civil rights activists, asserted that honoring Banton was awarding "extraordinary hateful work". The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences responded by insisting that artists are honored for quality music "regardless of politics". Banton has been quoted as saying that he sees "no end to the war" between himself and gay men. The 2010 award was presented to Stephen Marley. Banton was nominated in 2011 for the album Before the Dawn. Other reggae musicians that have been accused of promoting anti-gay lyrics include Beenie Man, Elephant Man, Vybz Kartel, Shabba Ranks and Sizzla.
Read more about this topic: Grammy Award For Best Reggae Album
Famous quotes containing the word controversy:
“And therefore, as when there is a controversy in an account, the parties must by their own accord, set up for right Reason, the Reason of some Arbitrator, or Judge, to whose sentence, they will both stand, or their controversy must either come to blows, or be undecided, for want of a right Reason constituted by Nature; so is it also in all debates of what kind soever.”
—Thomas Hobbes (1579–1688)