You are here: Home » Entertainment » GLA To Protest Homophobic Singer Capleton After Venue Unable To Afford Cancellation Fee

GLA To Protest Homophobic Singer Capleton After Venue Unable To Afford Cancellation Fee

09/29/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
The Gay Liberation Network has already announced to the management of the Kinetic Playground venue where deejay Capleton will be performing on 9 October. GLN has stated that some of Capleton’s songs encourage violence against the LGBT Community. GLN Spokesperson Roger Fraser wrote in the letter to Jim Gouskos, owner of the venue, “Very few promoters want to be associated with murderous bigotry and calls from the stage to commit mayhem.” Fraser also described Capleton as performing “murder music.”

Fraser also stated in the letter “No respectable promoter would knowingly schedule a performer whose lyrics promoted violence and murder against blacks or Jews or Muslims. We ask for and expect the same consideration to be made concerning LGBT people.” Gouskos has responded to GLA’s letter expressing his support and saying that he is not homophobic, but that he cannot afford to cancel Capleton’s show because doing so would require him paying an $11,000 cancellation fee.

Capleton is touring the United States in support of his I-Ternal Fire album. The album was released in June on VP records.

This is the second time that Capleton’s shows have been targeted by LGBT rights groups. In February, his appearances on Tribute to The Legends and the Ragga Muffin Festival in California were cancelled after pressure from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center.

Capleton is not the only act to be targeted in Europe and North America over lyrics which often promote violence towards lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transpeople. Among those targeted by LGBT groups are Beenie man, Buju Banton, Elephant Man and Sizzla, to name a few. Banton has been the hardest hit by the LGBT backlash. This has been largely due to his 1993 song “Boom Bye Bye.” Several promoters of Banton’s Rasta Got Soul tour were forced to cancel his shows over pressure from the LGBT Community. Capleton started his tour at Toad’s Place in New Haven, Connecticut and will close it at Club Intrigue in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

Source