Dancehall music was once painted as hate music by the homosexual community due to the fact that artistes were known to release music denouncing the homosexual lifestyle. Following several appearance cancellations overseas, players in the local music industry began to feel the pressure in their pockets as a result of a strong gay lobby.
Ironically, the trend to lash out against the homosexual lifestyle is now the practice of some foreign artistes.
American rapper Tyga last year released a dancehall-influenced song titled 1 of 1 in which he denounced homosexuality in one specific line, stating that he was not into gay antics.
"Mi nuh love for dem b*&*y boy antics, gonna let me pull choppers (guns) out the attic,"he said.
ENFORCE HIS MASCULINITY
Tyga's frequent collaborator, Chris Brown, also pulled a similar stunt in his verse on Konshens' Bruck Off Yu Back remix, where, he too, felt the need to enforce his masculinity.
"Mi nuh deal wid nuh ch*ch*man thing, gyal bruck off yu back mi wanna feel the ocean," he sang.
Outspoken member of the dancehall community Foota Hype says that foreign artistes pay attention to Jamaican music and know what it takes to gain respect from Jamaicans.
"They know wrong from right, and the labels will give them the green light because they know it's a song for the dancehall fanbase. Konshens song don't have nothing to do with that topic, but Chris Brown knows that it's a major topic in Jamaica, so that is why he did it. I am sure there won't be no backlash because it's Chris Brown. If it was a likkle Jamaican artiste who do that, it would have been a problem," he said.
RAW AND UNFILTERED STATE
The selector-producer said that Tyga and Chris Brown's actions is proof that dancehall in its most raw and unfiltered state can still break overseas.
"Just mek music and release it. Look pon Press Trigger by Cobra and Gimmie Di Light by Sean Paul. They never made those songs to crossover, but they still did because foreign always a pay attention," he said.
For Hitmaker, "it's a way to fit in since dancehall is known as a genre that was homophobic."
The producer said that the likes of Chris Brown and Tyga "are smart enough not to put violence towards gays, and they used words that are less harmful".
Hitmaker further said that Tyga and Chris Brown should try and help elevate dancehall instead of trying to be part of what is seen as negative in the international community.
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