This is one of the best news features to come out of Toronto hands down...this is why POUND is POUND!
Big up to our homie M1 from Dead Prez. If you have not seen our interview with Dead Prez from our show with them in October, check it out HERE.
In the mean time, get up to date on the revolution with M1.
"In Vol. 1 of RWU, M1 discusses Mumia Abu-Jamal's ongoing imprisonment, Buju Banton's legal troubles and a case of police brutality against a student in a wheelchair that took place in the UK."
After watching, find out more HERE.
Gotta say...
Banton has attracted criticism over his anti-gay lyrics. For example, his monster hit "Boom Bye Bye", released in 1988 (and re-recorded in 1992), contains lyrics inciting the murder of gay men. In a news article on anti-gay attitudes, The New York Times reporter Kelefa Sanneh said the song is, "a blood-curdling song with a low, lurching beat and a murderous chorus."
In 2007 Banton was allegedly among a number of reggae artists who signed a pledge, the Reggae Compassionate Act, created by the Stop Murder Music campaign, to refrain from performing homophobic songs or making homophobic statements, but he later denied that he had made any such commitment.
Exert from "Boom Bye Bye"
(So just) Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no batty man
Dem haffi dead
Boom bye bye
Inna batty bwoy head
Rude bwoy no promote no batty man
Dem haffi dead
All a di New York crew
Dem no promote Batty man
Jump an dance
Unno push up unno hand
All di Brooklyn girl
Dem no promote batty man
Jump an bogle
Anna wine yuh bottom
Canadian gals dem no like batty man
If yuh are not one
Yuh haffi push up
I can't personally support anyone who incites a call to arms against another group of people based upon their gender and sexuality, nor will I ever consider them "Revolutionaries". Rather, it is hurtful, hateful and ignorant to suggest otherwise. I think this is important to consider within a larger dialogue about social and systematic violence against people of color as the LGBT community also proudly consists of people of color.
Peace by peace.