Address
and contact details Dear Sirs, I am asking, on behalf of the Croydon Area Gay Society, if the Metropolitan Police Service can put pressure on certain firms who promote or trade in rap music that specifically incites to the murder, shooting, burning and beating of gay people. The lyrics of several of their songs, whose text is given below, variously abuse, menace and threaten lesbians and gays; goad and glorify the beating, shooting and burning of homosexuals; and incite acts of homophobic assault and murder. We are concerned about the spread of this music. Last year it appeared to involve only very tightly knit ethnic and religious groups. At that time it was argued that taking legal action would inflame the hate crimes that we hoped to reduce. This year, however, some of these artists featured in the MOBO (Music Of Black Origin) award ceremony in the Albert Hall. So as their music is getting much wider attention, our concern is greater. The Croydon Division has recently received a report of antigay abuse that included the use of the word Battyman, with its threat of violence and murder. We are appreciate that the Police might not want to offend the ethnic and religious ethos of these groups by prosecuting one of their leading public figures. However there seems to be a strong case for talking to those who distribute and trade in their music, and pointing out that there is a strong case for prosecuting them should they continue to trade in material that incites to murder. We understand that much distribution of this material relies on illegal copying and distribution through the worldwide web. However, the sale, royalties and chart position of the offending material depends on sales through legal outlets. The case for action in the
letter that follows relies very heavily on material that you have already
received, and that is already published on the Internet. But we want to
know what kind of reception it is getting in Scotland Yard. Many concerned
people don't know. These songs are available in or via many high street record stores and websites. The case against incitement to murderWe understand that there are at least three possible charges that could be used. They could be prosecuted under Sections 4 or 5 of the Public Order Act 1986, or under the common law offence of incitement to violence and murder, or under Section 4 of the Offences Against The Person Act 1861. 1) According to Section 4 (1)
(a), a person is guilty of a criminal offence if he "uses towards
another person threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour…whereby
that person is likely to believe that such violence will be used or it
is likely that such violence will be provoked". 2) According to the common law offence of incitement, a person is guilty of a criminal offence if he encourages, advocates or urges any violent act - including assault or murder - against another person. 3) According to Section 4 - the solicitation to murder clause - of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 it is a crime to advocate, incite, encourage or promote acts of murder. It was under this clause that the Muslim cleric, Abdullah el-Faisal, was convicted at the Old Bailey on 24 February 2003 of soliciting the murder of Jews, Hindus, Americans and non-believers. He was convicted even though neither a prospective assailant nor a prospective victim was identified. This precedent demonstrates that general threats made against groups of people can be successfully prosecuted under UK law. The record companies and retailers who produce and distribute these incitements to assault and murder could be prosecuted under the above laws or under the common law offences of conspiracy and aiding and abetting the commission of the afore-mentioned crimes. The case against conspiracy to incite to murderIn an Oral Answer to Lord Avebury on 18 December 2002, Lord Falconer, then Solicitor-General, stated his legal opinion: "To solicit or incite another to commit a crime (through, for example, homophobic song lyrics) is indictable under common law, even if the solicitation or incitement has no effect. Therefore a crime would not actually need to be committed to convict people of incitement to violence against homosexual people". The Attorney-General, Lord Goldsmith, concurs. He responded to a letter from Lord Avebury concerning the possibility of prosecuting reggae singers who incite violence against lesbians and gay men. His reply, dated 16 December 2002, advised of the possibility of charges under the public order laws and the legislation against threats and incitement to kill. The authority of these two most senior legal officers in the land suggests that there is, indeed, a legitimate and compelling case for charges and proceedings to commence. Note: 'Batty man' and 'chi chi man' are abusive, insulting Jamaican slang words used to denigrate gay men. They are the equivalent of pejorative words like queer, faggot, poof and bender. Bun means burn in patois. These tracks and albums are available for purchase online via www.amazon.co.uk - which is where we found the publishing details. Some of the tracks are available on the shelves at HMV and Virgin record stores in central London, or can be ordered via these stores. The action we seek from the Metropolitan PoliceWe request the Metropolitan Police to consider the case to bring charges against distributors of this material and others who trade on it. We are concerned about charges of incitement to violence; incitement to murder; solicitation to murder; public disorder through the use of threatening, abusive or insulting words; and conspiracy to threaten, assault or murder; in any combination of these charges. We request the Metropolitan Police to explain to the distributors and traders their liability to prosecution under these charges. We request that this be done discreetly. The distributors and traders we are concerned with are the record labels: Artists Only Records, VP, Octave, Greensleeves, Shanachie, Jet Star and Tvt; and to the record retailers: Amazon, HMV and Virgin. The information we request
We acknowledge that most of the material in this letter is taken from research by Peter Tatchell. We shall be pleased to convey your response to our members and also to other interested groups and persons, and to the gay groups in and around Croydon - where it is appropriate for the information to be disseminated. We are aware that the Police should not only be listening and active in preventing crime, but that they should be seen to be doing so. We should also be interested in any negative response as this topic is being discussed on gay e-groups on the Internet and has topical interest. Thank you for your attention, Yours sincerely,
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Lyrics and record details
Artist: Bounty
Killer with Baby Cham
Song: Another Level
Album: Wow... The Story (Baby Cham)
Audio CD (October 24, 2000)
Original Release Date: October 24, 2000
Label: Artists Only Records
ASIN: B000050HYI
Excerpt:
Bun a fire pon a
kuh pon mister fagoty (Uh huh)
Cocky deh yah suh fi wheel unda Dorothy (Uh huh)
Ears ah ben up and a wince under agony
Poop man fi drown a dat a yawd man philosophy (Uh huh)
See more details
at Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000050HYI/qid%3D1063315190/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-4047661-1710415
Artist: Bounty
Killer
Song: Eagle & Di Hawk
Album: Next Millennium
Audio CD (November 3, 1998)
Original Release Date: November 3, 1998
Label: Tvt
ASIN: B00000DF6P
Excerpt:
Boo away some battyman
nuh waan dem aroun mi
Waan see mi dead so dem can get fi moan mi
Battyman start come a stage show fi stone wi
Mek dem know a di eagle and the hawk dem surround wi
Well bwoy like a mi nuh battyman nah guh crown mi
Media and the press a try dem best fi drown wi
Cancel mi visa but dat still nuh ground mi
Mek dem know a di eagle and di hawk dem surround wi
The soundclip available for download from the Amazon website is the homophobic
verse.
See more details
at Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000DF6P/002-4047661-1710415?v=glance#product-details
Artist: Bounty
Killer
Song: Mr. Wanna Be
Album: 5th Element
Audio CD (October 19, 1999)
Original Release Date: October 19, 1999
Label: Tvt
ASIN: B00000JZ26
Excerpt:
Unu wanna be me!
Weh tek dem insect
True mi tek Spring Break, si dem a impress
Hear this likkle punk guh sing a battyman concept
Seh him hood Deanie, a deh suh mi object
And him guh pon Mirage, and guh dis-respect
bout dem box man a foreign dem nuh tek nuh bet yet
Tell dem if dem do dat World War woulda re-flex
Yuh lef' Clarendon and come drop ina wasp nest
with Guerilla warfare yuh caught mi interest
War mi start dat by reservation and request
To kill dis yah fool, to me dat is no stress
Murder dem fast just like a Federal Express
And mi run wild west
Artist: Bounty
Killer
Song: Look Good (track 7)
Album: Ghetto Dictionary: Art of War
Audio CD (May 28, 2002)
Label: V.P. Records
ASIN: B0000633G9
Excerpt:
"wipe out the faggot with a pure laser beam"
The album can be
bought from Amazon at:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000633G9/ref=m_art_li_8/002-4047661-1710415?v=glance&s=music
It can also be bought from the HMV website
To view Bounty Killer's lyrics in full see: http://raddy73.tripod.com/lyrics/bounty.html
Artist: Beenie
Man
Song: Badman Chi Chi Man
Album Where's the Party at 2k2 (Various Artists)
Audio CD (2 September, 2002)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Octave
ASIN: B00006CFK2
Catalogue Number: BELEF002CD
Artist: Beenie
Man
Album: Greensleeves Rhythm Album Vol.23 (Various Artists)
Audio CD (11 March, 2002)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Greensleeves
ASIN: B0000631AP
Catalogue Number: 36017232
Excerpt:
Chorus:
If yuh nuh chi chi man wave yuh right hand and (NO!!!)
If yuh nuh lesbian wave yuh right hand and (NO!!!)
Some bwoy will go a jail fi kill man tun bad man chi chi man!!!
Zagga zow, and mi sex off Mona, Lisa and (NO!!!)
And mi breed off Keisha, Lisa, and (NO!!!)
Some bwoy will go a jail fi murda tun badman chi chi man!!!
Verse 1:
Like for instance, Miss Ivey likkle wash belly one deh
Who mi a talk now di long mout one deh
Di pants song I called man chi chi man
When mi see him inna video wid a naked man (What!!!)
So mi know seh oonu DJ a fraud (Fraud dem!!!)
Yuh by yuh civic and mi buy mi accord
Inna cruise a crash a now pon PG's garage
Yet still yuh a chase like you all a wear draws
Tell mi, sumfest it should a be a showdown
Yuh seem to run off a stage like a clown (Kill Dem DJ!!!)
But anytime mi buck again yuh must lose yuh crown
Cause this a one DJ yuh caan throw down cau
Artist: Beenie
Man
Song: Damn
Album: Ruffkut Reggae Mix (Various Artists)
Audio CD (6 November, 2000)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Shanachie
ASIN: B00004Y9WY
Catalogue Number: SHANCD45047
Artist: Beenie
Man
Album: Strictly the Best Vol. 25 (Various Artists)
Audio CD (27 November, 2000)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: VP Records
ASIN: B0000508EN
Catalogue Number: VP16192
Excerpt:
"I'm dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays"
Artist: Elephant
Man
Song: Log on
Album: Log on
Audio CD (12 November, 2001)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Greensleeves
ASIN: B00005QEBN
Catalogue Number: 36012662
Excerpt:
Chorus:
Log on, and step pon chi chi man.
Log on from yu know seh yu nuh ickie man.
Log on and step pon chi chi man.
Dance wi a dance and a bun out a freaky man.
Verse1:
Bout boss a who da bredda could and a talk.
Gimme pass, yuh nuh si a dis ya dance di people dem want.
Step pon him like a old cloth.
A dance wi a dance and a crush out dem...
Bun blast yuh scare yuh ca bus di new dance.
Do di walk mi see the light and di torch dem fass.
Jeremy come help me do di brand new dance.
Verse 3:
All right see it chi chi man cah stop da one ya from dweet.
Wake up inna di wrong bed yuh a sleep.
Yuh nuh see di gal dem contract yuh a breach.
Future run him down di bwoy fi get beat.
Caan pass Spanish town on princess street
Bare rat-a-tat di shotta dem would and a beat.
Jeremy tun up di music inna di street
Dis yah new dance a run di place.
Artist: Elephant
Man
Song: A Nuh Fi Wi Fault
Album: Reggae Hits Vol.24 (Various Artists)
Audio CD (30 November, 1998)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: Jet Star
ASIN: B0000253YX
Catalogue Number: JECD1024
Excerpt:
Intro:
Badman nuh inna nuh explanation no more
Anyway we hold dem bwoy dem get
A yo, all yuh hear me
Tivali jungle
Rise all da ting dem yah man…
A nuh fi wi fault
If a battybwoy run inna we gun
A nuh fi wi fault
The pussy dem get shot down
A nuh fi wi fault
When fadda get boom down Sodom
A nuh fi wi fault…
Dem find battyman
we don't play
A nuh fi wi fault
Along time deh fassy dem a dead…
When yuh hear a Sodomite
get raped
But a fi wi fault…
Long time we ah warn
dem anna obverse
Battyman fi dead!
Please mark we word
Gimme tha tech-nine
Shoot dem like bird
Dis a wha ????? man heard
A nuh fi wi fault
Jamaican don't like gay
A nuh fi wi fault
Ah same way Miami man stay
A nuh fi wi fault….
We nah keep battman
friend
????????
Badman nah par wid men
????????
Shotta just rise your Mack Ten
????????
????????
A!
A nuh fi wi fault
When two men ???????
A nuh fi wi fault
Big nife a cut off dem ??
A nuh fi wi fault
Den me throw away deh head in deh boat
A nuh fi wi fault
A nuh fi wi fault
A nuh fi wi
A nuh fi wi fault
Jamaican don't like gay
A nuh fi wi fault….
Its wrong
Two woman gonna hock up inna bed
Thats two Sodomites dat fi dead
A nuh fi wi fault
Battybwoy run inna me gun
A nuh fi wi fault
Coz tha fassy dem get shot down
A nuh fi wi fault
When Father got boom down Sodom
A nuh fi wi fault
A nuh fi wi fault
A nuh fi wi
A nuh fi wi fault
Dem find battyman we don't play
A nuh fi wi fault
A long time that fassy dem ah dead
A nuh fi wi fault
Ah dem make de syphilis a spread
A nuh fi wi fault
A nuh fi wi fault
A! den
Long time we ah warn dem anna observe
Battyman fi dead!
Please mark we word
Gimme the Tech Nine
Shoot dem like bird
Dis ah Harry Toddler heard
But ah fi wi fault
When yuh hear ah Sodomite get raped
But ah fi wi fault
When we ah ???? ah gal inna place
But ah fi wi fault…..
Artist: Elephant Man
Song: We Nuh Like Gay (aka Nuk Like)
Album: Face Off Volume 2 (Various Artists)
Audio CD (4 January, 2000)
Number of Discs: 1
Label: VP
ASIN: B00003OPAA
Catalogue Number: VPCD2108
Excerpt:
Intro:
Ayo, Badman nah par wid informer nor gay, Yuh no like dem, Cha,
Whatever, A, We nuh like gay, We nuh like gay, No way, We no like gay,
Mans start Scare Dem give me the AK, General B. of course,
Chorus:
We no like gay, we no like gay,
Well ah just how Jamaican stay,
From you no like battyman well me waan see yuh gun right-away, gunright-away,
Cau we bun dem and we run dem, Battyman and badman caan be friend,
You nuh like battyman Tivali man juss wave yuh Mack 10, wave yuh Mack, A!
Wave yuh guuuuun, wave yuh guuuuun, Wave yuh uuuuun, wave yuh guuuuun, Den!
No battybwoy caan come march in ah Kingston City, City,
Wave yuh guuuuun, wave yuh guuuuun, Wave yuh uuuuun, wave yuh guuuuun, Den!
No battybwoy caan come march pon Christmas Day, juss som-me me, A!
Verse 1:
Everyday yuh get up and meddle with bauxide, Woman so sweet and ah man go ride,
Yuh fi 'member yuh can run but you caan hide, Everyone ah who owna battyship
ah go capsize,
Battyman fi dead! Tek dem by surprise, Ghetta in shot head, cau me big gun collide,
Monster Shack, buss the Glock in thine eyes, Captain Barkey gimme me Tech-9,
General B. wid de chrome an waa shine, Harry Toddler shot out ah bugger-man,
A! Den!
Chorus:
We no like gay, we no like gay, Well ah just how Jamaican stay,
From you no like battyman well me waan see yuh gun right-away, gun right-away,
Cau we bun dem and we run dem, Scare Dem and battyman nah go friend,
You nuh like battyman Monster Shack juss wave the Mack 10, wave the Mack, A!
Verse 2:
Battyman ah fassyhole me know say dem ah midgit inna man, ????????
Man ah fiyah dem rim-it, Battyman waan march, deh wrong crime they woulda commit,
Gimme the ????, Bounty Killa ah guh dun it, Gimme the Tech-9, down ah Seaview
we bun it,
If they come ah fate-man me know dem are gonna run it, Battyman fi dead!
Jungle man dem seh spread it,
Battyman fi dead! ????man seh see spread it, ???man fi dead! Monster Shack seh
see spread it,
Why? Cau Scare Dem Crew dun said it, A!
Chorus:
We no like gay, we no like gay, Well ah just how Jamaican stay,
From you no like battyman well me waan see yuh gun right-away, gun right-away,
Cau we bun dem and we run dem, Battyman and badman caan be friend,
You nuh like battyman Spanish Town juss rise yuh Mack 10, rise yuh Mack, A!
Wave yuh guuuuun, wave yuh guuuuun, Wave yuh uuuuun, wave yuh guuuuun, Den!
No battybwoy caan come march in ah Kingston City, A!,
Wave yuh guuuuun, wave yuh guuuuun, Wave yuh uuuuun, wave yuh guuuuun, Den!
No battybwoy caan come march pon Christmas Day, A, Badman nah
Verse 3:
Me hear something go so zoom, Battybwoy house juss get backa zoomer, bere batty
yuh waan,
Yuh no waan nuh pom-pom, See gal deh, yuh ah run from pom-pom, Gimme deh gun,
lemme shot him boom boom,
Don't waan no gal, not even fatty pom-pom, Gimme any gal out deh, Hail peh pom-pom.