Gig scrapped after gay protests

Beenie Man is one of dancehall reggae's biggest stars

A New York concert featuring Jamaican reggae stars Beenie Man and TOK has been cancelled after protests over their allegedly homophobic lyrics.

The gig, to raise awareness of HIV and Aids, was due to take place on 18 July.

Beenie Man and TOK have both been accused of writing songs that incite the murder of lesbians and gays.

Concert organisers Lifebeat said they had to cancel due to "the possibility of violence from the firestorm incited by a select group of activists".

Scrapping the event was "the only responsible action", according to a Lifebeat statement.

The group, which uses the music industry to raise awareness about HIV and Aids, had earlier said earlier the artists agreed not to use "potentially offensive lyrics."

Protestors wanted concert planners to either drop the artists or force them to denounce controversial lyrics.

'Misjudged'

Lifebeat received many calls in recent few days, some of them threatening, and there were concerns over safety at the concert, executive director John Canelli said.

In statements earlier this week, TOK said the group had "matured over the years", while Beenie Man said: "Aids is an epidemic that doesn't discriminate. It's not a gay or a straight thing, it is a fight for life."

But protestors, including bloggers and black gay activists, were not satisfied.

'Insulting'

"The idea that they would invite artists who encourage murdering gays and lesbians is so outrageous, insulting and unbelievable," activist Keith Boykin said before the cancellation was announced.

Lifebeat board member Tim Rosta acknowledged that they had underestimated the response.

"I think that we misjudged the depth of the hurt around some of the issues that are raised by some of the lyrics," he said.

Earlier this month, Beenie Man was banned from performing in Bournemouth, UK, because of his contentious lyrics.

Dorset police officers compiled a dossier of evidence against the Jamaican performer and submitted it to the borough council, which owns and runs the centre, which led to a show being cancelled.

But Beenie Man did play a gig in Hackney, London, earlier this year after he agreed not to play songs featuring homophobic lyrics.

The star, who is signed to Virgin Records, insisted his lyrics had been misconstrued. He said the term "batty boy" - widely perceived to be a derogatory term for a gay man - actually meant a child molester.