I-Octane
So we are all entitled to our opinions and rightfully so but there are times when opinions passes the stage of such and lead to subtle homophobia which also must be pointed out and criticised for just that. According to reports from listeners of a particular radio station this week where the former rising Star contestant's above titled song was played, the host of the particular program proceeded to add his own views (as if anyone asked when his job is to host professionally) by saying "Not even mi fadda" (not even my father) clearly suggesting some sort of homophobic insinuations.
Why are Jamaican men so insecure about their own masculinity? so much so to the point that anything that involves other men closely or deemed too close is also deemed as something sexual or cohersively so as if in the same way Jamaican men hit on or try to coherse women is somehow the same way another man in this perceived "too close for comfort" position will also try to do.
Why are Jamaican men so insecure about their own masculinity? so much so to the point that anything that involves other men closely or deemed too close is also deemed as something sexual or cohersively so as if in the same way Jamaican men hit on or try to coherse women is somehow the same way another man in this perceived "too close for comfort" position will also try to do.
This kind of fear comes from the bigger belief that homosexual males are predatory and are somehow trying to change everyone else into homos or gays for pay usually. This incessant need to be hyper or hegemonically masculine causes all kinds of paranoia and fear amongst young men, the pressure to not have anything trace of effeminacy behaviourally speaking but very limited feminized or metro-sexualised aesthetics are allowed given the nation's increasing tolerance of such looks, i.e. tight pants, bleached faces, close fitted brand named tops, man purses, flip floppers with manicured nails, powdered faces in some instances similar to the Frenchmen in the fourteenth to the sixteenth centuries and other similar typed expressions once held in taboo by dancehall and by extension the public. This smoother style of homophobic tinged lyrics slid under the guise of carefully worded tracks has been in the doing for a long time before the Stop Murder Music Campaigns were on in earnest worldwide especially with the US leg being the last to catch on somewhat. Other ways of sliding in the perceptions were used by other offending artists where one-liners are used containing phrases or words like "number two, "too many men" "fish in the sea" "funny man" "child molester" and others.
The artist also has another song "Woman Wi Seh" which was at the centre of some controversy over it's release see it here:
The song was said to be unauthorised and was released without the proper channels followed, see more on this HERE .
He has also had a rumoured beef with a fellow sinjay names Khago over the "hair issue" as since another dancehall heavyweight Vybz Kartel apparently dawned hair extensions he has been bearing the brunt of what amounts to a backlash from other artists old and young in the business alike. According to the Star News and other blogs:
Over the past couple weeks there have been speculations that the two artiste are at odds since the release of Khago's song Blood A Boil, which seems to be some sort of counteraction to I-Octane's Nuh Ramp Wid Wi. direct hit In Nuh Ramp Wid Wi that was released in January on Cashflow's 'Bus Stop' rhythm, I-Octane said, "Nuh bwoy pon Earth can put dem hand inna mi natty/ Nuh bwoy caan draw mi locks when mi wash it and a flash it."
On Sunday, Khago's song surfaced on the Internet seeming to be a direct hit at I-Octane. In his song he says, "Mi sure seh woman alone wash dem hair and flash it/ Mi a nuh sissy man a road/ Nuh bwoy caan dream see mi/ Anything mi put on a haffi fi mi/ Mi nuh beg fren from enemy/ Talk bout the chart tekka/ Mi nuh pay a cent fi dat/ Through all a dat mi still manage fi remain black mi nah run lef mi block."
Although it seems like the song was directed at I-Octane, Khago was rather silent on the issue. "You know mi don't want talk bout dem ting deh though. A mix-up, nuh true," he said when contacted yesterday. There was no comment coming from I-Octane either as the artiste is in the United States doing a series of shows.
However, his manager, Ray Alexander, said I-Octane will not be responding to the song. He also said he is not sure if the song is being directed at his artiste or Rastas in general. ignorancy "Di artiste not even responding to it 'cause there is nothing to respond to.
To me is just ignorancy 'cause every Rasta flash dem locks fi get out di excess water," Alexander told THE STAR, noting that hair dryers damage the locks. "I am not sure if it's Octane him going after 'cause every Rasta flash dem locks. To me it's an insult to every Rasta weh flash dem hair."
Meanwhile, the public has also been engaging in the discussion. "Mi rate the two artistes dem enuh. Love the type a music dem usually sing but mi neva know seh dem did have problems with each other?
The clash ting nuh good fi every artiste still enuh," one person commented on YouTube. Another said, "Clash is good for dancehall, that's where dancehall came from. Good to be competitive, just keep it lyrical and non-violent."
The song which basically suggests that another man cannot be in his hair apparently men with any additional hair or hair extensions are gay. Pity that this is how foolish the entire phobia becomes sometimes.
"Nuh boi caan ramp wid man like how dem play wid dem caty" (no man cannot play with me as how he plays with his girl) clearly tells us where is going but to suggest that he or his supporters thinks what happens in same gender loving relationships tells us how ignorant the homophobes are.
Clearly we have a new generation of anti gay artists to contend with now intertwining all kinds of old and new stereotypes about male homosexuality to include hyper masculinity but how do we arrive at some understanding without having to resort to closing down concerts and stopping tours in the face of a new metrosexual revolution in Jamaica?
Who was I-Octane speaking of here? one wonders, he used to lend someone clothes?.
Peace and tolerance
H
No comments:
Post a Comment