Beenie Man hates gays for appropriating his favourite mesh singlet and gaudy bracelet.

When the Big Day Out announced its second line-up of artists for 2010, one artist stuck out like a sore, homophobic thumb. In amongst the cavalcade of festival stalwarts (Jet, Maya Jupiter, the Scare, Hilltop Hoods) and hipster electro fads (Passion Pit,  Simian Mobile Disco, Silent Disco, Miami Horror) there was Beenie Man.

If you don’t frequent dancehall circles, you may only know Beenie Man as a dude whose nickname sounds like slang for an uncircumcised penis. Or from his notoriety as a target for gay groups.

Two years ago, Time Magazine suggested Jamaica may well be the most homophobic place on earth. Astonishingly, residents in an East Kingston community declared a ‘Gay Eradication Day’ and Amnesty International notes that 96% of Jamaicans oppose legalisation of same-sex relations. The reggae and dancehall scenes have long been the mouthpiece for the nation’s attitudes.

Buju Banton not only wrote ‘Boom Bye Bye’, which calls for the murder of homosexuals, but was charged in connection with a gay bashing in 2004. Other artists known for inciting homophobic violence include Elephant Man, Capelan, Sizzla, Vybz Kartel and Bounty Killa, who have all had concerts cancelled around the world due to their lyrics. Then there’s Beenie Man.

Beenie Man has essentially been the high-profile whipping boy for dancehall hate speech, repeatedly picketed by gay groups horrified by his unrepentantly homophobic lyrics. Lyrics like: “I’m dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays” from his track ‘Battybwoys Affi Dead’, helpfully translated by Amnesty as ‘Faggots Have To Die’.

Actually, Beenie Man isn’t completely unrepentant. He apologised for lyrics that call for the slaughter of homosexuals. He also tried to clarify that he is not referring to consensual gay relationships, but predatory behaviour by Jamaican paedophiles. Although that doesn’t explain his ‘Han Up Deh’ lyrics, which call for the hanging of lesbians. So there’s no secret that the guy is an atrocious human being, although it must be said that his attitude merely reflects an insidious nationwide culture of homophobia.

When he was announced for the Big Day Out last Wednesday, Australian and New Zealand gay groups sprang into action. GayNZ.com published many articles on the controversy and pressure was put on MPs and the New Zealand immigration minister to ban him. By Friday the NZ Herald and the Dominion Post had featured stories on the controversy and almost 2,000 people signed onto a Facebook group calling for his removal from the line-up (although the New Zealand promoter claimed he was unaware of Beenie Man’s contentious lyrics ). Midday yesterday the BDO snuck out an announcement that he would no longer appear on the 2010 line-up throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Not bad. A five day turnaround in preventing tens of thousands of Australian and New Zealand fans from being subjected to “If yuh nuh chi chi man wave yuh right hand”. That is, from Beenie Man exhorting audiences to “If you’re not queer, throw your hands up in the air.” Well done.