Word: banton
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...order to visit loved ones in the structure. Curious wandering is forbidden. Roger Sinclair, 77, a historian of cemeteries who has bought a plot for himself in the Great Mausoleum, was not made to feel welcome, even as a future occupant. Says Sinclair: "I was looking at Travis Banton, a costume designer located near W.C. Fields. And the guards came right up and stood there, two guys in suits. They walked me away, and I was escorted out." Explains Sinclair: "I'm a property owner, and I wasn't at my [exact] property. It's not a place...
...Buju Banton - whose smash hit from the 1990s "Boom Bye Bye" also advocates the shooting and burning of gay men - last week signed the "reggae compassionate act" after a three-year campaign by Stop Murder Music. Banton, a Grammy-nominated artist who broke Bob Marley's record of most number one singles in a year on the Jamaican charts, pledged to "respect" the rights of gays to live without fear of violence...
...latest in a series of high-profile artists, including Beenie Man and Sizzla, to sign the declaration after worldwide protests from gay rights groups resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of concerts and sponsorship deals, costing the artists an estimated US$5 million. The news about Banton was welcomed by gay rights groups in Jamaica, where attacks on gay people are common and sodomy laws left over from Britain's colonial-era still prohibit...
...some music insiders argue that compassion was hardly the motivation. Mark Richards, known as DJ Kemist from reggae label Xtremix records, says: "I can see why [Banton's] done it. He doesn't want to jeopardize his whole career over just a few songs. But it doesn't mean it's going to change any of his opinions...
...Meanwhile, gay-rights activists say Jamaican police often overlook evidence in anti-gay hate crimes, such as the alleged assault by Banton in 2004. His accuser, Brian, says cops excised Banton's role from their reports of the 2004 beating. A police spokesman denies that. But in dismissing the case earlier this year, the judge in the trial warned Banton to avoid violence and "seek legal recourses" when he has complaints against gays in the future. Banton refused TIME's request for an interview. His manager, Donovan Germain, insists that the singer is innocent and that "Buju's lyrics...